Is neopets losing players?

[Finn the Human]

Ok lets see here are some reson

1)its takes up to much time as a neo additcion some people spot cause they need to focus on school

2)many people ain't online in morning cause they go to school

3)TnT are freezing and lost of acount lost are happeining

4)some popele don't see why its fun

5)They think it sto "kiddish"in a way

Yea, this will probably cause my unexpected leaving. I have school and as the grades go higher, I won't be online as much. Maybe just on weekends pretty soon.

[idriya]

Well, "commercialization" is a negative to being owned by Viacom. There are benefits to it, too, like better site stability. I remember back in like 2001, the site went down pretty much every day for several hours, and that doesn't really happen anymore. What would people have preferred to happen? That Adam and Donna "stick it to the man" and refuse to sell the site to Viacom, even though the site likely would have been shut down years ago if they didn't sell it?

People need to understand that Viacom's #1 priority is making money. And, heck, that's likely their #2 and #3 priorities, as well. And there's no money in never changing stuff about the site. That's what it all boils down to. People hate change, because people are lazy, and change means having to take the time to get used to something different and not necessarily better. Viacom's just being any other big business, and there's nothing anyone can do about it.

 

I will say this, though. It seems like lately, TNT has been trying to "modernize" the site, especially with Community Month and updating the Battledome, not to mention

 

 

A lot of you bring up some great points. Right before Neo was bought out, they had a really great Halloween festival, and it was equal for both NC and NP items. I didn't mind a lot that they included NC in it because it was good for both sides, really equal opportunity fun. The year after, it was highly one sided towards NC items, and I was so disappointed - you guys remember that? I'm super cautious about Neomail now, that's why, since I usually only talk to folks from TDN, I try to keep anything personal here in PMs, I don't want to take the chance of my account being frozen for whatever crazy reason. But, I still actively play, and I still enjoy it.

 

Neo was bought out in 2005, long before NC was introduced. Which Halloween event do you mean? Do you mean the one where Apple Bobbing was introduced?

[Naamah D.]

I really enjoy Neopets, but I also have hobbies in real life that I like to maintain. While I'd like Neopets to stay a website forever, the glass is already broken. If you know what I mean by that statement.

[Zombiiesque]

Well, "commercialization" is a negative to being owned by Viacom. There are benefits to it, too, like better site stability. I remember back in like 2001, the site went down pretty much every day for several hours, and that doesn't really happen anymore. What would people have preferred to happen? That Adam and Donna "stick it to the man" and refuse to sell the site to Viacom, even though the site likely would have been shut down years ago if they didn't sell it?

People need to understand that Viacom's #1 priority is making money. And, heck, that's likely their #2 and #3 priorities, as well. And there's no money in never changing stuff about the site. That's what it all boils down to. People hate change, because people are lazy, and change means having to take the time to get used to something different and not necessarily better. Viacom's just being any other big business, and there's nothing anyone can do about it.

 

I will say this, though. It seems like lately, TNT has been trying to "modernize" the site, especially with Community Month and updating the Battledome, not to mention

 

 

Neo was bought out in 2005, long before NC was introduced. Which Halloween event do you mean? Do you mean the one where Apple Bobbing was introduced?

Really? :* Well, my understanding was wrong. They had a month long Halloween event, you could win something every day by visiting it, and you could send all of the Halloween themed games 5 times all month? I can't remember exactly when Apple Bobbing was introduced, but that may have been it. The next year it was completely changed, and totally dominated by NC items with a few small non-NC events. So I think that's why I associated the change with that?

I'm not one opposed to NC, I just would like to see a good balance, is my point. I love buying NC items, especially for customization. And I don't mind them raising profits, that's a non-issue for me.

[fullonparanoid]

I've been around for 8 years. I have taken hiatuses...sometimes for a year or more...but, yes, I have seen a pretty steady decline the last few years.

 

Part of it is the age of the players.

Part of it is the inconsistent moderation.

Part of it is the 'novelty' of the site no longer being...novel.

And, imo, a large part of it is just that there are MORE things to do online...so time commited to one site is cut in order to give attentions to other sites (newer, more exciting, more technologically advanced sites...heh...COOLER sites). That, and I get the impression that 'kids' are more likely to spend time on Facebook and playing the newest APP than to devote time to Neopets.

