Disney mission FAQ

[Rae]

I've thrown this together (with help from Team Wildcard and posters here) super-fast, so sorry if I've missed anything.

Before reading this, read this: http://www.cohtitan.com/forum/index.php/topic,6354.0.html

Now read this. Hopefully it'll clear up some of the questions.


1. You can't pitch the game, you don't own it.

We didn't try to sell the game.

We put together as much information as we could on City of Heroes, its history, all the financial and player numbers we were humanly able to get our hands on, why we thought it would be the perfect game for Disney Interactive to pick up, counter-arguments to the reasons people keep saying they wouldn't buy it, a number of case studies (the casual gamer/the people who had their life changed by the game/the people who use it for therapy/inspiration  and a bunch more my brain is too fried to think of right now.)

We explained why the game is different to any other out there, how it could fill a gap in Disney's portfolio and asked them to consider buying it.

If Disney ignore us, or rebuff us, we still have a 31-page 'sales' pitch, written by a leading NY Times Best Selling Author, full of pertinent information, players stories and contact details for high-ups in NC Soft and Paragon Studios that can be tweaked and sent out to other studios/interested parties.

2.   Why Disney? (with help from various posters on the Titan forums.)

Why not? They've got the money, the power and the clout. They've done awesome with Pixar, the Marvel movies, they've shown an interest in gaming and with their history in film making, a whole new world of superheroes may be of interest to them. 

They also have a very good record for taking care of the properties they acquire.

If any company has the sheer clout to stroll on in and ask NCsoft to sell them something, it would be Disney. Love them or hate them, they are the closest thing to an unstoppable force in the entertainment industry. They have the money and the resources to turn City of Heroes into something incredible, and acquiring the IP could open up a world of possibilities for them, as well as us.

We also picked Disney because it is the only supersized entertainment conglomerate we could think of on the North American continent that might be interested in acquiring City of Heroes.

And the miracle occurs, if the heavens open, the clouds part, rays of mouse-head-shaped light shine down on us and the Voice from on high sounds a lot like Uncle Walt...people, Disney has the money to put the studio and our devs back together again!  And give them health insurance!  And right now, I do not believe that they actually have a game studio...which means our devs could actually become that game studio.  We would be incredibly, utterly selfish to stand in the way of that.

3.   Why not Valve/insert other studio name here?

Rumour has it that Valve made an offer for City of Heroes that was either rebuffed, or ignored entirely.

If rumour is fact, and with the constant rumours that Nexon/NC Soft are trying to buy Valve, and Valve responding that they'd rather stab themselves repeatedly in the face rather than be bought out, it's entirely possible that things between them are a little frosty right now.

Various other studios: We /could/ have started small and worked our way up, by the time we got to Disney, you would all be exhausted and most of you would have given up.  Right now you are all fired up because we are four days from shutdown, and desperate for something to do--and you can put your energy and anxiety to work writing letters.  We're setting a realistic goal for time, bearing in mind that Disney is a behemoth, and moves slowly. 

If we hear nothing by our deadline, we move down a peg to the next on our list, retailor the pitch package, and send it out again.

That's not to say that Valve or others aren't on the list of studios we hope to be able to send the pitch to in time, should Disney rebuff us. They just weren't at the top of the list at this time.

Basically: Because we haven't sent it to (insert studio name here) /yet/, it doesn't mean we won't it send to them EVER.

4.   Why couldn't I help with the package?

We had one person writing the package, and the rest of us researching, fact-checking, digging out contacts, proof-reading, creating case studies and trying to make sure every angle was covered. We worked flat out on it, every spare moment we had. As  much as we would have loved to have everyone's input on it, if we had thrown it open to everyone, we'd probably still be trying to get the first page written.

5.   Why didn't you tell us what you were doing first of all?

In case people started writing to Disney before the package got there, or press/gaming sites got wind of it before we'd made the approach and had confirmation it had been received.

It would have been confusing for them, and make us look disorganised and unprofessional if they got a flood of letters/enquiries before we'd made an 'official' approach.

A press release has been drafted and will be sent out later this week, hopefully once the first letters have begun to arrive and Disney are aware that we're trying to get their attention, rather than reading about it in any press that pick up the story.

You can't believe how hard it was to get the timing right between telling you guys, Disney and the press/blogosphere what we were up to.

6.   Can I see the pitch?

No, sorry. It contains some sensitive commercial information which we were given on the condition that it went no further than us, and Disney. 

