Lawbreakers Devs Blame PUBG for the failure of "Billion Dollar Franchise"

[AlTech]

The developers of Lawbreakers are blaming the failure of Lawbreakers, their new "Billion Dollar Franchise" (terrible valuation imho) , on Player Unknown's Battlegrounds.

 

They claim that PUBG releasing around the same time as Lawbreakers caused the market environment to be very tough for first person shooters in general.

 

And the developers of Lawbreakers are also writing the game off.

 

 

 

Quote

“We had very high expectations for its launch; however, the timing of its launch turned out to be unfortunate, specifically the blockbuster PC online game PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds came out right about the same time, making the market environment very tough for first-person shooters in general and for Lawbreakers,” Nexon said.

Although, yes, it’s very possible that PUBG’s success sucked the air out of the room when it comes to PC shooters in general, two things are worth mentioning. First, PUBG is a very different game from LawBreakers, and their core audiences may not overlap that often.

Second, PUBG started becoming the phenomenon that is today around the Early Access launch at the end of March, well before LawBreakers’ August 7 release date.

 

Quote

PUBG isn’t an obvious competitor for Lawbreakers, as they’re very different types of shooter. Still, there is at least some overlap in their audiences, and such was the scale of PUBG’s success that perhaps it cast a wider shadow than one might think

 

Personally, law breakers looked fine but that price tag was wayyy too high. If it was a free to play game, I'd have tried it out and then potentially considered supporting it if I liked it.

 

But nope, $30 USD for an online game with less going for it than Overwatch is a definite nope. Overwatch has it's own issues like being owned by Activision Blizzard and the loot boxes but otherwise the game contains a large enough amount of playable characters/heroes.

 

Several other journalists feel that there is a "Overwatch fatigue" and that class based heroes fps aren't doing too well at the moment in general. I personally just want a good fps without all this class based heroes bs.

 

Sources:

Link at appropriate Time code.

https://www.pcgamesn.com/lawbreakers/lawbreakers-write-off-pubg-failure

https://www.vg247.com/2018/01/03/lawbreakers-publisher-writes-the-game-off-partially-blaming-pubg-for-its-poor-sales/amp/

 

[Enderman]

"boo hoo we had competition and we weren't good enough"

[Cyracus]

5 minutes ago, AluminiumTech said:

Overwatch has it's own issues like... and the loot boxes

Don't Overwatch loot boxes only drop character and profile customizing items, literally nothing that actually affects core gameplay, like that's one thing I've heard nothing but praise over until now especially during and right after the whole battlefront 2 fiasco

[AlTech]

Just now, Cyracus said:

Don't Overwatch loot boxes only drop character and profile customizing items, literally nothing that actually affects core gameplay, like that's one thing I've heard nothing but praise over until now especially during and right after the whole battlefront 2 fiasco

I dislike the loot box concept itself. I'd rather receive randomized loot in another form.

[Cyracus]

1 minute ago, AluminiumTech said:

I dislike the loot box concept itself. I'd rather receive randomized loot in another form.

Well, if it actually has an affect on gameplay I agree, but for cosmetics and junk, nobodies getting a competitive advantage so I couldn't care less, let the devs milk the whales in exchange for cosmetics all they want

[AlTech]

5 minutes ago, Cyracus said:

Well, if it actually has an affect on gameplay I agree, but for cosmetics and junk, nobodies getting a competitive advantage so I couldn't care less, let the devs milk the whales in exchange for cosmetics all they want

In games like Destiny. There is an advantage to getting cosmetic loot.

 

Destiny is very much about the end game content and looking the best hence why micro-transactions and lootbox cosmetics are even being offered at all.

[Cyracus]

10 minutes ago, AluminiumTech said:

In games like Destiny. There is an advantage to getting cosmetic loot.

 

Destiny is very much about the end game content and looking the best hence why micro-transactions and lootbox cosmetics are even being offered at all.

well, Destiny, from what I can find, includes actual game items that can turn into game items that grant better stats and the like, so it's not just cosmetic loot like how overwatch does it... or am I ill informed about destiny loot crates?

[AlTech]

1 minute ago, Cyracus said:

well, Destiny, from what I can find, includes actual game items that can turn into game items that grant better stats and the like, so it's not just cosmetic loot like how overwatch does it... or am I ill informed about destiny loot crates?

Destiny 2 loot crates contain both cosmetics and P2W items.

 

I was saying how the loot crates containing cosmetics was bad imho.

