Status Update - 25th April 2019

[VonStratos]

I believe they will keep the website untouched, even with minimum maintenance is very unusual and i cant remember any online game without a website, Steam or not Steam, when any player/customer search in google the idea is to get the official website and wiki, so i believe EW has considered the cost of the website maintenance in the new business model, actually there hasn't been any mention to a possible removal of the website or forums, at least while the game keeps running and online they probably will be there.

[caledonianblues]

If they remove all purchasing options from the website they could eliminate the need for Paymentwall. Cut out an entire provider in an instant, and all associated costs/hassles. But, direct sales are not subject to Steam's 30% revenue share. So there's that. They would of course eliminate the ability to gift em$, and the option to pay using payment methods that I believe are not available on Steam. Expansive Worlds will have the exact numbers, but I have seen forum threads in the past where players have complained about payment options being removed.

I guess we will find out soon enough. It would be a shame if the option to gift em$ was taken away as it would have a fairly significant impact on community competitions. I guess the determining factor will be how far they want to go with the "Steam only" approach.

[DHRifleman]

Why would they want to maintain the website? Obviously they have stopped all development and are shuffling the game off to Steam so they no longer need to bother with it. Converting memberships and all the perks of them to em$ is a way to not offer refunds on money spent on something we no longer will get the benefit of. They did it with the pioneers, and now the same thing is happening with the game itself. It may last a bit longer this way, but at a price, which is loss of benefits. I would not be surprised if the servers are off loaded to Steam as well eventually.

At this point they have made the money off the game, and can give it away to cut future costs since it obviously hasn't been making them enough money.

[VonStratos]

My conclusion is that far of being removed, the gift ems option will get more promoted, why? lets think about it, EW know that official and community competitions are a factor for many players to get items like tree-stands, feeders, and of course weapons, if the competitions incentive acquisition of items then is a bonus to EW incomes, then the gift ems will play a role to new players, because somebody can bring a friend, son, cousin,etc in the game and give them an easy start by gifting some ems to save grinding. To EW shouldn't matter who made the purchase with real money, or who get the items, as long the money go to EW, and that can happen a lot if ems can be gifted to other people, or rewarded to people in competitions, after all Hosts must buy ems with real money, and they wont do if they get the option removed, so removing that feature could be like EW shooting themselves in the foot imo, but then again that is just my point of view, and we have to await to see what direction EW will take with this and other issues after the change.

[DHRifleman]

EW is not looking to make money off of classic anymore, they are just trying to alienate the majority of the current player base and keep their name in good standing. Obviously it seems to be working since the majority of posters are very happy about the change.
I find it really odd though that they are dribbling out the info about the changes when I am sure they have know what they are doing for quite a while if it will be steam only by the 6th. If it was all good news it would all be told already.
I will be shocked if ammo doesn't need to be purchased so be ready for that.
I will also be surprised if the webpage exists after the 6th as well.
And this forum will probably be gone too.

[caledonianblues]

And this forum will probably be gone too.

Yeah, I fully expect this to be stage 2 of the revised model, sadly

[Skybird]

Are you guys still busy trying to paint things in the darkest of colours?

Do you even will to give them just a small chance to show they come up with something better than what you fear?

I say that as somebody who has a VERY cool relation to the company himself. Thats why I stayed away from the forum in the past 3, 4 years. But fact is we do not know whether things will go for the worst in the forseeable future. For EA, The Hunter is legacy, and I am willing to assume for the time being that they just want to find a way to keep the game open/accessible without that costing them any money, while they do not intend to invest money into further forum/online/statistics etc management, of course no further developement. Lets not always assume the worst of possibilities and the badest of intentions, at least until May 6th when we will know for sure how it will be from then on.

Just imagine, imagine for a moment only, that they planned something better than many of you assume - must they not be be completely pi$$ed then when reading how fanatically many of you guys here try to imply they have only the meaniest and most malicious of intentions...?

Some things likely will not be like they were, yes. Forum maybe, online competitions, statistics servers - anything that demands active maintenace and management. Could be, we will see. Maybe ammo will cost a bit, as long as it is in relation to what membership wouldvcost, it would be acceptable.

Lets wait and see. Attacking them already in advance and taking PURE SPECULATION as proven fact, is simply premature, and early. Lets wait some days, and then see. Wait - and see.

And we do not have any alternative to "wait and see" anyway, so why this endless crying? Who knows. Maybe we get somewhat pleasantly surprised. Or would that ruin your plans to feel miserable anyway - no matter what...? It seems the Hunter has been turned into an anger and masochism simulator?

