Eliterifleman is wrong and here is why

[vanBladdeck]

Since his topic is closed, but he askes for discussion, i needed to create this post.

1. Toxicicity of the community is not the deciding factor. There are plenty of more toxic communities (Lol,WoT, Hoi4, etc etc) , that receive content no matter their behaviour. Looking to other products like cinema (starwars) or beer (bud light), companies never care if their community is ungratefull or toxic. You could even argue, that toxic communities receive what they ask for (→ bud light). So maybe we werent toxic enough by that logic. Not even talking about, that the “toxic community of aoe3” (forums, youtube, Reddit, discord) is only a tiny fraction of players

2. companies are not our friends. Srsly, this is some parasocial relationship shit some people on this forum have. Companies only care about profit maximizing and this is the ONLY reason aoe3’s dlc got canceled. Microsoft overestimated the boost video games would get from covid and hired a shit ton of people, that they had to fire now. Also Microsoft realocates more and more of its ressources to AI now.

3. WE mismanaged aoe3 and thats why its budget got cut in 2) and not aoe2 or aoe4

Tldr: gamecompanies are no divine higher being, aiming to teach us to behave, gamecompanies care about money

[Moonshadow7475]

@vanBladdeck

Also Microsoft realocates more and more of its ressources to AI now.

Ironically, independent research into the impact of AI hasn’t managed to prove it is actually helping people do more.
The AI bubble is coming, brace yourselves.

[OperaticShip743]

There are some who define toxic as being upset and disagreeing with others’ stupid decisions.

[Adribird90]

I’ve read the whole post, and honestly, I think EliteRifleman has a very distorted view of things. I completely disagree with both the conclusion and the central idea that the community is mainly responsible for the current state of AoE3 DE.

I was a moderator for some time and saw firsthand how many things were handled. I left that role when the DLC was canceled, due to the total lack of respect shown toward players and consumers. From that position, it’s absurd to blame the community for decisions that depend solely and entirely on the studio and Microsoft.

We don’t decide budgets, we don’t cancel content, we don’t handle communication, and we have no power over development (even when I could share balance feedback, they always had the final word). Blaming the community because “the game is bad” is like blaming the audience because a movie flopped. It’s a complete reversal of reality and makes no sense.

And yes, of course there’s toxicity. But that happens in every competitive community. The difference lies in how developers handle feedback and whether the studio knows how to present and support its own product. AoE2 and AoE4 also had conflicts (it’s clear you’re not very involved in the AoE4 community), yet they still received support, investment, tournaments, and communication (less in AoE4, but at least something). In AoE3, however, silence and public neglect were the rule in most cases, and that’s what ends up poisoning the atmosphere and making things worse.

Also, comparing the AoE3 scene to AoE2 or AoE4 is ridiculous when the game never received even a fraction of the backing those titles got. You can’t expect professionalism when there’s no infrastructure, no support, and no motivation. AoM is receiving more care and attention now than AoE3 ever did in its first year. What he said simply makes no sense.

And no, the criticism isn’t “drama.” It’s the natural reaction to years of bugs, imbalance, broken promises, and zero transparency. If people got tired, it’s because they were ignored, not because they enjoy chaos.

To sum up if you don’t want to read much: The community has its flaws, sure, but the neglect comes from the top, not from the bottom. Blaming players for 70% of the problem is just a way of washing hands and taking a corporatist stance (and it’s ironic coming from someone who’s does not receive a salary from the company).

If World’s Edge and Microsoft really wanted to rebuild something, they should start by owning their mistakes instead of expecting gratitude for increasingly indifferent treatment.

[TheLiberator236]

@Adribird90

the community is mainly responsible for the current state of AoE3 DE

We all know that is not except for Elite Rifleman and a few others!

[TeacherTony]

People have to learn it the hard way in real world: interests/profit outweigh moral right/wrong.

[GwentMaster2163]

I think he actually knows that what he said does not make sense and is illogical, otherwise he would not use his authority to set his post to be unreplyable.

[Moonshadow7475]

Let’s not underestimate Microsoft, they are to blame just as much as WE, since they are the ones providing the funding and KPI.

[OperaticShip743]

Well, when we refer to one, we actually mean both. It’s just a branch of the same tree.

[Roman22119456]

Maybe this is what was meant - The AoE3 community is very toxicity when it comes to multiplayer playing - I agree with that! But if the forum community is writing toxic messages, I ask Mr. Eliterifleman to provide examples. Thank you! Am I toxic???

[Moonshadow7475]

There is a very big difference between forum banter and toxic behaviour. I only ever seen toxic behaviour on this forum once. Just once.

[Urban_Hunter]

@EliteRiflemann

7 out of 10 situations or dramas that arise on ALL the platforms that the saga has, that end in suspensions, bans, or direct intervention of a WE employee or a volunteer moderator, come directly from the AoE3 community, we who are proportionally 4-5 times less in size than AoE2 and AoE4, generate 7 times more dramas than all of them combined, the AoE3 community became a small hell, how do you expect WE’s treatment of us to be if we are like this?

@EliteRiflemann

we’ve been generating drama and controversy since the day Definitive Edition came out, and to this day we’re still doing the same thing and we don’t stop for a single week, it seems that we as an AoE3 community are unable to communicate with World of Edge in any other way than not be through drama, which is ironic because the main criticism of WE is the lack of communication.

Wow! The community of old-timers who played the game 20 years ago is so powerful and energetic that it generates 70% of the events in the entire AoE franchise community. If I were the organizer, I wouldn’t try to force the community to be like everyone else, but would instead channel this energy in the direction I need. As he pointed out here, the marketing campaign was poor. Endlessly screaming psychos would attract endless attention. People who don’t play games at all would learn about this game.

@EliteRiflemann

Going back to the “power groups” that hate each other and are divided (and the reasons why they fight are worthy of Kindergarten), and again I tell you, you all know who I’m talking about, I can only say that they are pathetic and I am ashamed of myself for having taken sides with some of these little groups in the past. These small groups have agendas whose purpose is to influence the balance or decide how the game is going to develop although it is something impossible and useless (completely crazy if you think about it, but they have reached those limits), that it seems that their actions and way of handling themselves is exclusively to destroy each other, they went so far in their internal struggles that in the process they destroyed any window and opportunity that the World of Edge itself has opened for them to build something interesting

I confirm.

@EliteRiflemann

all for “power” and “influence” in a game, I repeat, IN A GAME!!

You can’t imagine. I screamed when I noticed this madness.

@EliteRiflemann

Whether you like it or not, we need to rebuild our relationship with World of Edge. All members of the community need to change, put egos aside and start building things, hold good tournaments, support and teach new players, and avoid further drama and controversy over meaningless things.

That’s the only way we’ll save Age of Empires 3 Definitive Edition.

Nah, I think this is a waste of time.

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To summarize, I’ll sum it up. Regarding the community, Elite Rifleman has already said it all. I think he knows more than me. Regarding WE, that’s child’s play; lying about the DLC is ridiculous. Seriously, is a 20-year-old running the company?
First, WE must age up.