In a nutshell, however, we pitched the whole deal: IP, game code, server code, customer account information (including all your characters), and asked them to consider setting Paragon Studios back up.

7.   Where did you get your numbers from?

NC Soft's own reports, with input from key industry figures and people who had worked closely with NC Soft during COH's lifespan.

8. Did you mention...?

Probably, yes. But if you're worried we've missed something out or overlooked something, put it in your letters and send it to Disney.

9. What about..?

That too.

10. ZomgDisney are the devil

Some people have misgivings about Disney's business practices. That's fair enough - what we know is that Disney has a very good track record of taking care of their properties, and an interest in family-friendly entertainment. It's a very good bet a Disney purchase would not be an EA-type deal with the devil.

If you don't like Disney, and if you don't feel you can support this pitch, then don't send any letters.

Hopefully, if we have to work our way down the list of studios we have in mind, you'll find someone you DO approve of.

11. Duh, Marvel MMO. (With help from various posters at Titan Network).

Marvel Heroes is based on the Diablo engine and is geared more towards solo and PvP.  Marvel Arena features players pitting signature Marvel heroes against each other, Arcade style.  Neither covers the family-friendly, community-building game the way City does.  Neither will offer the rich character generator, nor the base builder. 

COH would be just another universe that they own, kind of like how DC, Vertigo, Impact, WildStorm, and a bunch of other companies are all part of the same conglomerate, though they span a bunch of vastly different universes.

On top of that, there's only really been four superhero "names" in online games - Marvel, DC, Champions, and COH. By acquiring COH on top of Marvel, Disney would own half of the entire currently active western online superhero culture. That's got to be an appealing prospect.

You might as well ask, "Why did Valve bother making Left 4 Dead when they already had a first-person shooter in Team Fortress 2."

And Counterstrike. And Half-Life...

12. OMG, u so stupid. Disney will never buy.

Well, that's for them to decide, isn't it? They sure as hell won't if we don't ask them.

Worse case scenario, you lose whatever you spent on ink, paper and postage, and wasted however many minutes it takes you to write a letter.

The chances are that no, they won't buy. But if we don't ask, we'll never know for sure.  And with your help, we've got more chance of getting their attention.

[The Fifth Horseman]

On top of that, there's only really been four superhero "names" in online games - Marvel, DC, Champions, and COH. By acquiring COH on top of Marvel, Disney would own half of the entire currently active western online superhero culture. That's got to be an appealing prospect.

I'd think a just appealing facet is that as owners of the game they would be legally able to reuse player-generated character concepts, designs and stories - say, in conjunction with the Marvel IP. With the contributors effectively paying them for the ability to create those.  ;D

[P51mus]

And the miracle occurs, if the heavens open, the clouds part, rays of mouse-head-shaped light shine down on us and the Voice from on high sounds a lot like Uncle Walt...people, Disney has the money to put the studio and our devs back together again!  And give them health insurance!  And right now, I do not believe that they actually have a game studio...which means our devs could actually become that game studio.  We would be incredibly, utterly selfish to stand in the way of that.

Disney does own at least one game studio, Wideload Games in chicago.  They acquired Wideload games 3 years ago(2009). Doing a search of video game companies Disney owns doesn't bring up wideload oddly enough, but the wiki page of their assets lists Avalanche software (acquired 2005), Junction point studios (acquired 2007), and Gamestar and Rocket Pack (wiki shows no more info on those two.  They also own a mobile game company called Tapulous (acquired 2010).

So, they have a few game studios, but they've also been acquiring a bunch of them lately and might be interested in another.

[Ampithere]

Disney also did a superhero movie awhile back called Sky High. So the interest in superheroes is definitely there. And they are clearly gearing up for something. You don't just go about buying Lucasfilm and Marvel because you don't own them yet. What it is they are planning for, and what role CoH and other acquired properties might play, is something only they know.

[Segev]

Disney also did a superhero movie awhile back called Sky High. So the interest in superheroes is definitely there. And they are clearly gearing up for something. You don't just go about buying Lucasfilm and Marvel because you don't own them yet. What it is they are planning for, and what role CoH and other acquired properties might play, is something only they know.