BTW, The hunter Classic maintained as a legacy title, also copuld serve as an advertising pillar of theirs, since it is such a fundamental part of their company'S history. Has aynoen taken that possibility even into account, that they indeed do not want to let the game die completely for this reason?

Lets stop trying to convince them that they better should indeed let it all down. At least until May 6th, okay? For long time there were concerns by players that one day when Classic leaves the first line of games, it would just be switched off completely - but apparently right that is not going to happen . The worst fear already got debunked. Lets give them a chance to show that maybe the rest they plan also is not as cruel as you imagine. Again, the actively managed part of the game and community aspect likely is going offline now, they do not want to have it on their hands anymore, but the core game remains to be accessible and playable. Isn't that what counts most?

Did you know that on PS4 you could still play PacMan and Galaxians? They still get republished at times - the original games from the 80s, I mean.

[L3M182]

Are you guys still busy trying to paint things in the darkest of colours?

Do you even will to give them just a small chance to show they come up with something better than what you fear?

I say that as somebody who has a VERY cool relation to the company himself. Thats why I stayed away from the forum in the past 3, 4 years. But fact is we do not know whether things will go for the worst in the forseeable future. For EA, The Hunter is legacy, and I am willing to assume for the time being that they just want to find a way to keep the game open/accessible without that costing them any money, while they do not intend to invest money into further forum/online/statistics etc management, of course no further developement. Lets not always assume the worst of possibilities and the badest of intentions, at least until May 6th when we will know for sure how it will be from then on.

Just imagine, imagine for a moment only, that they planned something better than many of you assume - must they not be be completely pi$$ed then when reading how fanatically many of you guys here try to imply they have only the meaniest and most malicious of intentions...?

Some things likely will not be like they were, yes. Forum maybe, online competitions, statistics servers - anything that demands active maintenace and management. Could be, we will see. Maybe ammo will cost a bit, as long as it is in relation to what membership wouldvcost, it would be acceptable.

Lets wait and see. Attacking them already in advance and taking PURE SPECULATION as proven fact, is simply premature, and early. Lets wait some days, and then see. Wait - and see.

And we do not have any alternative to "wait and see" anyway, so why this endless crying? Who knows. Maybe we get somewhat pleasantly surprised. Or would that ruin your plans to feel miserable anyway - no matter what...? It seems the Hunter has been turned into an anger and masochism simulator?

BTW, The hunter Classic maintained as a legacy title, also copuld serve as an advertising pillar of theirs, since it is such a fundamental part of their company'S history. Has aynoen taken that possibility even into account, that they indeed do not want to let the game die completely for this reason?

Lets stop trying to convince them that they better should indeed let it all down. At least until May 6th, okay? For long time there were concerns by players that one day when Classic leaves the first line of games, it would just be switched off completely - but apparently right that is not going to happen . The worst fear already got debunked. Lets give them a chance to show that maybe the rest they plan also is not as cruel as you imagine. Again, the actively managed part of the game and community aspect likely is going offline now, they do not want to have it on their hands anymore, but the core game remains to be accessible and playable. Isn't that what counts most?

Did you know that on PS4 you could still play PacMan and Galaxians? They still get republished at times - the original games from the 80s, I mean.

i get what youre saying and i dont think EW are malicious or ever have been, but like many of the people who are pessimistic ive been here a long time. and in that time my pessimism has grown from the track record of somtimes minor and somtimes spectacular foul ups following big updates. lets face it with the best intentions weve had some howlers in the past decade when it comes to the execution of a big change. i have little reason to expect this not to be a complete farce. i hope its not but honestly give me one good example of why its likely not to be

[Anita Ruling]

Just imagine, imagine for a moment only, that they planned something better than many of you assume - must they not be be completely pi$$ed then when reading how fanatically many of you guys here try to imply they have only the meaniest and most malicious of intentions...?

Please cite one example where EW has ever planned anything in the last year and a half that went well. Just one, please. And that was with full staff of "experts" and the full support of Avalanche and Nordick.

And now you say imagine if they planned something better. I'm laughing out loud.

[Hynu]

Just imagine, imagine for a moment only, that they planned something better than many of you assume - must they not be be completely pi$$ed then when reading how fanatically many of you guys here try to imply they have only the meaniest and most malicious of intentions...?

Please cite one example where EW has ever planned anything in the last year and a half that went well. Just one, please. And that was with full staff of "experts" and the full support of Avalanche and Nordick.

And now you say imagine if they planned something better. I'm laughing out loud.

To be honest that's just simply toxic and all this crap chat is not really relevant at all. How about we wait and see. The negativity will kill this game, not EW.