Only 60% of all buyers of Bless Online on Steam made it to one of the two main cities of the game. Do MMORPGs need to impress immediately within the first two hours on Steam, as players can easily return them?
Refunds impact Bless. According to leaked Steam data from the end of last week, 192,188 players purchased and downloaded Bless Online. However, only 60% of these players, according to global Steam achievements, reached one of the two main cities of the game. Players can access the main cities at around level 5.
What does this mean? It can be inferred that about 40% of the players who purchased Bless Online returned it or did not continue playing before the 2-hour mark.
We wonder: Why do so many people buy Bless, but then do not play it, instead returning it or quitting? We found 3 reasons.
1. Bless has problems, but no beta
Bless had no beta: Many players try upcoming titles in an open beta before release to see how much fun they will have with the game. Several online games, including Destiny 2 and Monster Hunter World, offered players this opportunity. However, Bless opted against an open beta. Players didn’t really know what they were getting into when they bought Bless. They couldn’t test the much-publicized revamped combat system or test the performance of the game.
Bumpy start: Bless Online launched on May 31, 2018, on Steam, and players downloaded it on the same day. Those who purchased a Founders Pack could start two days early. However, during those first 2 days, very few players actually got to play. They were stuck on the loading screen, the desired servers were full or inactive. They couldn’t select their favorite faction or play with their friends.
These circumstances caused a large wave of refunds. Many players requested a return, and Valve granted them, even though playtime often exceeded the 2-hour mark. Bless Online couldn’t keep many players interested. If there hadn’t been an option to return the game, more players would likely have accepted it.
Problems remain. Even players who joined after the official release were sometimes unwilling to stay. They attempted to get a refund many days after the release despite high playtime.
2. The refund revolution creates a refund culture on Steam
2 hours trial time. The ability for players to easily return purchased games was not always the case. It was not until 2015 that Steam introduced the option for players to return purchased games under certain conditions. The following criteria apply:
- The return must occur within 14 days of purchase
- The game must not have been played for more than two hours.
Steam allows players to test a game for less than two hours and then return it without giving reasons – regardless of whether they like it or not and how it runs on their system.
Refund culture. Some players buy a game on Steam, test it for two hours, and then contemplate whether they truly want to keep it and whether the game is really worth the amount they spent on it. They spend money to play a time-limited “demo” of the game.
3. MMOs often have a slow start
You want to keep me. Games on Steam must captivate players in the first hours and show them how much fun they will have with them.
Fast singleplayer. The beginning of single-player games is usually spectacular and engaging. The game wants to captivate the player and make them want to play it. Right from the start, the basic mechanics of the game are shown, and the player can get a good overview of what to expect in the game.
Slow MMOs. But with MMOs, everything is a bit slower. Before players enter the online world, they usually spend some time creating a character, which can take a varying amount of time depending on their preferences, and can be time-consuming in itself. Then they enter the online world and complete a few introductory quests.
Many game systems, such as crafting, endgame activities, and PvP, are only accessible to players at higher levels. These core systems simply cannot be tested by the player within the given 2 hours.
Steam – a hotbed for MMORPGs, but many factors came together for Bless
Specific problems with Bless: Certainly, the high numbers of dropouts in Bless are not only linked to the slow start of MMORPGs and the refund culture on Steam, but also specifically to the problems with Bless. Players especially cite the poor English translation and the poor performance as factors preventing them from enjoying Bless Online. Neowiz is working on improving performance, but player numbers are not looking good.
However, a shift in the environment of MMORPGs is also evident when they go on Steam.
- It was different before: Before Steam, many MMORPG fans took a long time to consider whether to buy an MMORPG. Once they paid the money, they did everything they could to “recoup” their investment and actively tried to find joy in the game. Back then, it was harder to convince customers to buy – but those who did gave the game a vote of confidence.
- Today: Particularly with Bless, many people bought it without consciously making a final purchasing decision. This decision only comes about 2 hours after purchase when players decide: Should I keep it or return it? This puts MMORPGs in a different, difficult situation. The customer buys easily but then needs to be convinced by the game.
More on the topic: Player numbers of Bless have drastically decreased: Here are the problems.