[Cyracus]

3 minutes ago, AluminiumTech said:

Destiny 2 loot crates contain both cosmetics and P2W items.

I was saying how the loot crates containing cosmetics was bad imho.

Oh I misunderstood your whole premise, because most people think when they spend $60+ on a game and it turns out to be total p2w that it's bogus, like with battlefront 2 and everyone crapping all over EA and the p2w loot crates, whereas if it's cosmetics that have no bearing on gameplay performance people tend to not care. But to each their own I guess

[Bouzoo]

3 hours ago, AluminiumTech said:

Overwatch has it's own issues like being owned by Activision Blizzard

While you may argue that they own the game, and you'd be right, I'd like to point out that the game is a Blizzard IP and Activision has no saying in it, same how Blizzard has no saying in Call of Duty. Those 2 companies don't meddle in each other games. So as I said, while Blizzard is owned by Activision Blizzard, all decisions in the game come only from Blizzard, so the BS matchmaking algorithm and all other Activision crap is not in the game. Just look at whose logo is on the box of the game. I personally still have a lot of respect for Blizzard, even with their mistakes, which is not something that I can say about a lot of devs. Just my 2 way off topic cents. 

[ravenshrike]

2 hours ago, AluminiumTech said:

I dislike the loot box concept itself. I'd rather receive randomized loot in another form.

I like TF2's way of doing it. Play some games, and after you exit out, oh hey, got some new items. No significant fanfare. It keeps the game experience and the loot experience separate.

[8uhbbhu8]

"O boohoo!" "We didn't get our game out first and its not doing well!" 

 

 

Well maybe you should have made a better game lol  

[AlTech]

4 minutes ago, 8uhbbhu8 said:

"O boohoo!" "We didn't get our game out first and its not doing well!" 

 

 

Well maybe you should have made a better game lol  

Apparently the game itself isn't too bad. The main points of issue for people were the attitude problem with the head of studio, "overwatch fatigue" and also how the game was marketed (which reflects the studio head's attitude).

[Xander Cousins]

2 hours ago, AluminiumTech said:

Destiny is very much about the end game

 

Sorry couldn't help but laugh at that comment, Destiny 2 doesn't really have a end game. Even in destiny one the Cosmetic side was barebone and basic so people found the shader they like without having to go into Everest's Micro transactions.

 

Loot Boxes I have mixed feeling with them, If they don't harm the game in any sense then fine but I would still prefer the classical version of getting these items for example doing challenges for the desired cosmetic or attachment in some cases.

 

But having the loot box system just help with the collection of them ain bad (As long as it ain't a game changer reward(s) ).

3 hours ago, AluminiumTech said:

The developers of Lawbreakers are blaming the failure of Lawbreakers, their new "Billion Dollar Franchise" (terrible valuation imho) , on Player Unknown's Battlegrounds.

Sorry But LawBreakers has no excuse to complain. You in the gaming industry for a reason and to go "Hey we didn't do well because we got shadowed by PUBG and their achievement on capitalising the majority of the audience in a game mode people enjoy and don't get too much frustration from.

 

you don't hear EA complaining to Activision when COD loomed over their Battlefield games. you don't hear the likes of Elite Dangerous complaining because people moved to No man's Sky (Temporarily ). 

 

It's what happens when in that business, Deal with it. 

As I know shiz is going to happen when Anthom comes out later this year. (Getting because Bioware made it, Hopefully keep them afloat for their screw up with Adromada)

[8uhbbhu8]

2 minutes ago, AluminiumTech said:

Apparently the game itself isn't too bad. The main points of issue for people were the attitude problem with the head of studio and also how the game was marketed (which reflects the studio head's attitude).

Just a quick search shows how bad they were at that lol. And thats just the first google page lmao

Spoiler

 

 

 

[Fedaykyn]

I am blaming Lawbreakers for the failure of Lawbreakers.

 

It was a fast arena style shooter, something that USED to be revered (Q3 Arena and UT days) but isnt so hot right now as several things (Warsow, Shootmania, UT since 3 and a plethora of other games) have pointed out by showing that there just is no market for this.

 

Meanwhile MMS and tactical fps´s are reigning supreme.

Even games like Dirty Bomb (which was a mess) can last for a couple months, while Battlefield is still played despite the fragmentation between 3 games and there is a clear trend towards games that support a burst of action and downtime inbetween like PUBG and R6S.

[yolosnail]

Am I the only one who has never heard of this game?

