The most recent article in the news section almost 100% confirms Star Wars Imperial Assault will continue DIGITALLY under the digital games segment of research, design, production and marketing.
https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2019/9/6/scry-the-future/
Um, it does? I don't see it written in the article anywhere, nor do I see a "digital games segment" written in the article.
Don't get me wrong, I want IA app development to continue. Anything that keeps breathing life into the game is a positive!
Corroboration is the key...the transcript of a portion of the (now planned) bi-annual Q&A provided in article format specifically reflects the future Andrew N has for the future of IA. There is a future, and it is obviously digital content not physical - even the intro video to FFG before live streams shows IA components as background to digital games label.
Just because you do not see the words, does not make the future difficult to predict...often it is what is NOT said with FFG that is the clue...
The article is confirmation of all that has gone before regarding the direction of FFG IA. IA is not dead like Runewars for example.
The second raid mode was just announced but is/was not yet out, which Andrew refers to in the AMA. We're certain to get "more digital content" for app. We're going to get the second raid mission Gray Cap Cantina.
After that, I would love to get more content in the app, but I'm not holding my breath. It makes little business sense for FFG to create more if they don't make reprints like it sounds like. (Retail doesn't keep the IA stuff on shelves, so the sales numbers won't support reprints.)
They didn’t say the moon would crash down to earth either, so that’s basically confirmed also?!?
jokes/sarcasm aside, physical content is confirmed to be ended.
digital is unconfirmed either way (apart from one upcoming raid map)
hardly a guarantee of anything
That was a depressing article. All I got out of that was "Imperial Assault old and busted. We like new shiny (like Legion)."
I can't say that anything in that article makes me feel optimistic. The best we can hope for, as far as I can see is that enough gets sold to justify a reprint. That could make more app campaigns worthwhile for FFG. There is no reason for them to keep producing app content if it is not selling well.
Their handling of IA has been baffling. They spend 1.5 years working on the app, release a few free app campaigns (which honestly are pretty good)- then sort of abandon the platform completely within 1 year. I would be shocked if they couldn’t continue to make money off of the diehards who already own the game, were asking constantly about the app, etc.
I would absolutely pay $5-$10 for a digital campaign using stuff I already have. Crank out some app campaigns, maybe produce 1 blister wave a year and call it a day. Would that not be profitable?
2 hours ago, totalnoob said:I would absolutely pay $5-$10 for a digital campaign using stuff I already have. Crank out some app campaigns, maybe produce 1 blister wave a year and call it a day. Would that not be profitable?
You're talking about the traditional non-app campaigns? 1 imperial player vs. 2-4 rebel heroes? That's what I'd like more of. I'd pay $$$ for an official campaign. Whether I buy it at my FLGS, directly from FFG or as a pdf that I could print out.
I would favor a PDF of traditional 1 v 4 campaign - yes. I would pay for that too!!! I was speaking specifically about the app campaigns that they worked so tirelessly to create, only to kind of abandon it without much fanfare.
But, yes I agree - another revenue stream would be just releasing downloadable PDF campaign logs for $10 or so. If they gave me an 8 or 9 mission 1v4 campaign (5 or 6 story missions , plus room for sides) - I would probably pay 15-20 bucks for that content as well.
That can’t cost too much to produce. Playtest and write another 12 missions, then create a PDF that can be downloaded. Margin on those sales would be pretty nice
7 hours ago, totalnoob said:Their handling of IA has been baffling. They spend 1.5 years working on the app, release a few free app campaigns (which honestly are pretty good)- then sort of abandon the platform completely within 1 year. I would be shocked if they couldn’t continue to make money off of the diehards who already own the game, were asking constantly about the app, etc.
I would absolutely pay $5-$10 for a digital campaign using stuff I already have. Crank out some app campaigns, maybe produce 1 blister wave a year and call it a day. Would that not be profitable?
I hadn't thought about that. I just had a look on steam, Descent has two campaigns for the app that cost $7.50. I would be quite happy to pay that for new app campaigns.
FFG has said in podcast interviews that the 1v4 campaigns are extremely work intense to design because they have to playtest and tweak each mission to have good flow and there a million different variables to test for even when they're just limited to the core set and one expansion.
If they aren't going to do reprints of IA, there is little reason to believe there will be more digital content. Digital content is intended to push sales of the game. How can there be sales for a game that doesn't have anything to sell?
They may have a few last projects in the works. I wouldn't expect more unless we start seeing them do reprints.