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Player Base on Steam Still Dropping.

Almost 6 months now the player base has been dropping on Steam even though we've had some decent content and patches over those past 6 months. We've had Hellraiser get added into the realm as well as Ringu and even though Artist wasn't a very popular original killer she was still fairly implemented pretty well and she's a decent killer.

Boons though not being (IMO) a very healthy mechanic to the game with COH, Shadow Step and Dark Theory are decent ones that were added and Exponential is situational from time to time but, it doesn't feel like these are the cause of the player drop.

The Hacker situation probably had a small part in the player base dropping with a bunch of hackers now been roaming the game more often now but, it's not really the main problem right now and it's still been SBMM that has been the issue.

SBMM nobody asked for this if there wasn't MMR in this game I'm sure the player count would be higher and yet with SBMM being in the game for almost 6 months now it's not helping the case. Hellraiser could've brought a lot of new players but, with SBMM being added to the game with the chapter it drove some players away, Portrait of a Murder wasn't that exciting of a chapter so I don't know how many players would come in for that but, it still could've brought a few in a least, and now we have Ringu very well received scary Killer brings the horror back a little to this game and yet the players might comeback for a day but, will remember this game now has MMR.

So BHVR I know you guys want to keep probably keep SBMM in the game but, why don't you guys except that this was a mistake to add in and resort back to the old matchmaking system. It wasn't perfect but it was better than what we've had now and those Bloodpoint rewards for each grade reset would've been better on the old system too.

I enjoy this game I love the killers and there unique gameplay. Survivor though being not very challenging sometimes wish there was more is still fun and getting a good chase or a player who knows what they're doing is great. However new players are having a hard time with playing killer mainly cause they get grouped up instantly with players who have thousand of hrs in the game and don't end up enjoying Killer and Survivor not so much cause they could just hop on with there friends and have a fun time maybe get scared a couple times, have a laugh, or a good chase and they don't have to worry about getting so stressed out.

To save your game BHVR SBMM gotta go.

Comments

  • Steel_Eyed
    Steel_Eyed Member Posts: 4,033

    I don’t really buy this kind of thinking anymore. Just seems more like our boys had too much soy.

  • MrPeanutbutter
    MrPeanutbutter Member Posts: 1,586
    edited March 2022

    It’s probably a combination of things. New games have definitely drawn players away. The game is almost 6 years old, so some long-time players are probably getting burned out. We also see examples of players on this forum who have quit because of various issues/recent changes to the game. I think the biggest problem facing BHVR is drawing in and retaining new players to replace the ones that leave. The awful grind and non-functioning SBMM system are the biggest thing turning off new players. Supposedly we’ll be getting some relief from the grind soon, but who knows if/when SBMM will be improved to keep new players from getting matched against veteran pros.

  • TheArbiter
    TheArbiter Member Posts: 2,617

    For any game in general to maintain a rising level of players is difficult

  • PNgamer
    PNgamer Member Posts: 1,415
    edited March 2022

    I don't know why you have to discuss it all the time or why ppl get panic. The fact that player numbers are down a little bit is completely normal. We had a lot of game releases last month like Elden Ring, Lost Ark and so on. It was one of the strongest months. But that will subside, because Sadako is not an easy killer and you have to give people time. Also, it's good to take a break every now and then.

  • BubbaDredge
    BubbaDredge Member Posts: 815

    Nobody is talking about maintaining a rising level. Going from record high to long-term consistent decline is what's being discussed.

    Peaks and valleys are normal, especially in a game that releases regular DLC. Our peaks aren't peaking very high, it's not "just because."

  • ClumsyTrapper
    ClumsyTrapper Member Posts: 544

    Steam only makes 1/6th of the player base Xbox PS5 switch epic games and Microsoft store

    So the dipping numbers don't mean much que times are same they've been for yrs now survivor quick early killer quick later.

  • Rogue11
    Rogue11 Member Posts: 1,464

    Can we throw out the chat filter with sbmm?

  • ObservantOfTime
    ObservantOfTime Member Posts: 209

    I was taking a break to get some Elden Ring done, until Nurse got re-enabled. Not sure I want to come back now, lul.

  • StarLost
    StarLost Member Posts: 8,077

    Yes, the declining player counts are concerning, but I think that has to do with the lackluster Onryo release, a stale meta and just general falloff with the end of the COVID stuff.