 

That last reason is why we are seeing all the 'Updated' versions of things (the Dailies, soon to be BD...and I'm sure that the 'improvements' will continue to roll-out sitewide). Bad moderation or no...they know that they need players to make money...so they will do the minimum that they can to try to keep their users (or at least be able to draw enough new ones to maintain)

 

One thing that I really notice each year...the effect of school/breaks on Neo traffic. I do a fair amount of Trading on the TP and always have items in my Shop...business was booming all summer, but, the day school started in the States....the drop in activity was precipitous. It plummeted. I now am lucky to profit as much in a week as I was in a day over the summer. Things pick up again around the Holidays (Advent Calendar has a lot to do with that)...then slow down again until Summer break.

 

But, man, things are slooooooooooooooooow right now.

 

Cheers! :)

[idriya]

Really? :* Well, my understanding was wrong. They had a month long Halloween event, you could win something every day by visiting it, and you could send all of the Halloween themed games 5 times all month? I can't remember exactly when Apple Bobbing was introduced, but that may have been it. The next year it was completely changed, and totally dominated by NC items with a few small non-NC events. So I think that's why I associated the change with that?

I'm not one opposed to NC, I just would like to see a good balance, is my point. I love buying NC items, especially for customization. And I don't mind them raising profits, that's a non-issue for me.

Yep, I was there when it was sold.

Hmm, must have been 2010, then. I don't recall a Halloween event in 2009. Last year had the Masks of Dread thing, so it wasn't ALL NC. I don't know. Last year in general was kind of weak, for whatever reason.

I understand, I just get tired of people complaining about how Viacom and NC are ruining the site, because "the money-grubbing pigs at Viacom force TNT to spend all their time drawing wearables instead of doing plots" and stuff like that, because surely that's what everyone on a staff of 100+ is doing. :rolleyes: Used to see those people a lot back in 2009, especially. Blegh.

 

 

But, man, things are slooooooooooooooooow right now.

Probably because of what you said in your post. The site's going through a transition by modernizing the Battledome, the dailies, Community Month, all the redraws, etc. I'm sure things will pick up when TNT is done with the transition.

[Finn the Human]

TNT could possible create a new plot and maybe advertise to gain their players back. And I hear that if the new BD involves NC many will quit, (I probably will too. :P )

TNT should release a new plot to bring the players on the verge of leaving stay.

[idriya]

TNT could possible create a new plot and maybe advertise to gain their players back. And I hear that if the new BD involves NC many will quit, (I probably will too. :P )

TNT should release a new plot to bring the players on the verge of leaving stay.

That won't get new people to join, though. If TNT wants to get people on the site, they need to modernize it (which they're doing), and Viacom has to find a way to advertise it. Even if it means bringing real life merchandise back.

 

As for the BD, it might, but I don't think it will. I personally wouldn't care, as long as the difference is minimal. JN pretty much confirmed there will be no Flash BD, so we don't have to worry about that FWIW.

[hrtbrk]

I highly doubt a plot will have former players flocking to come back. I also doubt Neopets giving us hand outs for being a member will have players flocking back.

 

Things change, people change.

 

It's a 13 year old game, which many people started when they were 12-15. Your priorities and interests are going to change in that time.

 

I don't think there's anything that Neopets could have done differently in their course; the results would still be the same.

[complicatedwishes]

I agree with hrtbrk :) it's an old game and things are bound to change in such a large amount of time. For example, I myself have been inactive because I moved house and then I was focusing on getting a new job. I got one but I still had to work off my notice for the past 4 weeks so I was working 3 jobs recently as well as also attending University. Also as others have said, people are in different timezones which also effects how many people are online at whatever time.

[chowchow]

Yes I think they are I left for quite a while missed a lot of events like the negg festival. I joined another fairly new site because it was more interesting. I think Neo is just getting too old with too little new features It doesn't keep everyone entertained.

[Finn the Human]

Yes I think they are I left for quite a while missed a lot of events like the negg festival. I joined another fairly new site because it was more interesting. I think Neo is just getting too old with too little new features It doesn't keep everyone entertained.

Its still pretty new for me. lol, I have been on for a little over 3 years, though if everything turns into NC or Premium only, don'y count on me staying.

I highly doubt a plot will have former players flocking to come back. I also doubt Neopets giving us hand outs for being a member will have players flocking back.

 

Things change, people change.

 

It's a 13 year old game, which many people started when they were 12-15. Your priorities and interests are going to change in that time.

