I saw this screen shot on Reddit, talking about Microsoft’s closing of Halo 2 on XBox live. Although I’m not a gamer, I am fascinated by online gaming’s ability to bring a diverse group of people together from all over the world to share in an online experience. I guess that the only reason why I never pursued gaming is that I knew that I’d get caught in the gravitational pull of a good game filled with good people, amazing imagery, and incredible experiences that I helped build. As a creative, I tend to get consumed whenever I’m in creator mode – to the point that I forget that I’ve got other responsibilities. Any creative will tell you the same story – no matter what they’re creating. Hence why we pick our pursuits carefully, since they’re all-consuming.
Many companies, on the other hand, do not look at this collaboration in the same way as its users do. And this final statement from the Noble 14 gives you a hint as to how wide the gulf is between user and company. Yes, many companies are finally getting the hint that things don’t have to be brand spankin’ new if they’ve passed the test of time and become a cult favorite. Some things are created well in the beginning, and become even better as more people build upon a strong foundation. This page says a lot about our current disposable world. We think too much of the short-term rewards without understanding that good benefits can sometimes take years to build up. Everywhere in the business world today, there are things going obsolete and fans who are unhappy at the loss. The lesson of the story might be how the story was built in the first place. When everyone has a hand in making any experience, online or otherwise, memorable, then you’ve pretty much achieved the goal of creation.
When fans talk, companies should listen harder to the nuances of the conversation. There’s some valuable input that hold a treasure trove of information to help build a closer user-company relation.
Just saying…
