Have Sulake ran Habbo into the ground?

[Samantha]

I say no as it was better like in 2007/2008 and since they've had these updates and that, it got worse

Surely in 2007 and 2008 they had to have updates too? It's fine saying you preferred it in those years, but putting it down to just 'updates' could mean anything - which updates didn't you agree with as because if they didn't update then I doubt they will have been as popular as they are now. They have lost a lot of players, but surely they would have lost more if they didn't modernise to suit those just discovering Habbo or those growing up with the site. That's what I've always found with Habbo, the site grows with you, it's changed, but then so have you. In a way it's like the real world, if a company just stayed the same all the time then they probably wouldn't be able to expand their target audience or aim for more goals, it would just be the same thing day in and day out and eventually it would grow tiresome and boring, change is needed to ensure that people keep interested and again keep playing on the site. With updates, some of them have been bad and have appeared negative, but it's what's best for the site; some people may not agree with them straight away, but they get used to it - if the Volter text was still here, we wouldn't be able to read it or anything, would not updating have lost players? I believe so as at the end of the day if you can't chat on it then that's basically everything that Habbo is - players couldn't chat, trade, play games etc. on the other hand, some updates might not have been needed I agree with that, but most of the updates aren't running Habbo into the ground and some of them have improved the game play. The ability to play more games now, instead of just a couple previously, remember without the updates Habbo probably wouldn't have been here as compatibility wouldn't have worked either.

[Mr-Trainor]

I guess it's fair to say that Habbo has had its peak, i'd say 2006-2008 which was my first years on the game, but since then it has gone through a lot of changes. However, it's not fair at all to base your opinion on whether you liked the updates and the changes, when some of them were essential. Can you imagine if the game now was just the same as it was 5 years ago? it's be extremely outdated, and that'd be not only pre-merge but also pre-flash. They have to update to keep modernising the game and to keep up with their target audience.

One of the big changes that I experienced was the movement to a flash client, as opposed to the shockwave. This really changed the game radically, and many people still complain about it today. But like I said above, can you imagine if they didn't? Imagine what the game would be today if they never decided to make that change - it'd be old and outdated in todays environment.

Another big change was the merge, and in particularly the merge of all English speaking hotels. Now, I really hated this change and even today I still hate that we merged and wish we could go back. However, again, it is benefiting us in a way. 5 hotels combined in to one means that Sulake can (or at least should) be able to focus more of their time and effort on us, and we should benefit from an increase in the size of the community too. But, whether we do or not is a matter of opinion. From a business perspective however, it was probably one of the best things they could have done.

There's also the hundreds of small/minor changes that Habbo make, which again keep the game modern and up-to-date. They need to continue to attract new users and the way to do that is to update and make sure that people have a reason to join and/or invite friends to the game. Yes they may have had their peak in terms of active users etc, but that doesn't neccessarily mean that all the updates were bad, or that Habbo will be going anywhere anytime soon.

[AgnesIO]

What went wrong with habbo?

• The exchange stopped people buying credits
• The marketplace DESTROYED trading
• Channel 4 Paedo report caused a large drop in users
• The merge ruined many aspects, including;
• The HC sofa currency on .co.uk
• Users dropped, probably due to mucked up values

I think it was inevitable that it would decline in users, but some shocking business decisions helped speed up its death. The exchange was clearly a ridiculous move in terms of business, and it is clear that they are also well aware of this - afterall, you don't start introducing a tax system for nothing.

[Samantha]

What went wrong with habbo?

• The exchange stopped people buying credits
• The marketplace DESTROYED trading
• Channel 4 Paedo report caused a large drop in users
• The merge ruined many aspects, including;
• The HC sofa currency on .co.uk
• Users dropped, probably due to mucked up values

I think it was inevitable that it would decline in users, but some shocking business decisions helped speed up its death. The exchange was clearly a ridiculous move in terms of business, and it is clear that they are also well aware of this - afterall, you don't start introducing a tax system for nothing.

