@Jaguar I see your point however I dont see what a company would lose overall, if at the point they decide to pull the plug they allow others to continue to play the game via a private server. I don't see them losing anything in all honesty I see them gaining respect from players who will more than likely continue to support them in their future endeavors. Also if at some point they want to use 'their" IP for future games they could do that with no problem, a private server wouldn't hinder their productivity. This clause may push for better quality games or more attention to the consumer versus the money?? Meh this just makes my head hurt sometimes I really would just like to log in COX, make a character and freaking PLAY!!!
well the poitn of business is to make money. The rest is a means to make money but if they could make money without say, tryign to gain the respect of the players, then they will, as the yhave been especially big ones. Respect is one thing, but respect dont pay the bills unfortunately.
I dont see how a private server would hurt them either, but I think that is more like a just in case thing or who or what not. If they open a game but theri is private server, that CAN hurt them. BEcause it's drawing players away from the game. Say normally with COX game being the sole game and NCSoft/studio being sole operator. Someone dont like the drop rates. They usually still stick around. But say there is a private server that have increased drop rate then they could lose those players that otherwise wouldnt have left. But with the game being down, I'm not sure. In some cases it's more of a worry about someone making money off their work and property and they are not getting a cut. Remember NCSoft had to pay the devs, the tech support, the server space and etc to keep the game running and to make the game. Then someone who didnt put a single dime into the development cost scoops it up and make their own server and make a living off of it, probably will rill their feathers. Now if there is no money involved, then I just plain wave dont know the harm, outside what legalities are. It if no money is being made and the game is not operating, then it should be allowed IMO. But it may also have to do with control and power over said product.
But from the looks of it, regardless of how many games they shut down, players still support them in their future endeavors. Well usually besides the ones they already written off, which they probably dont lose much overall because then the money they saved from not havign to pay the staff of that game, the server the equipment, the advertisment (for games where that applies), the tech support, the customer service reps, the people that maintain the physical building, the people that monitor the credit card transaction and the support staff, makes up for it in many cases especially if a game is nonprofitable. But for profitable games that are victims of realignments, I can bet someone did the math and realzied it would be better LONG TERM to cut loose. Sometiems it's for show to investors who put in that company more than people put into the game in the entire 8 years total, can feel at ease and invest more.
Sometimes it's not always completely about the players. Sometimes its the bigger picture but the player do hold the power if they one day will actually use their power and demand better with their wallets. ike now I guarantee that NCSoft dotn have to change a single thing and if they open up CO many will flock right back to it and they still can shut it down again when ever they feel like it. Andthey know this and probably why they sometimes look down on private servers. Because if crap hits the fan they can re open up a clsoed game and many of those customers will return no questions asked but with a bunch of private servers running around, that may ding that when crap hit the fan plan. So there we have it. Even private servers for closed games can be viewed as dangerous for the business.
