PvP and the Silverhand Event

Other Games Warriors of Waterdeep
#1

I have been playing since launch and have sunk a disturbing amount of money into this game. I just uninstalled and cancelled my VIP.

Silverhand events are now common and have a rigged matchmaking algorithm designed to drastically increase your loss rate. I get it - it’s a game built on microtransactions, so obviously Ludia wants players paying as many gems as possible. Here’s the problem - it’s not fun anymore. I am consistently placed against opponents multiple levels higher than me and who quickly slaughter my team. This is not about strategy. It’s not about coming up with the best gear configuration you can then beating an opponent with superior skills and planning. This is about you spending your time and money building up a team, then being placed into a battle that is 100% unwinnable. You can’t outsmart the opponent. You are a bug under your opponent’s boot. Who wants to play that way?

Do you think that sort of thing makes me want to pay more gems? No. It makes me uninstall the game and cancel my subs. Part of operating a game like this requires trust from the community. You’ve lost mine. I wouldn’t have purchased gems in the past if I had any expectation that updates would put the game into a state where the entire game is (literally) stacked against me.

On top of that, in this most recent patch, the game is more buggy than I have ever seen it. Spend more time in QA, this was a pathetic attempt at an update. The screens lock up and require me to force the app closed and re-open. I am OFTEN (read at: at least 30% of the time) in the middle of a battle, then cannot select an opponent character to target with an ability. Lovely - close the app and relaunch again. Who manages this team? Someone needs to wake up.

It was a good run. Don’t make the same mistake that I did.

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#2

I agree. While I’ve found it not quite 100% unwinnable, it’s very, very, difficult. And it’s not just Silverhand events that are getting harder for those of us who prefer free to play, it seems like everything is being re-calibrated to be more frustrating for anyone not paying money to win.

#3

That’s the point of my post. Everyone is being screwed by this matchmaking algorithm. This problem is intentional, shady and has made the game not worth playing.

1 Like
#4

Yeah it’s really transparent that they’re pushing out half-completed content (this app plays like something programmed in 2010) while doing their best to squeeze money from players in disgusting, untrustworthy practices. It all points to a company in dire straights, making very little cash and unwilling to invest to make the property better.

Given that they’re running a DnD license their margins are already cut down so I suspect that’s playing a role, though perhaps it’s small. Overall the decisions being made by Ludia’s leadership are predatory and odious.

The long-lasting solution for making more money on games like this is to create better content that people want to pay to enjoy, creating a more fluid and modern play experience, and setting up desirable incentives. All of the “solutions” Ludia implements are designed to try to complete a quick cash-grab before their players wise up and abandon ship.

Time will tell.

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