Next steps with Mobile Video Ads (Feedback thread)

[Oswyn the noble]

If I see one AD, I will never come back ever again. Not even if they are removed.

The game already has ads that popup now and then...those i can tolerate.

 

[Rinzler the Fallen]

So here is my constructive feedback:

These ads are intrusive and unwanted.

For me, one of the main attractions of FoE was that I could just open up the app and enjoy the city that I have been building up over the last 3.5 years without being bombarded with ads and pop ups for other games.

However, since it seems like ads are inevitable, here are my suggestions to make it more palatable.
1) only require ads for pure bonus items. More castle points, fine. Premium incidents, fine.
2) get these ads off of necessary and long overdue quality of life improvements. I almost uninstalled the game when I saw I had to watch ads for the aid all function.
3) include an option to opt out of all ad based features. I don’t even want to see the incidents or tavern boost clogging up my city.

Now for my non-constructive criticism.
This is an obvious and gross money grab that will have exact opposite impact to their revenues.

Here are a couple suggestions that might actually help to increase your bottom line:
1) fix your damn algorithm that determines diamond sales. It’s been 8 months since I’ve seen a 200% sale.
2) stop over valuing your service, $30 for a month of FoE plus is insane. Nearly every other game is around $4.99 for a month. $30 should be a 6 month subscription.
3) be better at innovating. SAM, SAAB, SAV, & SAJM are all just reskins of the previous era. Let’s try to figure out a new/fresh idea for future eras that might actually keep the player based energized and engaged???

With gvg being abandoned (but still the main driver of guild ranking?!?!), the SC changes in gbg, the reskins of all the space age eras, and now flooding players screens with unwanted ads, it honestly makes me wonder if Inno still wants people playing this game. Or if they would rather shut it down and funnel players to one of their other city building games (fyi, I stopped playing Sunrise Village because of the sheer volume of ads).

 

[iscaspar the Ghost]

Another terrible decision to try and squeeze money out of your players. I was paying for Forge Plus, but I'm not going to renew it anymore now due to this decision. I won't support the developer's dirty tactics.

 

[Mit the explorer of dos]

I'll soon be out.
Former whale.
Not going to pay 30USD / mo to play a game.
Not doing ads. Don't have time for that. Won't pay for that, even though I've spent LOTS on this game.
Later gator.

 

[iscaspar the Ghost]

Get us paid a few pennies by an ad, and we will grant you a temp 5% attack boost!!! Yall are weak, INNO. gtfo

 

[Sharmon the Impaler]

Spent 385$ on the last event (you can verify this Inno ) and it will be the last dime spent on this game as long as those oil barrels and flags are ruining my city. This is a whales opinion and for sure this is going to bite you in the *** really hard.

 

[Bob the Elf]

I’ve played this game for years, spent money from time to time. I’ve also watched Inno Games spend the bucks for advertising on TV. I’ll assume like everything else online you’ve collected your share of data and used it to your monetary advantage. These interruptions to the game with 30-60 second commercials is a HUGE annoyance and interruption of the game flow. It’s no longer engaging or fun to play. You call it a “feature”. I doubt any of the players would use that particular word.

 

[Delthros]

Pretty sad that all the years I have invested in this game will be wasted. I buy diamonds sometimes and that should be enough! For now I will be changing to the desktop version but I fear my days with FoE are numbered because of this crap move!!

 

[Man4star]

Dear Kings and Queens,

Please leave any feedback for our announcement Next steps with Mobile Video Ads below. Please keep it constructive so we can pass along your thoughts. Thanks!

Your forge of Empires team

I buy diamonds about once a quarter because I understand the software must be fiscally supported. But now you are telling me previous purchases may not prevent me from seeing ads. You will be killing the cash cow which has supported you up to this point because I will NOT pay a $29.99 monthly subscription fee for Forge plus when is should be a monthly $4.99 option and I will not put up with ads.

What you may not understand is that this game is a marathon and like runners in a marathon there are times when we are burnt out and really do not enjoy the game. We persevere for the relationships we have in the game and the knowledge that the enthusiasm will return. But if f I was to take a break, like many others before me, it will be a long or permanent one and you will cease to generate any income from me.

If I am one of the unfortunate ones in the test group who must view ads even though I have regularly purchased diamonds, I will level my great buildings, say goodbye to my guild mates and take a break from the game. Who knows if that break will ever end after I regain the time I spend daily on Forge of Empires.

Inno, whoever concocted this idea should be shown the door.

 

[Man4star]

The combination of ad clutter and the coming gbg nerf will be bad for INNO.
Here is another stellar plan... make players watch ads between each gbg battle...
That way You can REALLY slow down the game....

Talk about a change to GBG. Lol. Though now that you have given Inno the idea….