Some would argue that the MarketPlace helped, but really it stopped the need for coin shops as much as they could look in there - then again, it helped for people to find averages and values regardless of whether they were rigged or not, it also helped shops gain more profit for both buyers and sellers, depending on the trade. Although, the MarketPlace did have downfalls, the amount of players putting their items in for 1c under the lowest price, that's already taking the average down if someone buys it, the ability to buy your own furniture and rig the values both increasing and decreasing them - which is a bit stupid really. Also, having the ability to put near enough anything in the MarketPlace itself is a silly idea, people literally buy for over the catalogue price and they don't realise, I can put in a Ditch Corner for 2c (3c with commission) and it would usually sell, yet, it is 2c in the shop.

Not only that, players don't have as many credits now really, the cost of various supers have gone up, but Habbo have tried to get credits off you more - making you have the exchange rate, losing 1c each time, and that multiplied by the amount of users who do it shows how much has gone out of the market. Also, the promotions, before we had limited currency back it cost 1c, some went crazy with this and used so many credits to promote their room and usually it has no avail to them, why make something that shouldn't cost, cost basically?

The mute and the channel 4 scandal made Habbo fail the most, the fact that we still don't have half of the things back like we did before - MiniMail and GuestBooks, they want us to make friends and stay on the game, but how can we when two of the most vital communication parts have gone? Not only that, but the removal of articles, we have to go on social media sites to contact staff usually yet if we do that on the game we get banned. Fansites, not given enough freedom then given too much and more errors occur, we need noticeable staff and at the moment we only know of a couple.

It does beg the question, what would have happened if we didn't have the things we have now? If we didn't have the mute there would be more players, MiniMail, Guest Books and events. Without the merge we wouldn't have access to a wider range of furniture or more items on the market, not to mention the amount of players although it has decreased so much. Without the MarketPlace, coin shops would be more popular alongside trade rooms, as for the values I'm unsure!

[AgnesIO]

Some would argue that the MarketPlace helped, but really it stopped the need for coin shops as much as they could look in there - then again, it helped for people to find averages and values regardless of whether they were rigged or not, it also helped shops gain more profit for both buyers and sellers, depending on the trade. Although, the MarketPlace did have downfalls, the amount of players putting their items in for 1c under the lowest price, that's already taking the average down if someone buys it, the ability to buy your own furniture and rig the values both increasing and decreasing them - which is a bit stupid really. Also, having the ability to put near enough anything in the MarketPlace itself is a silly idea, people literally buy for over the catalogue price and they don't realise, I can put in a Ditch Corner for 2c (3c with commission) and it would usually sell, yet, it is 2c in the shop.

Not only that, players don't have as many credits now really, the cost of various supers have gone up, but Habbo have tried to get credits off you more - making you have the exchange rate, losing 1c each time, and that multiplied by the amount of users who do it shows how much has gone out of the market. Also, the promotions, before we had limited currency back it cost 1c, some went crazy with this and used so many credits to promote their room and usually it has no avail to them, why make something that shouldn't cost, cost basically?

The mute and the channel 4 scandal made Habbo fail the most, the fact that we still don't have half of the things back like we did before - MiniMail and GuestBooks, they want us to make friends and stay on the game, but how can we when two of the most vital communication parts have gone? Not only that, but the removal of articles, we have to go on social media sites to contact staff usually yet if we do that on the game we get banned. Fansites, not given enough freedom then given too much and more errors occur, we need noticeable staff and at the moment we only know of a couple.

It does beg the question, what would have happened if we didn't have the things we have now? If we didn't have the mute there would be more players, MiniMail, Guest Books and events. Without the merge we wouldn't have access to a wider range of furniture or more items on the market, not to mention the amount of players although it has decreased so much. Without the MarketPlace, coin shops would be more popular alongside trade rooms, as for the values I'm unsure!

Marketplace is horrible. Added tax yet again (therefore giving rares and unnatural pricing). For me PERSONALLY, the really fun bit in making a room was finding the rares, getting a good deal etc - that simply is non-existent now. Marketplace also encourages depreciation of rares (as people are forced to sell 1c lower than the person already selling in there - and that continues on and on and on), which is something I dislike.