[JupiteL]

The game failed because it's a failure. It looks just like any other F2P generic chinese FPS. I didn't buy into Overwatch hype until I realized how stale modern shooter has become, and this game is really just that.

[Scionyde]

Wait, did CliffyB really call Lawbreakers a "billion dollar franchise"? Wow.

[mrchow19910319]

1. i think that his attitude is a bit off.... you know when big movie studios putting out their latest films, they will try to avoid the biggest elephant in the room. Like if you are a small indie movie, you dont go on to the theater at the time of avengers came out. 
2. there are a lot of games have similar playing style, like this game and overwatch, league and dota (when it comes to the details these two games are quite different), PUBG and H1Z1. When it comes to who can be the biggest winner? I think there is luck involved. No one saw that league can become such a successful game within 10 years. Most of the copy cats failed, those who survived, evolve to something else and keep developing their own style. 

 

[michaelocarroll007]

As silly of a reason it is Ill be some what hoenest. Lots of games haven't gotten my money due to me playing PUBG its all i play now or at least 90% of my gaming time. so ive told my self why bother buying other games if i know im not going to play them at least until im over PUBG and if there is a game i missed it will only be cheaper later on.

 

I was pretty interested in lawbreakers and a big fan of GOW so i was excited for the next Cliffy B titile. Reviews were mostly good any people who played it All were decently positive. i think i would of purchased it if i didnt play PUBG.

 

Though this is NOT why it FAILED at ALL. Its a tough market look at battleborn. People who play overwatch dont want a new game they dont want to play another game they want to play overwatch. and that was what the game was closest geared towards. Except no one who plays over watch wanted a new game.  The next group of people were old school arena types but thats pretty niche now days.  Overall it just wasnt even markeded Correctly knowing what it had to go up against it needed just as much money in marketing as they spent making it. Cliffs attitude didnt help people who were his fans ( Also most his fans being the one console it never launched on ) 

[michaelocarroll007]

55 minutes ago, Scionyde said:

Wait, did CliffyB really call Lawbreakers a "billion dollar franchise"? Wow.

he Said he was going to make another billion dollar franchise and That Lawbreakers will be it.  ( This was way before launch and just more a marketing himself i feel for the company he works for to believe in him/ the investors) Though he was way over cocky and Obviously he sold almost nothing. Wonder if they even hit a million in sales. 

 

Edit I was exaggerating but  Steam chart shows 85k sales  25.5 million dollars  Not that the dev gets all that. steam and ect take cuts. 

[Misanthrope]

If your franchise was defeated by a guy with a mod, then you kinda deserved to be defeated.

[Doobeedoo]

8 hours ago, Enderman said:

"boo hoo we had competition and we weren't good enough"

Not really "good enough" factor, it's just that many already were on OW and later pubg team. Players rarely just switch, or even try another game. So yeah not the best time release when ton of players already were playing OW though.

I've seen many compared LW to OW yet they're very different gameplay wise. OW is more of a moba in fps form based on tank/healer aspect while LW is faster and each character is more capable 1v1 and aim is more important. 

Also keep in mind that Blizzard reputation alone is more than enough and better marketing too. So yeah definitely sucks as far as release timeframe for it.

[Doobeedoo]

8 hours ago, AluminiumTech said:

Personally, law breakers looked fine but that price tag was wayyy too high. If it was a free to play game, I'd have tried it out and then potentially considered supporting it if I liked it.

 

But nope, $30 USD for an online game with less going for it than Overwatch is a definite nope. Overwatch has it's own issues like being owned by Activision Blizzard and the loot boxes but otherwise the game contains a large enough amount of playable characters/heroes.

 

Several other journalists feel that there is a "Overwatch fatigue" and that class based heroes fps aren't doing too well at the moment in general. I personally just want a good fps without all this class based heroes bs.

I really think the same about OW I was actually surprised that it had price tag once they revealed it actually. I though it was going to be f2p like HotS is. 

I've played LW from alpha, beta, free weekends. Liked it way more than OW though. But I don't play any of those games anymore, nor pubg too. 

 

Also OW was terrible in start with all mouse issues, server tickrate etc. Also was missing DM and other. It did had more time to add all of that than LW had. For loot boxes they're just cosmetic, many games are going for it though. 

 

Personally I too love fps without classes or hero shooters. Reason I'd play UT4 for example, though for a while I play Quake Champions even though it's more different than previous ones, it's still Quake and skill transitions well.