 

[The Lady Redneck]

Well I solved the problem of having to watch the Ads. I play mainly on my laptop. but also had the App for times I was away from home. No longer. i just deleted the App.

 

[Man4star]

I saw my first ad today. After nearly three years it is time to say goodbye.

 

[Ignatius Krachus Gigantu]

I understand Inno is a business and somehow needs to earn money, and I have no problem with that. I don't expect a free ride.

That being said: Seriously? EUR 29.90 per month not to see ads? In addition to Diamond purchases, of which I've made quite a few over the last months (you are welcome to check)?

That is EUR 360 a year; I can easily buy 4-5 AAA titles on Steam for that money even without having to wait for a sale. Are you really thinking you are providing the same value, to warrant that price tag?

Whoever thought this out, and whoever greenlighted this ... idea needs to have a quiet sit-down and re-evaluate a few things, like how not to offend your customers by trying to fly an idea that anyone with a minimum of gaming experience and basic arithmetic can figure out is badly misguided.

 

[Anastasia Lionheart]

I just spent $80 last week, and now I have to watch ads? At least before I didn't have to see them. I've played for 13 years, and spent hundreds of dollars over that time, only to be assaulted with ads. I despise looking around my city, seeing these desperate reminders, especially when I have already spent money. If Inno needs the revenue from these ads, maybe it's time to hang it up, and find new careers.

I bought the same. I go to castle after having ads everywhere and try to collect my DQ 100 points only to find an Ad. I click and its actually two ads. In order to move on with game, on iPad at least, I have to flick up and restart. aNNOYING. isn’t the state of the nation in bad enough shape that when we try to escape to a board game we have to be confronted with this garbage? And i Don’t know about you, but if I wanted to play a different game, I’d be playing it. I’m giving Inno until these $80 of diamonds are used and if something isn’t done, besides extortion at $29.99 to eliminate ads, I’m really done.

 

[Tytan the Great]

Removing the monthly threshold on diamond purchases is a bad idea and I don’t like it. Inno already receives a certain amount of money from a player monthly anyway, be it from forge plus or buying diamond, give them a break from the ads. The rest I don’t care for anyway. I don’t click on them, and they don’t really affect me. I do like the aid all ads, and all my friends and hoodies appreciate that, cuz I couldn’t be bother to aid 300 people daily. Sorry not sorry.

 

[Johnny B. Goode]

@mellofax Can you verify if you need to continually pay for Forge Plus to get rid of ads, or is a one-time purchase of it enough? Players are assuming that they have to buy it every month and that's not how I read the announcement. So could you clarify?

(I bought it once and only once, and I currently get no ads on mobile.)

 

[Zoe 807 the Wise]

the ability to see Video Ads will stop being determined by their previous spending

If this change goes live and I see an option to watch an ad in my main world, I can guarantee that you'll never receive another dollar from me and I will NOT watch ads. This will be a revenue loss from players who spend money, and, if you bother reading any of these comments, a huge loss in long-time players.

I've been playing for over 5 years and felt appreciated when I was provided the new perks without seeing ads. That feeling of appreciation will turn to contempt and likely result in me leaving the game entirely If you make this change.

If you're having financial problems, make an announcement and ask for support from the community. If this is a cash grab, I strongly urge you to reconsider. You will lose many from your long-term devoted community.

 

[Anastasia Lionheart]

I saw my first ad today. After nearly three years it is time to say goodbye.

I’m at 4, and almost there with you

Add me to the list of those who don't play games with ads. Fortunately, I don't have to deal with it much right now since I play mostly on PC, and when I'm on mobile I am careful not to click on those icons. But if this comes to PC also, I'll be gone. And I would be willing to bet there will be a mass exodus of long-time players. Go after the young players with this strategy if you want; they are a lot less likely to remain loyal.

it just keeps getting worse! Now there’s are ads on each of my aid buttons

 

[Sharmon the Impaler]

While you are doing your experiments my guild lost 3 members that quit because of this crap. Maybe put someone with an imagination in development and design ? The app is off my phone after being on it for almost 3 years so if this is just your weird way of making it PC only then please just pull the plug on the app and leave the rest of the game alone. This is such a slap in the face.

 

[Wicked Dark Carnival]

No one enjoys Ads. Not only do you risk losing the players you have but it's an immediate turn off to new players. If this game had Ads when I first played I would have never made it past the first few days. Here I am 2 years later. I honestly don't know why you would want to run off your players and at the same exact time turn off any new players coming to the game. If Inno pushes the Ads forward this game will go down hill fast. I have spent a few hundred dollars on this game when I thought it was worth it but I won't be forced to buy a worthless package to avoid Ads. I'll just go back to Guild Wars 2 where you pay for the game and that's it. No P2W or P2 avoid ads.