Dagfirnit, the mention of acquiring all these properties as "gearing up for something" made me picture a Mega-Zord-style giant robot combination with each of these entities as one of the "Zords." >_<

[Victoria Victrix]

Dagfirnit, the mention of acquiring all these properties as "gearing up for something" made me picture a Mega-Zord-style giant robot combination with each of these entities as one of the "Zords." >_<

I think we'd all be happy to see CoH as the right fist.

[JWBullfrog]

And think of this angle for a moment, most gaming companies are looking at Blizzard's success and thinking 'I'd like to have that but I never will.' They then give up even trying.

What is the one company that can look at Blizzard and think.. "You're pretty good old son, but sit down in that chair right there and let me show you how it's done."

Yup. Disney.

What have we got to lose by trying this? Absoultely nothing that we aren't already losing. Call everyone you know that has ever played the game, call your freinds, your families, accost random strangers on the street and threaten to tell them all about your bad PUG unless they write a letter. We need all the help we can get.

ps. thanks CD, that was too good a line to pass up.

[Victoria Victrix]

If any of you are members of any other fangroup that brought its focus back from the brink (or from death) please, please go to them and beg for them to help.  They just might see a reflection of themselves in us.  Browncoats.  Trekkies.  Galacticans.  Please.

[Sonarr]

If Di$ney buys CoH, I'm out.  I WILL go in and delete every character I have on every server, and end my account.

[Quinch]

Whyso?

[Victoria Victrix]

If Di$ney buys CoH, I'm out.  I WILL go in and delete every character I have on every server, and end my account.

That's certainly your privilege.  I hope you find another game you can enjoy.

[Sonarr]

I hate monopolies.  While Di$ney is not a a monopoly in the traditional sense, owning and controlling 100% of the means of production and distribution of a single, vital industry, they have their fingers in a LOT of different aspects of the entertainment and information industries.  They hold entirely too much influence over individuals, businesses, and government, in a way that no corporation should have no right to do, because of it.

I know that City of Heroes is small enough potatoes compared to any one of the multiple television networks that they own, and my $15/month would not amount to much in comparison.  But I have no desire to give them *any* of my money.

The idea of CoH becoming yet another Di$ney property is repulsive to me.

[Quinch]

Fair enough, I suppose. I have some issues with some of Disney's business practices myself, but they consistently put out quality products, at least media-wise, so it's enough of a weird kind of balance for me not to see dealing with Disney as a "deal with the devil" kind of thing.

[Victoria Victrix]

And, in one of the rare Microsoft things that IS smart, the Mouse always allows a competitor or two to avoid accusations of monopoly.

[emu265]

Thank you, Rae.

I wish I could read it (I do understand why I cannot though).  Well done.

[TimtheEnchanter]

Disney also did a superhero movie awhile back called Sky High. So the interest in superheroes is definitely there. And they are clearly gearing up for something.

I think it's called a monopoly.

[Segev]

Monopolies are maligned because they enable certain bad business practices, centered around having no competition and thus being able to set the price as high as they think they can force people to play.

When the means of entry are inexpensive enough, and the laws against using violence to prevent entry are properly enforced, a "monopoly" really just means "the biggest guy out there, because he consistently delivers the best product for the lowest price."

Because of the internet, entry into the entertainment industry is pretty cheap. Consider things like Channel Awesome (home of the Nostalgia Critic), Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, and all the myriad free entertainment produced by amateurs on YouTube. Then recall that there ARE competitors in all fields Disney participates in; they're just one of the biggest.

Disney, like CostCo and Wal*Mart, may seem "monopolistic" in that they often drive competitors out of business due to having a better product at a lower price, but the real measure is in whether they then hike prices and lower quality because "why not?"

They don't, because doing so would open the door for those competitors to come back in. The "evil" of the monopoly isn't in the putting of competitors out of business, but in the abuse of their position to force people to do business with them no matter how overpriced and poor quality their products are. The former is just competition working as designed.

And, in the entertainment industry, where purchases are totally optional (as nobody needs to play CoH to survive, much as they'd be sad to lose the quality product they love), failing to produce good enough products at low enough prices is going to put even the monopoly out of business. After all, they still have to compete with other optional purchases that are not their kind of entertainment product. Like hobbies.

[Nebularian]

As Victoria said, it is, indeed, your decision.  You can take your marbles and go home if you so desire.  I, on the other hand, look at it this way.... COH is closing.  Today.  If Disney can bring it back.....I will be there.  Not because I am fond of Disney,. but because I love COH.  If, after acquiring the game, Disney makes some horrendous changes, then I will rethink my position.  But I would give things a good chance before I wrote it of

[Kaiser Tarantula]

Dagfirnit, the mention of acquiring all these properties as "gearing up for something" made me picture a Mega-Zord-style giant robot combination with each of these entities as one of the "Zords." >_<

I think we'd all be happy to see CoH as the right fist.

