With AION being a big part of my life, I can honestly say that it is really sad that this game had so many missed second chances! Especially after the release of AION Classic. For most veteran AION players, it was the perfect time to return to the game we LOVE. Sadly, this was another missed opportunity for the game to thrive!
But why does that loop of ”bad luck” keep repeating itself? Is it really bad luck or is it something worse? What’s about to follow is my personal opinion on this subject after so many years of playing AION and what I think could change (if there’s really room for anything anymore).
1. Pay to Win
When AION Classic was released, Gameforge made so much effort to convince us that this time, there would not be such a thing, as Pay to Win, included in the game. In the beginning, things indeed were really promising and looked good.
Unfortunately, after a while small things like extra monthly passes made their entrance into the game, and of course with such a terrible drop rate back then, people were so fed up that some grabbed their credit cards in order to be able to see some progress!
This was the time that I realized things were about to decline AGAIN in this game. Sadly I was right, and until today Pay to Win is still a strong part of AION Classic, and that makes more and more people give up on it.
2. Bots
Oh, these bots! I can’t talk enough about this madness! Of course, it’s not something that you see only in AION but still, I think we can all agree that it’s enough reason for anyone to quit a game!
I mean common! I pay for a monthly subscription and a monthly pass, and at the end of the day, I see a map full of farming bots! The least I can say without sounding rude is that this is a clown show!
People like me, who like to invest in their favorite game especially if it has a subscription model, tend to be more demanding when it comes to game quality. I am not sure why Gameforge didn’t wipe bots from their systems but I am sure that to me any reason behind that, won’t be enough. I spend time and money on the game and I don’t receive game quality. Make it make sense…
3. Developer Engagement
AION Classic’s Discord server is a very active one. However, when it comes to serious reports like bots, bugs, AFK players that ruin the game for others, etc, they won’t do much. They might reply with something promising like ”we will look into the matter” but they rarely deliver results. People lost trust in them and in the game because of this behavior.
I understand that they have a lot to do and fix but still, I really believe that they could do better. Don’t you think?
4. Toxic Community
The community in AION is so toxic that managed to make me feel stressed every time I had to run an instance/dungeon or do any other group activity back in the game’s early days.
Reporting a behavior like the one I received back then never changed anything and as a result, I quit the game. After a while, I gave the game another chance and hoped that things would be better this time. Sadly, to this day the community of AION Classic is toxic.
Don’t get me wrong, of course, there are people in AION like me and you who focus on the good only, but I am afraid we are not enough. And if we are, then the toxicity of the rest has deeper roots and so they prevail.
5. Limited Gameplay Time for Free Players
They could definitely do better on that! One hour is not enough time in AION to do much. Time is considered a big turnoff in AION and with that in mind, I think they could introduce something better for free players.
They could offer 3 hours of free gameplay per day, but what I think would work best is if they could make weekends free! Can you imagine that? It could be awesome for many reasons and could bring more players into the game, and some of them could eventually turn into permanent subscription players.
Will Things Change?
The short answer to that is simple. I don’t know. After so many years and so many different revamps of the game every now and then, I am afraid that AION has lost so many second chances. People lost trust and it’s sad, cause it is a great game!
There is room for upgrades that’s for sure, but I lost hope. AION Classic was the best opportunity to keep veteran players hooked on the game. Nostalgia is a huge factor for us. Unfortunately, they destroyed that too. The game can not considered Classic anymore. It’s something else, something new which to some may look great but not for others.
Conclusion
I will silently hope deep inside that one day the developers will consider everything and they will finally listen and deliver the AION Classic we want and deserve. Until then, I am afraid I will remain suspicious and logged out of the game. What is your opinion on that? Are there other things that made you quit or consider quitting the game? Leave your comments below and of course, you can also use our forum and talk there about anything you like.
