This game and its popularity.

[Potjeh]

I'd say the worse problem for player retention is the rampant bug abuse and botting.

[Tonkyhonk]

I'd say the worse problem for player retention is the rampant bug abuse and botting.

even worse is that many players dont find it bad at all lately and encourage it.
at least, people try to hide it in other mmos in fear of being banned, instead of blaming devs and raeging against them.

[Saxony4]

bug abuse and botting has been the decline of many mmos, like tonky said it's no good that there are enablers who promote bug abuse and botting in haven.

For the most part I think some people have trouble understanding how to survive and how to make a safe camp, they'll go make a little fenced in area next to a river and get upset and leave once someone sails on up and steals from them or kills them for fun. A few friends I've had come try the game have literally no idea what to do and quit because they feel the game is too time consuming or difficult to understand.

[Eemerald]

I think the lack of anything to do after you get a comfortable standard of living is worse than raiders. Inactivity is a worst drain on the Hearthlands than conflict. The only aspect that matters with conflict toward playerbase leaving is the fact that at a certain level in the game it can be near-insufferable grind with the knowledge that other rival factions have an insurmountable "lead" on you, or the stress of securing "public" projects can undermine someone's desire to play beyond a certain point.

it is a huge problem. when you kind of have most things in place, and your stats are decent, it's all about the grind which is boring in general. Trying to set up projects and various things can relieve that, but still its done and you constantly need to find other things to do that isn't just the repetitive cycle u have to go through. half of players who start with us are gone within 2-3 months of the game start, then its recruit each time someone gets bored and quits. it does need some added things to bring the game alive and different points, allow people to interact more, and contribute in projects etc.

[Xcom]

Haven is to slow pace, most console gamers just don't have the attention span for it. Most people with jobs find it impossible to grind for a perma death game or keep up with game timers that the game forces on you. Then you have the heavy grind aspects and 2D graphics with clunky UI. The UI is mitigated with custom clients and some of the grind is reduced by bots. But the game is still to hardcore for 99% of gamers. The ones that really do stick around are in my opinion ultra hardcore. You cant find those to often explaining the low player count.

[Ninijutsu]

It does takes a special kind of hardcore mindset to keep coming back to a game that constantly takes away months/years of your hard work and throws it into the abyss. It's almost impossible to find new blood that will stay and play the game. I think fantasies of thousands of new players are, indeed, just that. This game will never be fit for a large audience.

[painhertz]

There's literally "mo" way i could play Haven now that my business is becoming successful. I'm lucky if I can sneak in an hour of battle field 4 each day. When/if 2.0 goes Alpha I'll probably find time to tinker with it but i doubt I'll ever be able to catass it again like I did World 4-7..... Cest la vie. making money hand over fist is more fun than haven .lol

[Pinkie-Pie]

For me the danger adds to the fun! Thats how it can be marketed! The thrill of all ways being on the look out! Going into red alert every time you see a white dot on the map! The rush of being chased down a river!

Since you can lose it all in an instant its like you're never done! Its a game you can keep playing forever!

[Saxony4]

the game shouldn't be marketed at all. If I ever saw haven on steam greenlight I would mourn the death of the game

It's better when less people play

the 300-400 player range is a lot when you think about it but it's a pretty comfy number for haven. Also a fraction are unfortunately bots or an alt.

[Lord_of_War]

Don't worry. Them noobs would be run out of town pretty quick.