MC/OC scores for me personally don't mean shit. I have skipped more 90+ rated games because they're either of no interest to me or highly overrated. Majority of games that I have put the most hours into are games around the 80 and less mark. Engagement is the most important aspect because it show that the consumer is enjoying the game to keep going back to it. How many consumers actually complete games? Majority of games that consumers buy including the highly rated ones are barely completed and instead thrown in a backlog for decades to never be played again. Sure, the company got the sale from it but chances are, that consumer will never bother with either that franchise/series again because if they didn't beat the game they just purchased why would they buy the next one? Or bother with that particular developer and/or publisher because they again, didn't complete the game which most likely means that their games are not for that individual consumer.
It was me developing and releasing a game, I wouldn't care if you're buying the game, renting the game via GameFly or playing it via a subscription service like Game Pass. What I would care about is if you completed the game and enjoyed it enough to want to re-engage with it if DLC or expansions were released for it. That's what I would care about because I know I have that individual consumer's interest and investment into my game and not money wise but something that's more important than money - time. If you're spending your time playing my game, then that tells me that you're enjoying the game to where you want to keep playing it and if you still back after completion, that tells me that you want more out of that game which is where post-launch content comes into play.
There's a reason why Minecraft, Fortnite, GTA Online, COD online, Forza Horizon 4, Sea of Thieves, etc. are the biggest and most played games on a continuous basis, it's because the individuals playing them are enjoying them even after putting hundreds of hours into them because if they weren't they simply wouldn't.
So basically this entire "concern" is just fucking bullshit because it's been around for decades with games like Diablo, World of Warcraft, Counterstrike and whatever else is out there that im simply forgetting. Sales success is great and all but there's no guarantee of keeping those same consumers for the following game but if you get people to engage with the first game for a longer period of time, you'll not only get more out of that consumer but you'll also be far more likely to get that same consumer to jump into your next game for the same amount of time if not longer.
Of course, what majority including Linneman are simply not seeing is that the majority of gamers nowadays are not old school or old for that matter. They want to play their friends are playing and don't give two shits about MC/OC, sales and all this other shit as it's meaningless to them.
The bigger issue is why people feel "concerned" in the first place? Gaming is bigger now than ever before and having consumers engage with their games for longer period of time is a good thing. Not everyone wants to nor has to play every game released. Some just want to play their 10 or so a year while others may want to just stick to 2 or so games and that's it. Best of all, buying/renting a game that's a one and done still exist and aren't going anywhere so you still have what you prefer.
On a related side note, I like both one and done games and long term games. I play both. But both depend on what the genre is and if im actually interested in the game. I will play Far Cry 6 in October but once I complete the base game, the game is done. I own and have played The Division 2 and are currently up to season 2 and being able to go back to a game love and enjoy playing every three months is great. Basically, there's plenty of room for both and why people are concerned about engagement being the primary reason for success in the first place is beyond me because not every game is based on that anyway so until that actually happens which it won't, there's no reason to be concerned at all.
Best of all, instead of anyone being concerned, why not just spend that time playing the games that you actually want to play instead of worrying about all this other shit which at the end of the day is just a waste of time.
at a certain part of the game. If xbox/Playstation can get accurate data, of how many players got that achievement/trophy, they can pay the devs that way.