    SBMM...I'd wager that for every veteran annoyed by it, 2 newer players who don't have to wade through a dozen matches with smurfing SWFs to get a reasonably good one stick around.

    The issue is that SBMM isn't working properly. Not SBMM itself.

  • Flimflam
    Flimflam Member Posts: 103

    After 6 years BHVR has not managed to break the meta of max slowdown and max second chance perks. This isn't the only reason, but it gets very old feeling like I'm throwing if I'm not running 4 regression perks or DS/DH/UB/COH. It's ridiculous how long the survivor perks in particular have held the meta.

  • AndKnuckles
    AndKnuckles Member Posts: 3

    I hd hope that it will eventually steady itself and remain at around 30k - 35k average players, but like others mention DBD just may no longer in it's prime. The game is almost 6 years old and with many criticizing and being frustrated with the decisions of the devs, it wouldn't be surprising that people have just grown tired of the game.

  • SMitchell8
    SMitchell8 Member Posts: 3,302

    Q4 had Fifa, Cod vanguard and Q1 just dropped Elden Ring. Bound to people playing other games during a chapter they're not that keen on.

  • INoLuv
    INoLuv Member Posts: 464

    Killer shortage is extremely good for DBD, is good to quit because of toxicity that comes from most of the survivor playerbase, the more killers quit the better it will be as a response.

  • JonahsTablet
    JonahsTablet Member Posts: 762

    All it takes is one phone call for any company to swallow their pride, Behavior may be petty, but their investors don't give a #########.

  • i_dont_care223
    i_dont_care223 Member Posts: 124

    SBMM made a lot of people quit the devs just need to make a casual mode with the old matchmaking

  • JPLongstreet
    JPLongstreet Member Posts: 5,890

    They've resisted splitting the playerbase forever, and I doubt nowadays the size of the playerbase could support it.

    Also there's the likely abuse with sweatlords from both roles invading a "casual" mode.

  • FeelsBadMan
    FeelsBadMan Member Posts: 570
    edited March 2022

    I am pretty convinced its mainly a mix of Boons and SBMM that makes people leave. If you look at the steam charts you can see the player base starts dropping right after Mikaela got released. That was when they added both things I mentioned above.

    Ontop of that the free giveaway of the basegame on Epic later on cause a HUGE influx of hackers. Just yesterday I had a flying, perma screaming Nea in the 2nd game I was playing.

    People who keep saying "Steam charts don't show the whole playerbase" are just completely ignorant cause one can 100% be sure that the player base is not only dropping on one platform while remaining steady on all others LOL

    The devs need to get their ######### together and listen to their players or this game is gonna be dead in a year or two - or maybe they already gave up and are just milking it some more until then like most companies do these days.

  • Farshad7913
    Farshad7913 Member Posts: 58

    I left DBD 1 week after SBMM came in the game, it took ONE WEEK to convince me that even tho i love the game it's just not fun anymore. then i came back to play survivor here and there and i saw that boon:COH destroys all the presure a killer has. yeah not a good state for the game and i'm also glad people are leaving, a biiig i told you so in bhvrs face.

  • brokedownpalace
    brokedownpalace Member Posts: 8,804
    edited March 2022

    I can't imagine being so obsessed with a game's steam numbers lmao. Are you guys coordinating these posts?

  • deKlaw_04
    deKlaw_04 Member Posts: 3,660

    I doubt boons are a reason. Sbmm could the reason but honestly it could just be more game have come out and people just moving on from an old game

  • The_C12H15NO2
    The_C12H15NO2 Member Posts: 335

    A huge problem it seems is the game isn't attracting new players. The current MMR is pitting them against killers which top MMR survivors stomped into low MMR scores. On the flip, new killers get matched with strong survivors b/c the noob MMR score is pretty high still. On top of that the grind is ridiculous for new players. I'm over 2 years in and haven't unlocked all teachables for every character. I'm not even halfway.

    MMR is driving away some of the current player base. And MMR does need to include more than just kills/escapes in the scoring. But since they can't attract new players it seems they aren't replacing the ones who leave.

  • scubasyd
    scubasyd Member Posts: 74

    I just keep hoping I’ll hear one day they have returned to the emblem system. I know I’m not the only one… almost all of my friends were from dbd and now they are hardly playing dbd or have completely stopped.