I Guess This Is It

[skolia]

Looks like in just over 6 hours, City of Heroes will be no more.

I'm trying to take inspiration from TonyV and others and stay positive and all that but it's not really working for me.

Maybe it's because this is my 4th NCsoft sunset (Dungeon Runners, Auto Assault, Tabula Rasa).

Maybe it's because NCsoft gave us such a b.s. reason this time.    (I could understand 'didn't make money' or 'didn't make enough money'; sad but understand)

I am absolutely furious with NCsoft Korea.    With the exception of Guild Wars, every single non-Asian developed MMO has been shut down.    Of course, Guild Wars is the only non-Asian developed MMO to succeed in Korea (and elsewhere).    Yet, NCsoft's "home country" titles continue to run in North America.   Lineage II, AION, etc.      The worst of it all is how they've treated their own subsidiary development teams: Paragon Studios, Destination games (the way they forged Garriot's resignation, etc.).    Very very shameful and this from a company who's corporate website uses the word "integrity".

Looking at the financial statements, I was actually starting to suspect they were pulling out of the western market entirely but then they announced Blood & Soul so I have no idea. 

The reason "why" seems to be entirely political (or to a farther extreme, perhaps even racism) to me and it stinks.

In the end, I decided NOT to boycott NCsoft USA or it's subsidiaries.    I don't want to punish ArenaNet for this.  I don't want to punish Carbine for this.    (Although if Wildstar is a subscription game, I'm probably not going to subscribe.   Just been burned too many times by these sunsets.)

As for NCsoft Korea, I hope they go out of business.

[Omega Mark V]

I am positive that City of Heroes will be revived in another studio, and a sequel will be made one way or another.

Don't focus on the bad things of present, look toward the future and do what you can do.

[emu265]

I can't imagine how frustrating a fourth sunset must be...  But I can understand, in an abstract sense, how you could feel disenchanted with the movement and the game's future.  I challenge you this, keep eyes on this board.  You never really know.

[Daimyoshi]

There is a lot of hate out there. it hard to get past it. I cried at least six times today. i sure there more to come. I never forgive and never forget.

[skolia]

Oh I would love good news but I don't think NCsoft (Korea) is going to sell the IP.

1. It would show that their 'authority' was wrong.
2. They would lose face.
3. Frankly, I think they are just a-holes.

[Victoria Victrix]

Oh I would love good news but I don't think NCsoft (Korea) is going to sell the IP.

1. It would show that their 'authority' was wrong.
2. They would lose face.
3. Frankly, I think they are just a-holes.

NCSoft stock is continuing to drop.

They are losing more than just face with their stockholders.  Their stock has dropped to slightly less than half of its 52 week high and is now at a record 52 week low.

If someone with the right-sized check in hand shows up--ESPECIALLY if it is a movie studio, because Koreans love their movies--and they don't sell, this does more than raise the ire of the stockholders.  CEOs have been fired over less over there.  And believe me, if that happens, they WILL be fired and be replaced with someone who will sell.

I'm not saying that it is likely that said check-holder will turn up.  It's still long odds.  But what I am saying is that should a buyer turn up, not even a Korean CEO is going to be able to weather the storm of stockholder rage if they don't sell.

[ukaserex]

VV is likely correct. The future is unknown, and unknowable - but one thing that is largely true is that corporations that answer to stockholders will typically consider the bottom line to be of paramount importance. It is curious that the stock price is so low. It just goes to show how psychologically driven stock prices are.

Warren Buffett, arguably one of the more successful players of the stock market suggests that a stock is worth the value of the total assets of the company divided by the number of shares outstanding.
As they have closed CoH, it can be argued that the value of the IP is now far less than it was before. However, surely it's not worth half the value of their entire company...or is it. It could be argued that it is worth more.

Players of CoH, as well as other games are not necessarily kids. Many of them are over 30 with disposable income. And, surely there was at least 1 Korean player who really enjoyed CoH who may have shared some information about the closure. <shrug>

Some folks think the stock dip has something to do with the current CEO selling a lot of his own NCSoft stock to Nexon. Opinions vary, and we may never be able to know the exact reasons for it.

In the meantime, let's just be patient.

[NecrotechMaster]

i think this first week after the closure is when more news will start to filter in

it was closed on a friday night, sat and sun are most likely off days for regular businesses (excluding the low level lackeys like the game support staff who work 24/7)

i believe next mon-friday will be the start of a new wave of news either concerning the selling of the game, or questioning ncsofts neglect to its players and lack of a real response to what is going on