cannibalkirby wrote:This game would only do better with devs that will actually focus on the game +1, it's really sad but even the indi games that have but 1 person working on them seem to update much faster than this game. I think that maybe it's a good idea to stick with one game instead of making a new one every few years because a previous one becomes too much work, all you do is let down a player base which makes them less likely to want to try any new game
The games are not equivalent from an economic standpoint. We originally began working on Salem -- setting Haven & Hearth aside -- for monetary reasons that no longer are. While we receive the majority of the income that Salem generates (a humble amount), it still remains the case that the game is not entirely ours, but a joint venture with Paradox, unlike Haven. Ceteris paribus our incentives are, naturally, to prioritize our own development. This has always been the case, and our shifting priorities have always simply reflected underlying economics. It is not the case that we prioritize one game over the other just because ***** it, and nor do I believe it an accurate description that our decisions are fickle.
If we hadn't been made an offer to attempt Salem we would never have set Haven aside in the first place, so it stands to reason that we now return to our natural orbits, especially given the relatively low interest that Salem has as compared with Haven.
Do not, by the by, interpret this as our not caring about the game, or as a statement to the effect that we will never touch it again. We might and may update it, but I want you to manage your expectations. We quite recently put some three months of fairly hard and dedicated work into the game on our own penny, so to speak, in the hopes of making it better -- not because of money, but because we care about it and want it to succeed and do well -- and if the user numbers are a reflection of success then we failed. Economically we were not particularly rewarded for it (I do not hold it against anyone! We are immensely grateful for every purchase, every care you have for the game, every everything! We do not "blame" anyone but ourselves.) I realize that you told us this, Darwoth, and that you know better than us, but it nevertheless is what it is, and it implies an uphill battle for us in the continuing development.
The game is always on our minds, we discuss it often, and we try to learn from it.