Habbo have been trying to get credits off you more - but that is something that has spurred because of their idiotic decision to create the exchange. Naturally, if they get rid of gold bars (about 60k credits at a time for every limited edition rare), people may eventually be inclined to buy credits. Standard move. The Channel 4 scandal was certainly damaging, but yet again they deserved it. Shocking management to allow the sex talk to go on, and to be quite frank I am surprised they haven't got in trouble for the blatant underage gambling - they don't even attempt to stop it.

If the C4 scandal never happened, marketplace wasn't introduced and they didn't merge the hotels habbo would still have 8k+ online on the UK hotel at any time. Whether they would make more profit or not is debatable, due to the need for more staff and huge server costs - but the game itself would be one hell of alot more fun than it is right now.

[Samantha]

Marketplace is horrible. Added tax yet again (therefore giving rares and unnatural pricing). For me PERSONALLY, the really fun bit in making a room was finding the rares, getting a good deal etc - that simply is non-existent now. Marketplace also encourages depreciation of rares (as people are forced to sell 1c lower than the person already selling in there - and that continues on and on and on), which is something I dislike.

Habbo have been trying to get credits off you more - but that is something that has spurred because of their idiotic decision to create the exchange. Naturally, if they get rid of gold bars (about 60k credits at a time for every limited edition rare), people may eventually be inclined to buy credits. Standard move. The Channel 4 scandal was certainly damaging, but yet again they deserved it. Shocking management to allow the sex talk to go on, and to be quite frank I am surprised they haven't got in trouble for the blatant underage gambling - they don't even attempt to stop it.

If the C4 scandal never happened, marketplace wasn't introduced and they didn't merge the hotels habbo would still have 8k+ online on the UK hotel at any time. Whether they would make more profit or not is debatable, due to the need for more staff and huge server costs - but the game itself would be one hell of alot more fun than it is right now.

One thing that caught my eye was the fact you say Habbo hasn't tried to stop gambling, I don't think you were here when they did so apologises for that, but they went on a mission and banned many casino owners - only to unban them again later on, hence why many casinos are now called arcades. It was something about the gambling rules in Singapore if I remember correctly, they did try to stop it, but it didn't work. They stopped the dice working on another hotel and also banned many things like the exchange and such now, due to various factors and frankly that's not helping in the slightest, it's not set in stone gambling, but I'd rather have players gambling on there than losing in real life.

[Brice]

yh .

Edited by Bolt660 (Forum Moderator): Please do not post short pointless comments in this forum!

[Samantha]

yh .

Why not?

[AgnesIO]

One thing that caught my eye was the fact you say Habbo hasn't tried to stop gambling, I don't think you were here when they did so apologises for that, but they went on a mission and banned many casino owners - only to unban them again later on, hence why many casinos are now called arcades. It was something about the gambling rules in Singapore if I remember correctly, they did try to stop it, but it didn't work. They stopped the dice working on another hotel and also banned many things like the exchange and such now, due to various factors and frankly that's not helping in the slightest, it's not set in stone gambling, but I'd rather have players gambling on there than losing in real life.

Indeed, gambling is illegal in Singapore or something - they had no choice but to do that.

The fact remains, any attempts they have made are incredibly half-hearted - they don't really give a damn. This is evident with the "sex talk" that exists on the hotel, as in all seriousness, they have made it harder to sign up and bugger all else. They haven't really tried - the game pretty much encourages under age gambling, which is a seriously dangerous thing to do (believe me, I know - as up until recently it had cost me hundreds of pounds). Gambling is genuinely an addiction - and Sulake are sick for not stopping it.

You don't seem to realise that gambling on Habbo IS losing in real life. Players buy credits, thrones - and lose them. This is underage gambling and illegal in every single country Sulake operates in. The company is so unethical it is untrue.

[Yawn]

its been ran into the ground by a series of poor, transparent decisions which have driven the core players away. they've only started listening to the players and allowed us to influence decisions when its been too late and/or in their own interest.

p.s. as for improving its usually 1 step forward 2 steps back