I know this is quite forward but the richness of Conan is the Western feel. Right now - we have political changes in the USA that is not welcome by many. Blizzard made an extraordinary mistake and their chance of an increased audience left them in shambles that still reverberate today. Reading the World Of Warcraft forums many perceive Mists Of Pandaria as their favorite expansion and their least favorite, why? Blizzard’s eagerness to expand their audience to the East alienated many in the West; This is in a sense to a kind of culture shock. Today WoW developers praise their “group finder” as being their greatest success but many players have commented that it is their biggest failure largely because this incorporates a streamlining of the game, reducing the time to create parties to enjoy the game adventures (raids, dungeons, quests…) in the trade of a blind elimination of greater social interaction to form groups and build bonds and lasting friendships. Year after year the polarization has altered the way people interact and it has reduced the overall Western feel of the game and it has created a sense of an empty confusion and listlessness. Taking the Imperial Pack off the market would reduce this wave but upset those who have already purchased it. The WoW’s new expansion Battle For Azeroth will have added features to help cure this; The content is more acutely bringing on the old confrontational theme between the Horde and Alliance in hope to bring people together and to try and resurrect the old WoW spirit. An additional feature, the social tool that they currently use in Diablo3 to build communities will be available in their new BFA expansion. The Imperial East Pack may end up costing Funcom more in the future than having left Conan alone to emphasize a more Western theme and American product.
EDIT:
I apologize if I offended anyone from Asia and in trying to point out my concern I overreached. We are all Asian blood in some way and this is just to point out a marketing concern to us kids who 1st met Conan via Hollywood. Arriving to play this game it alarmed me to find an expansion advertised so soon and so boldly. My apologies for the American politics that hit China (I too - do not agree). Arnold Schwarzeneggar and Hollywood has shaped my expectations for the game and I have been moved by the writing of only a few pages in the book. The reason I have stated that I am from the USA is only to indicate from where my views are coming from to make it more fair and personal. We all enjoy products that are built in our own country - it gives us a certain pride no matter what country you call home. Seeing the advertisement for the Imperial East Pack I tied the marketing of Funcom with Blizzard. My country is in terrible shape and it is an American author I wished to escape in a heritage sense - - It is finding further definition in an American writer that does not reflect today’s coarser realities and from where I was born that interested me. I know that what I have said will still not sit well with all readers of this post but if your country you grew up were in political shambles - you too might look for stories by authors from wherever you call home. It is kind of a way in searching for one’s roots.
I feel like you are trying to get people to play WOW.
Your argument does not really make sense. Not just the ideas but its structure and logic. I see what you are trying the state but I also see a failure to adequately support your thesis.
All examples were taken from the “Blizzard universe”. May be the most popular but not the foundation of how all games should be.
Now to the main point. To take away artistic and aesthetic design away from a game because it may offend some people due to their intolerance of others is a racist action.
This is a game and in no way is eastern culture in Hyboria to be confused with chinese, though influnces certainly derived from China.
Political, economical and ‘whatever-ical’ notions should be kept away. The world, our Earth, is plagued with conflicts all over. Let the conflict in games be in the form of player versus player and not in the form of my nation against yours.
We are obviously here to immerse ourselves in awesome games and to some extent escape reallity. Therefor we should avoid bringing toxicity with us into the place we seek to enjoy ouselves in.
Don’t want to sound anymore like Dalai Lama so I leave now and also let the door hit my ■■■ on the way out
In his fantasy setting of the Hyborian Age, Howard created imaginary kingdoms to which he gave names from a variety of mythological and historical sources. Khitai is his version of China, lying far to the east, Corinthia is his name for a Hellenistic civilization, a name derived from the city of Corinth and reminiscent of the imperial fief of Carinthia in the Middle Ages. Howard imagines the Hyborian Picts to occupy a large area to the northwest.
Funcom is Norwegian/European company, not American
America is not center of the Universe.
America is only small part of Earth.
You alone do not represent whole US market, as you said, it is absolutely correct, Pandaria is most favorite expansion according to Blizzard.
Conan the Barbarian has many cultures.
Because Earth has many cultures.
China is most populous country on Earth, which means it has biggest market.
I will disappoint you, America will never be great again (“No king rules forever”), same as British Empire will never exist again, and China will rule 21st and you can’t imagine how China is powerful and more advanced than US already.
Before speak - think. Before talking about specific subject - educate yourself about it first. Before talking - practice writing, argumentation, public speaking. Studying law/jurisprudence or any social science is a good way to do so. You have a lot of nonsense which is not connected to each other. For example “group finder” has nothing to do with your main argument. Keep anything as short as possible. Also every text should have introduction, main part and conclusion/CTA (Call to action) and usually have at least 3 paragraphs.
First this. No, China won’t rule 21st, or 22nd nor 23rd. Why? The western expansion and colonization was in its core because of christianity and the spread of it. It says in the bible to “spread the word” - and they did, and still do. Missionaries are working tirelessly even as we speak. China doesn’t have a culture or a religion that prompts them to spread any word.
I don’t want political correctness or racism to shape a product. Funcom has done a good job of incorporating Howard’s world without outside influence from the current socio-political sphere. Games are played by many to escape such tensions and forget the problems of the world.
I come from a middle of the country, run of the mill, Farmtown USA, and appreciate what has been done here in Conan. This is a very original game that took real balls to develop with all of the ‘features’ they have incorporated (nudity, slavery, theism). There is a ‘Western’ DLC coming in less than a month, so don’t fret if it is of your belief that the last pack was directed to an Asian market.
I don’t mean any disrespect, but that first post came off as a racist rambling against Asians (whether it was your intention or not)…
Conan is based on a world with many cultures, there are already a few in the game without Khitan DLC so I don’t understand this post at all.
I think the majority of Western Conan players would love to see new DLC’s add content from different cultures from all over the Conan universe.
Also based on your second reply, not sure if you noticed but the original Conan movie had an old Asian guy in it who played an important if small roll. I wanted him to travel with Conan with the thief and woman. He was one of my favorite characters in that movie has he seemed livelier then most in it.
I am not insulting anybody and this is offtop already.
You can just Google and find a lot of analysis, charts, reviews, professional opinions (even from execs from top American corporations), articles (even on top business American business portals), anything from startups, military power till US investors investing in China and stating themselves that Chinese tech and economy will dominate in the future. After all, Chinese population is 4+ times of US. Also you can learn from history that nothing lasts forever and it is absolutely normal.
I am not going to spam hundreds of links. Let’s just choose one. This one contains a lot of opinions and links