If that fist gets thoroughly applied to a Yongary-expy wearing a red bandana, I will die a happy man.

[PrinceRecluse]

Monopolies are maligned because they enable certain bad business practices, centered around having no competition and thus being able to set the price as high as they think they can force people to play.

When the means of entry are inexpensive enough, and the laws against using violence to prevent entry are properly enforced, a "monopoly" really just means "the biggest guy out there, because he consistently delivers the best product for the lowest price."

Because of the internet, entry into the entertainment industry is pretty cheap. Consider things like Channel Awesome (home of the Nostalgia Critic), Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, and all the myriad free entertainment produced by amateurs on YouTube. Then recall that there ARE competitors in all fields Disney participates in; they're just one of the biggest.

Disney, like CostCo and Wal*Mart, may seem "monopolistic" in that they often drive competitors out of business due to having a better product at a lower price, but the real measure is in whether they then hike prices and lower quality because "why not?"

They don't, because doing so would open the door for those competitors to come back in. The "evil" of the monopoly isn't in the putting of competitors out of business, but in the abuse of their position to force people to do business with them no matter how overpriced and poor quality their products are. The former is just competition working as designed.

And, in the entertainment industry, where purchases are totally optional (as nobody needs to play CoH to survive, much as they'd be sad to lose the quality product they love), failing to produce good enough products at low enough prices is going to put even the monopoly out of business. After all, they still have to compete with other optional purchases that are not their kind of entertainment product. Like hobbies.

I think this is well stated, and I agree. Just because some monopolies are bad and abuse their power, does not mean that ANY monopoly is by default bad and abusive. But that is neither here nor there.

I am not the biggest fan of Disney as a company. But then again I don't run companies so I don't have the appropriate knowledge base to determine their social value. I can say this though: Disney is an American staple, and a large reason why I am who I am today, and I am sure same goes for many of you, like it or not. Before my mind became infected with the knowledge of corruption of human nature and greed, as a kid my imagination was continuously fueled by the magic of Disney. Without Disney, the last 30 years would have been VERY different and probably very boring. I remember where I was the first time I saw Aladdin in theaters as a kid, just as I remember where I was when I saw Wreck-It Ralph as a 30 year old. You may not agree with their corporate practices, but you have to agree that their ability to create decent entertainment has made the world a little more entertaining for many years.

CoH is dying.
I want you to think back on your childhood, before you cared about corporate commerce. Think back to Mary Poppins, Aladdin, 101 Dalmatians, The Rescuers Down Under, American Tail, Toy Story, Monsters Inc, Newsies, Bambi, Pinocchio, Goofy Movie, remember Mickey and the Gang, remember how you felt the moment Wall-E woke up, remember...
CoH is dying.
Would you rather sit there and watch it die, than at least give Disney the chance to give it CPR? They may not want to, it might not work, or CoH could come back horribly changed. But after the last 8 years of life it has so graciously given to all of us, would you really sit there and not at least let Disney try to revive it? I feel we owe Paragon at least that much. 80+ people lost their jobs, 1000s lost their sanctuaries from the everyday grind of real life. If Disney is even remotely interested in breathing life back in the lips, I will gladly pump the chest. I owe Paragon that much, and for the last 30 years of entertainment, I owe Disney that much as well.

This isn't about money anymore. Until you can show me ONE, just ONE, game that is even CLOSE to the experiences we all had in Paragon, our options are extremely limited and we have to act on each one we come across.

Hell, I swore I would never join Twitter but I broke that simply so I could continue to follow and support the P. Studio devs after the sunset.

It is the least I can do. Also, I have been doing some Demo Record videos of fly-throughs of zones and other goodies, to share and play once the servers are down. (Anyone wants them, hit me up: PrinceRecluse@gmail.com)

For all that Paragon (City and Studios), Cryptic, and yes even NCsoft, have done to help us become the Heroes and Villains we have enjoyed being, I think the least we can do is try to save it. CoH is dying. What's the worse that can happen if we fail? It dies? That was gonna happen anyway.

(sorry for the rant, it's a slow day at work ;) )