I felt this posting from Quidormit merited its own thread:

QuiDormit wrote:

Yeah.  I imagine SOE meetings go something like a meeting I had at a couple of years ago at my last job.  I'll never forget it, because it was incomprehensible to me.

(lightly paraphrased to protect the poor useless product and the moron upper management with shady business practices)
Boss:  "So we need to talk about [product] support."
Me:  "Wait, you mean people still pay for [product]?"
Boss:  "Well, yeah.  I mean, it's one-of-a-kind.  It's the only product that does what it does, so there's a niche market."
Me:  "But it's antiquated technology!  No one even uses pagers any more, do they?"
Boss:  "We want to get rid of it, but it brings in money, and it's still profitable as long as we don't spend any time on it.  We need to essentially stop supporting it in the hopes that people will stop using it.  However, we don't want to actively drop it since people are still willing to pay for it.  Some people are paying for it and aren't even using the product any more, and it could be a problem for us if they realize that they still pay us every month for something they're not using."
Me:  "Well, I'm supposed to be the top tier support for it, and I didn't even know it was still in use, so I'd say we have that one nailed down.  Still, that seems... off."
Boss:  "Yeah, you're right.  Still, don't spend any man hours working on it if anything comes up.  If the server happens to die, we'll at least be done with it."

I'd say that accurately describes our current situation, mm?

I've been thinking about this...(and thank you QuiDormit for the OP on Tranque's thread).

Reason being I can see this as the only logical explanation.

Walrus promised us a Producer's Letter which we never got.  We literally get nothing but a complete, utter, total wall of complete silence in regards to this game.

I think we are being completely frozen out in the method that QuiDormit describes.  The more time goes by the more I am conviced of this.  There can be no other logical explanation. 

I think this is a horrible strategy for building a loyal customer base over time.  If this is the scenario here I will never buy another SOE product again (not that I was likely to after all of this...but only a few months ago I was eager to try the Agency.  Now?  Never).  I have a few more things to take care of in the simulation but once that's wrapped up, it's over.

Thoughts?

(And if this is exactly what's going on here, when will your Exit Date for MxO be?)

Sad to say, I think that's -exactly- what's going on.  I don't think SOE really appreciates us as valid customers...  their bread and butter comes from EQ and EQII.  And let's face facts, while people like you and I will refuse to play another SOE game...  there are still plenty who hate the treatment MxO has been given who will still try the Agency and DC Online.  SOE can and will get away with poor service because we're all foolish enough to continue paying for it.  I honestly believe (and hope) that the Agency and DC Online will fail horribly...  there's nothing special about the Agency that will draw people to it, and DC Online is going up against CoH/CoV & Champions Online.

But, I definitely get the "phasing out" vibe out of this.  I believe they're just going to continue the silence and keep MxO running until the subscriptions can no longer pay for the server.  It would be stupid to shut the game down when it's making money.  They've literally pulled ALL RESOURCES from this game.  The only expense the game now has is what portion of the electric bill it costs to leave the servers running.

I don't know why I continue to pay, honestly.  I think the only reason I keep my sub going is so that I can remain available for those in the Trust who are still playing actively.  Otherwise, I've been have a hell of a great time playing World of Warcraft.  People clown that game, but man...  it's fun as hell.  Especially after playing this game, and realizing how much this game is lacking.

I'm not sure when my exit date will be, but I feel like it's fast approaching.  I've always said I'll be here until the end...  but I think SOE has heard many of this say that, and now they're just taking advantage of us.

SOE knows the world is going to end in 2012 so they are not worried about building a loyal customer base.

For me, alot will be answered come our 5th Anual Club Hel party which we will be making a more formal anouncement on soon. It's always been a high spot for me each year, a chance to sit back relax, reflect with good friends and make more friends who I may not have talked to much.

I like some was interested in trying the Agency too, but now have been a little soured by the silence we have gotten here. If i was going to do a super hero one id lean more to champions too.

If anyone reads this that works for SOE you may want to pass this along to someone. I think we all just want to know whats going on and that there is a plan.

I think the Theorem has been evident for a long time but hope has kept most of us from acknowledging it, let alone embracing it.  That and the fact that acting as if it's true is likely to get NT people banned. 

yeh, hes probably not far wrong. They couldn't be bothered with this game from the start and nothing is going to change that. Its just a bonus for SOE that they have got rid nearly everyone working on the game but still people like myself who are hoping they will see their error and finally work on this game a lil still give them money.

Its just a bit scummy the fact that they take our money and dont reduce the monthly fee or anything, and its annoying but even if everyone on mxo boycotted SOE's products altogether the amount of money they lose probably wouldnt be in anyway significant compared to the rest of the games' income.

Hell, id be happy if they atleast just told me when they are likely to shut the game down just so I know when its coming because the fact that the game is soon to be chucked hasnt been any kind of a secret for a long time now.

SOE prides themselves on never having turned off an MMO.

At this moment it's like a ward of braindead patients on life-support and the relatives won't turn off the life-support.

enjoy your $15/mo. matrix themed chatroom with an interactive background.

You can bet your lunch money that RareBit and anyone else has had to sign an NDS to prevent them from spilling the beans.

phi wrote:

You can bet your lunch money that RareBit and anyone else has had to sign an NDS to prevent them from spilling the beans.

That's the other thing. 

A lot of people are holding out hope for something... a word, a letter, a gesture of some kind showing that they acknowledge that we still exist, but it won't come.  It's not like it's mere coincidence that it has been silent this long.  I daresay that those that still have ties to this game and still actually see the forums may even feel bad for us, because their hands are tied and they can't say or do anything.  I admit, I could be wrong.

What's worse, instead of having an actual gag order on those still directly involved with this game, the decision makers are probably shutting them out.  If/when they ask for information to answer questions for us, they're probably told, "we're still deciding on that," or something equally evasive and dismissive.

As for when I quit?  I'm not sure yet.  I just rolled up a character over on Syntax.  I'm not officially saying goodbye to my Recursion characters, but I figured I'd go poke my nose around over there, too.  Regardless of what some people say, there are never dozens and dozens of people running around on Recursion.  I have two involved characters on Recursion, and I haven't seen dozens and dozens of people.  Maybe I'm just sheltered.

wow spot on most likely....sad...but true

Yeah as i stated in my goodbye thread when i heard that bascily all the other  devs that we had went to the agency or DC online that what made my mind on leavin in may. i dont see paying 15 bucks when were not getin any content what so ever now if my income was at a  better state id may be staying but as i said i gottta make a few cutbacks and this one i had as for playing soe games i may give the Free Agency a shot if they still plan on doing that and since im a big dc fan i may do a trial of dc online  other than that im gonna wait for Star Trek or Knights of the old republic online to come out.