Actually, you really don’t–provided you’re a software dev smart enough to follow the size 18 El Chupacabra cloven hoof prints of a software dev that goes by the industry handle BGS. You see, WHS is rapidly approaching a crossroads. That fork in the road where they either go Whales, or remain mediocre and go home.
If they strive to become the former for their investors, they may very well end up having to model themselves after El Chupacabra, infamous for being that RPG software dev who nearly went bankrupt at the turn of the millennium. However with dedication (and the luck of Loki), BGS gambled with a then unknown title called TES III: Morrowind. Rolled the die and hit windfall #2 yet again, by acquiring the intellectual rights of a struggling/failing RPG title called Fallout 3. Radically transforming it from its fundamental RPG genre to the mass market FPS that it is today. The rest became industry and E3 history…
IMO, based on WHS proposed timeline release of future KCD content here:
It’s increasingly clear the logic to this DLC/game tool support schedule is exactly 180 degrees backwards.
You see, if you were an insightful small software dev (whose new title instantaneously teleported you into the AAA league limelight overnight), you would consider following BGS formula for success to establish yourself within the industry as a leading RPG dev. i.e:
1.Release an unknown title in alpha state (i.e. with very limited beta testing) i.e zero wide scale Early Access status test period on high visibility gamer sites like Steam. Rely upon and exploit fan base buzz, hype & dedication honeymoon grace period, with said new title, in order to
2.Complete development & release of modding tool kit. ASAP. Push this directly to grateful PC gaming community so that you can
3.Exploit the PC modding community innovative genius to fix 99.999% of your broken mess of a new title. FOR FREE.
4.Use #3 AS LEVERAGE to give your dev team the freedom to work on release of even buggier DLC content. Remain secure in the knowledge your FREE QA/QC dept --aka your devoted PC modding community – will fix 99.999% of all your future broken & buggy mess released DLC. FOR FREE.
5.Further exploit the PC modding community innovative genius to raise your new title popularity. Use them to provide FREE DLC content by means of 3rd party sites like Nexusmods. Which btw, provides FREE marketing and advertising at ZERO cost to you the new dev with limited marketing budget
6.Wait 6 mo to a year to release your first official DLC for the game. This gives the PC modding community time to perfect its learning curve with your modding kit tool. And also build excitement/anticipation & hype for new DLC game
7.Tease new DLC at E3, but give ZERO specifics on the game play or game mechanics. Leave the fan base in a tantric state of arousal aka hot, bothered, and erotically salivating for your upcoming fall DLC title release
8.Go dark in PR and social media until the week DLC goes gold. Ignore any and all Kotau & 4Chan leaks on Reddit. No matter how accurate their tabloid leaks maybe. Particularly if they appear suspiciously employee motivated in origin, given their coincidental timing with any new official DLC releases.
9.On release day, Profit! Rest upon your laurels a fortnight or two. Marvel at the success of hundreds of millions in unexpected revenue from PC and console platform sales. Revel in the peace of mind that no matter how vociferous the howls of indignation you receive (from your fan base about the dysfunctional state of your buggy DLC), your FREE QA/QC department-- aka the PC modding community–will fix 100% of this buggy mess for you. FOR FREE. All while incessantly cranking out new DLC content on sites like Nexusmods. Which will provide you with the FREE branding to keep your game alive in the industry.
10.With your profit and success in extending the longevity of your new title in #9, immediately begin development of a cross platform forum. Which will enable the sharing of mods, thereby granting universal success of mods to the ENTIRE fan base (aka the console gamers who outnumber the PC fan base in the millions). This is how to cultivate your Golden Goose/Cash Cow for future titles aka build a franchise
11.Cultivate your acquisition of the new mod consumer base in #10. Do this by exploiting the dedication of your FREE QA/QC dept --aka the PC modding community-- to MONETIZE the creativity of the modding community for your shareholders. Restrict all future DLC mod content to your official in game store. Prohibit 3rd party mod sites like Nexusmods that made you a household name in the gaming community. Bribe the best of the PC modding community to work as independent contractors. Dangle a monetary carrot that goads them into providing a consistent stream of micro transaction DLC in your newly created mod store.
And now the trickiest part: Free modded content for perpetuity:
12.Work with your legal dept to insure your legally binding, non-disclosure subcontract is ironclad. So the independent PC mod authors/design artists whom you hire, will be satisfied with their one time flat fee. Which empowers them to develop new game DLC for you for FREE. And so be unlikely to raise any objections to what potential profit they’ll be losing out on in future. i.e. from the 0% royalty fee resulting from 1K+ to 1M+ in fan base downloads of their original modded content in the future. Which btw, would adversely disrupt your company’s future revenue stream for investors.
That is the recipe of success. How to transform from a non entity, unknown, small indie software dev (with the noblest of intentions) into one of the largest, wealthiest corporate leviathan in the industry. True WHS would lose their soul in the process of said BGS transformation. But at least they’d be big and wealthy with the capacity to create new RPG titles. Instead of remaining small, broke and doomed to niche dev status in the industry. /cynical reply>
edited to add cynical salt tags to further clarify above dogmatic wall of text dissertation.
