Stardock 2009 Report

from JoeUser Forums

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Each year, like most companies, Stardock puts together an internal business plan that sets up goals, objectives, and challenges that the company must address.

Part of our internal business plan includes analysis of the state of the products/services we make as well as the results of our customer survey.

Last year, we made this report available to the public and based on the positive response we got for doing so, we’re doing the same again this year.

View: Stardock 2009 Customer Report

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40,614 views 23 replies
Reply #1 from Demigod Forums Top

Rock solid. I think you completely understand the direction Impulse needs to go in.

Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I think it is safe to say that Stardock has a business plan that allows for it to be around for a long time. :thumbsup:

Changes in the programs and software are to be expected to maintain Stardock's position in the market place, which does seem to be the acknowleged leader.  Well, atleast in this individuals opinion. :-"

Can't wait to see the final look of Object Desktop 2010 with it's included programs and the new WinCustomize site. :sun:

Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

You are acutely aware of the problems of worldwide access to the impulse games and that is good. This is one of the big hurdles you have to pass. Being a Norwegian using Impulse is a challenge as so many games are of limits.

 

I wish you all the luck in putting down steam a notch!

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

From the report:

"Our conclusion is that strategy games that we make and publish in the future will support multiplayer but will not sacrificethe single player experience to do so."

 

I LOVE THIS STATEMENT!

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

I continue to be amazed by your business practices.  In a world largely void of customer service you are quite the "throwback".  When I was making the decision to pre-order Elemental, I struggled a bit.  Essentially, we were each making a $50 investment in a private company with no ability to look behind the glass.  The credit crunch and small business cash flow problems are all the rage in the news.  Any of us would be justified to fear our $50 investiment may not net a return (i.e. finished product).  However, after seeing this level of transparency; when it is clearly not required, I'm happy to have provided a bit of cash flow for your operations.  Can't wait for the return on my investment! 

Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top

What makes you think the world is void of customer service?

 

It's not like it takes UPS six and a half weeks to pay out insurance claims to residential customers, or Hughesnet shuts off your secure connections with their own firewall for a week before they figure out it exists...

 

I know, the second seems made up, if you don't have Hughesnet, you just wont understand.

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Last year's report was a very enjoyable read, and I bet that this year's will be too.

Reply #8 from Elemental Forums Top
Awesome! Although I admit, I was hoping for a little more info about Diplomacy.
Reply #9 from Elemental Forums Top

Good job Stardock

Reply #10 from Elemental Forums Top

So many expert and powerusers 8(|        Seems people think highly of themselves...-

 

I'm not surprised by the quota of SP vs MP users on Demigod. Even UT3 which only got bots for SP, 50% of buyers never registered so they could play on the official online servers.

Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top

The SP to MP has been brought up numerous times. It's unfortunate that that only 4% of the users are women, though I can't say I am entirely surprised. I suspect Steam isn't much better considering there is pretty much zero attempts to attract women gamers. I, however, enjoy the service a lot more than Steam so far.

Now the one world, one price. That was interesting. It was also a noble attempt that will probably show up years later saying Stardock was too ahead of its time for that sort of thing. Hell some companies aren't even willing or can't handle worldwide releases which, imho, only encourages impatient pirates.

Reply #13 from Stardock Forums Top

I just finished reading the report and am impressed by Frogboy's rather frank view of the slice of the world he and Stardock inhabits.  I find it quite refreshing to read a no-nonsense report, given my normal daily diet of media fluff.

Reply #14 from Elemental Forums Top

I found this particularly interesting:

At the time of this writing, approximately 2,000 users did return Demigod to us. Approximately 60% of those users purchased at retail. Nearly 90% of all users who returned Demigod subsequently re-purchased the game once the network issue had been resolved.

End of quote

I guess that just shows that if you treat your customers right, they'll remember it.

Reply #15 from Stardock Forums Top

It's great to know this, not just as a customer but also as a person who plays games, lots of interesting stats.

If only all companies were like yours...

From the stats, I think we can see more people use Impulse for non-Stardock related applications.

Reply #16 from Sins Forums Top

Hello, everyone.

I'm mwdowns, and I'm a Stardock fanboy.

Seriously, you guys rock.  Played the original GalCiv way back when, and then this past year picked up GalCiv II, Sins, and Demigod and haven't been disappointed.  Your customer support and interaction with the gaming community is second to none and that keeps me coming back for more (though cause I'm in Japan, I can't get Dragon Age: Origins...boo, EA!).  Wish I would have gotten the survey, though I would have padded out that depressing 96% of Stardock users are male stat!

Anyway, keep up the good work guys and once Elemental hits the shelves, you can count on me to pick it up.

Reply #17 from Stardock Forums Top

I think the report is great, but the main problem that most of digital distribution platforms are orientated towards Americans. Understandably they are the ones that have and are willing to spend the most money but they are also the ones that are getting “consolesed”.

 

Digital distribution has an opportunity to be something very big but it is doing too little too slow. All the improvements are always welcome, but as I see now no one sees the big picture. I really hope Stardock will be the first ones to realize it as I really love the politics they are propagating (bill of rights, game returning and other things).

 

By the way I don’t think I am smarter than any one I just thin I have a different view of the world from where I live.

Reply #18 from Sins Forums Top

Yup. SoaSE is amazingly popular. Let's see a Sins 2 as well! :grin:  

 

And I love the focus on Singleplayer. Works perfect for LAN games.

 

And if only the gamer's bill of rights existed everywhere. I avoid Steam like crazy, and buy from Impulse whenever I can, even if it costs a bit more.

Reply #19 from Stardock Forums Top

I was particularly interested in the phasing out of the one price model for a regional pricing scheme.  Will that finally make those right now US-only games available worldwide?  And if so, at what currency rate?  The only good piece of advice I could give is, don't use the most notable competitor's price scheme.  O:)

Reply #20 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting stuntman_lt, reply 17
I think the report is great, but the main problem that most of digital distribution platforms are orientated towards Americans. Understandably they are the ones that have and are willing to spend the most money but they are also the ones that are getting “consolesed”.
End of stuntman_lt's quote

The willingness to spend money is a relative term here. I would bet that there are several Eurpean countries that would rival the US spending on games pr capita. Some of them are small countries and some larger. I am a Norwegian myself and therefore in a small marked. Still, if you summarize the nordic countries (Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark) its not a small marked and the willingness to pay for games should be high. There is also another advantage. We do NOT ned regional versions as we are used to english in games, tv, films and such (we subtitle not dub). Same goes for Iceland, Netherlands and a few others.

Get the offers on the table for us as well and not just the US. I think you will be pleasantly surprised :) I know that this is not in Stardocks hands (the publisher will deciede), but keep bugging them about this.

Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Interesting read, Brad

 

I am a Norwegian myself and therefore in a small marked. Still, if you summarize the nordic countries (Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark) its not a small marked and the willingness to pay for games should be high.
End of quote

offtopic:

2of3 waves to joasoze from Kristiansand

Reply #22 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting 2of3, reply 21

2of3 waves to joasoze from Kristiansand
End of 2of3's quote

Can almost see you here in Bryne :)

Reply #23 from Elemental Forums Top

It was a good read, cant wait to see the future of it..

and to 2of3 and joasoze, /wave from Oslo. ;)