 

I don't think there's anything that Neopets could have done differently in their course; the results would still be the same.

I agree with hrtbrk :) it's an old game and things are bound to change in such a large amount of time. For example, I myself have been inactive because I moved house and then I was focusing on getting a new job. I got one but I still had to work off my notice for the past 4 weeks so I was working 3 jobs recently as well as also attending University. Also as others have said, people are in different timezones which also effects how many people are online at whatever time.

I was saying that maybe new sets of people would come. 13 years ago is like 1 childhood generation, I mean the next one.

[andaraen]

hrtbrk is right. One big plot probably won't increase the Neopian population.

On the other hand, I think the site does need more of them. Smaller-scale, though.

On a day-to-day basis (outside of plots/big events that are months/years apart), it doesn't feel like anything is happening in Neopia.

Why not have festivals/events on the already existing holidays? Does anyone else think there should be something a bit more interactive than free training on pet days?

[Zombiiesque]

I think more festivals would be soooo fantastic, honestly. My hubs is a good example - he's an on again/off again player, but when something good like that comes along, he's very active.

[Finn the Human]

hrtbrk is right. One big plot probably won't increase the Neopian population.

On the other hand, I think the site does need more of them. Smaller-scale, though.

On a day-to-day basis (outside of plots/big events that are months/years apart), it doesn't feel like anything is happening in Neopia.

Why not have festivals/events on the already existing holidays? Does anyone else think there should be something a bit more interactive than free training on pet days?

It should be interactive and also they should increase the limit of accounts to at least 7. I had so many pets that I had to abandon....Advent Calendar is coming up. And even closer is Games Master Challenge, and before that could be a Halloween event.

[hrtbrk]

At the start of the year, there was basically an event always happening... back to back activities... and people got burned out.

 

It's hard to find a happy medium and while there isn't much to do at this very moment, it's nice to have some downtime before Halloween, GMC, and Advent Calendar start.

[pchau123]

I feel as if they should do like a plot a year (during school time) to keep people interested and on at that time. I mean we have the negg festival and altador cup and game master challenge (all lasting like 1-2 month each). Which takes out like only 4 months of the year but that's not much considering it's 4/12.

[idriya]

I feel as if they should do like a plot a year (during school time) to keep people interested and on at that time. I mean we have the negg festival and altador cup and game master challenge (all lasting like 1-2 month each). Which takes out like only 4 months of the year but that's not much considering it's 4/12.

Well, TNT updating the BD pretty much guarantees that there won't be a plot this year.

 

But, yeah. I agree. Maybe the new BD will mean more plots?

[Kaana]

Another factor that I'm surprised no one's mentioned yet is the perceived elitism. Don't get me wrong, most of the oldest/richest/most-UC-pets/best-NC/highest-avatar-count players seem to actually be pretty nice, but there's a handful that are just... intimidating, for lack of a better word. And it does seem a bit overwhelming at first, realising that the price of a draik egg is small change to some people, even if those people are nice.

[hrtbrk]

I feel as if they should do like a plot a year (during school time) to keep people interested and on at that time. I mean we have the negg festival and altador cup and game master challenge (all lasting like 1-2 month each). Which takes out like only 4 months of the year but that's not much considering it's 4/12.

There IS usually one event a month. You're forgetting quite a handful of them :)

 

January usually holds a daily voting competition (such as the Neopies)

February usually holds the Faerie Festival (if the pattern continues to repeat itself)

March is Daily Dare (this year also had the new Roo Island reveal)

April is April Fools activities as well as Festival of Neggs.

May is often down to prep for the AC

June is Altador Cup.

July / August / September usually have some downtime but TNT released a lot of new upgrades this year.

October has trick or treating / Halloween activities.

November has Game Masters Challenge.

December has Advent Calendar.

[lilshadowdweller]

Are there really less players? Are there any statistics to back up this decline? I'm not stating that I find it unbelievable, merely, I'd like to see the stats. Regardless, Neopets has altered in the course of it's many years. It has to. Nearly all free forms of entertainment now have extra advantages to purchasing things with money - all of my free applications for my phone do, and even Nintendo is starting this, but offering new levels on their new Mario game - "Super Mario Brothers #2" - but these new levels cost additional money! Even if they do not, they will place in plenty of advertisements to litter the place.

 

It's true it's silly that now people can literally buy advantages *tell me, how is it fair that I was only able to obtain a FFQ after 10+ years only after buying a FFQ cookie*? But it's profitable and it's become the norm. Online games make money. But they still allow you to play the game without money, too. Unfortunately, I do feel like TNT places a lot of emphasis on their NC items, which annoys me somewhat. It's not "balanced".

 

But this isn't a topic on all of that. It's a game and it doesn't offer many new things. People get bored. I know that I do. I always leave and come back. I'm a good player, though, who maintains my account and have had very little trouble with TNT. As the environment itself is hardly "engaging" (ie; it's mostly a white website with pictures that move a bit, you can't physically move around, ect), it just tends to get dull and tedious, even with the plots.

[Anime]

http://www.graphbuzz.com/?url0=neopets.com&url1=&url2=&url3=&url4=

 

Found a thing. Large decrease over the past year.

[Caro]

I can't say for active-user statistics myself but wow at that stat graph.

 

When I was young for example, almost everybody I knew with internet access played Neopets. Apparently this isn't the case for other places in the world so maybe this was just a local thing but anyway; this was around the time all the merchandise was being produced such as Pocket Neopets which was how word was spread of the site (man, do I miss my pocket neopet :( and Neopets actually what I wanted internet for in the first place, after a few months of nagging we got it :P ). There may have been other ads but I don't remember.

 

I think it would be cool for the kids nowadays to be introduced to Neopets (though I imagine that some parents would do so if they played before? I just thought of that) but that could also mean more site work or something perhaps and it could affect the economies and such. I dunno. There's also the point that children are less likely to stick to it whilst the High School and College age players are more into it. My little sister has an account on Neopets but she seems to have no desire to play whatsoever :(

 

As to fullonparanoid who mentioned things being quiet after summer, the southern hemisphere will be on summer break soon so while the northern hemisphere is only on a short winter break there will be a slight increase. Of course not as much since the majority of the population is in the NH. Also I think currently it's a busy time of the year, people either studying for mid-terms or end of year exams or trying to get work done before Halloween/Christmas and such, reasons like those.

 

and I never knew that midyear was 'downtime' event-wise on Neopets. That would definitely be a factor to less actively playing people!

[passiflora]

I put it down to the youth of today looking for more thrill seeking actitvies :-P

I haven't read the entire thread, but I think it boils down to this more than TNT's customer service. Websites always lose members, and it really depends on how well you are able to replenish members. I've never seen Neopets advertise anywhere, and with all the other websites and technology available to kids these days, I can't see how they'd be attracting many new players.

 

 

It seems to me that a large amount of neopets user-base is now older members who joined when they were kids. When I joined (probably ~age 10), my family would have still had dialup or just recently switched to high speed, and in my limited scope of experience the internet wasn't that "big" - I didn't know what social networking was, I didn't know forums existed, I didn't know of any other online games, etc. - I just knew that all my friends liked this thing called "Neopets." If my 10-year-old self was transported forward to today, I probably never would have joined, and maybe never even heard of it.

[FurorPaxx]

Here's an interesting, if questionable, tidbit. A 2008 research paper called "Who plays, how much, and why? Debunking

the stereotypical gamer profile" by Williams, Yee and Caplan reports results of several surveys of people who played MMOs like EverQuest and World of Warcraft. (I think it applies to Neopets, since its also an MMO) In a nutshell, they report that about 80% of players are male and that older players spent more time playing the game. They also reported that the average player is in his late twenties to early 30s. Furthermore, Williams et al. determined three factors that affect how much time players are willing to commit to an online game: Sociability, Achievement and Immersion. Interestingly enough, the higher a game ranked in Sociability and Achievement, the more time people spent playing it, while the higher it ranked in Immersion, the less time they spent playing it.

 

I haven't fully read the paper, or examined it with the depth that it deserves, but it makes sense to me. Kids don't have the disposable income to spend in online game environments, college students don't have the time. I suspect that the mean age and gender of Neopets players was and is different from EQ and WoW, but generally speaking, the principles should be the same.

 

The authors don't offer an explanation for why older female players spend more time on the games, but I can see how studies like this one would help companies like Viacom target their audience. Maybe that's what's happening here. They're trading large quantities of new, free users (who each generate hits on small profit ads) for fewer players with bigger wallets (who generate direct sales of expansions AND profit generating ads).