HB - You need a new hire

[lancerr]

Dear HB,

 

Thank you for all the hard work on the F14. It looks amazing and I'm sure it will be great. You seem to have a solid attention to detail and clearly have a talented crew of engineers and designers.

 

Im sure this launch craziness will be forgotten after a few months but I hope there are lessons to be learned.

 

I offer you my unsolicited quick analysis and recommendations. Do with it what you will.

 

Quick background. I work in tech and have launched 10+ global products over the last 12 years (~40 to 50M users for each). Now tech is not gaming which has it's own quirks but hopefully you can learn something.

 

HB this is the strangest launch process I've seen.

 

I'm not going to go over all the issues in detail but you seem to have a major product launch talent gap in their roster as evidenced by this f14B launch.

 

I'll focus on one issue that seems to have made all this a lot worse. Early access to Youtubers.

 

When I get media/press/influencers to review our products it's always under an embargo until official announcement for many reasons

 

1. Product still needs improvement- isn't release ready

2. Avoid preempting official launch announcement -

3. Ensuring all press/media have equal access and release dates so one isn't scooping the other.

4. Control messaging so its consistent and doesn't cause confusion.

 

Influencers like the YouTube folks you have given early access to are certainly part of the review process but you don't let them publish since it causes the very issues we are running into. Influencers who are playing a module daily before release and constantly releasing videos of a product that pre order customers dont have access to.

 

Issue comes because you are using YouTube influencers as early access testers. Those are very different purposes.

 

1. Early access - small group let's you do a controlled test and gather feedback from a supportive customer base.

 

2. Influencers strategy - drive demand of your product by getting influencers to generate content and therefore attention.

 

Combining them results in a lot of confusion.

 

2 ways to avoid this issue.

 

1. Dont do preorders if you plan on giving this to a select few for early access - that strategy makes no sense and we wouldn't have nearly this level of anger. Instead have early access applications or select closed group to test drive and provide feedback.

 

2. Use influencers to generate demand and help the community but embargo early access videos until launch.

 

 

In combination with the poor communication on these forums and hoggit, unclear messaging of release process and dates (winter is not a date) and the YouTube issue mentioned above, this seems just like a simple case of poor go-to-market/launch planning and community management. Not unusual at all but can definitely be improved.

 

My guess is you guys are engineering & design rocks stars but likely not product guys - there is a difference between engineering and product.

 

My recommendation would be to use the billions of dollars you get from f14 and hire a product team that can manage future launches better.

 

Cheers.

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-N960U1 using Tapatalk

[Rudel_chw]

I dont agree at all .. I enjoy watching the content of the Youtubers, and I dont care if I cant fly it myself yet, because I understand that it is still in development and I would not enjoy using the module in that state.

[Manuel_108]

Good for you that you don't care, yet the community is very divided on this release process. I think he makes valid points.

[westr]

I dont agree at all .. I enjoy watching the content of the Youtubers, and I dont care if I cant fly it myself yet, because I understand that it is still in development and I would not enjoy using the module in that state.

 

I agree with you. It’s worked well enough in the past. Years ago magazines had preview access. Nowadays it’s more YouTube. I enjoy watching the vids, just because some have decided to have a rant about this access does that mean we can now no longer get a glimpse of the module or previews anymore. They are advertising their product. Good luck to them.

[Bogey Jammer]

Would have been the same issue with the Cristen Eagle ? I don't see it's an issue either with the MiG-19… Some orange dressed bald dude from Asia always says that desire equals suffering.

Edited February 28, 2019 by Bogey Jammer

[TomCatMucDe]

You are trolling HB right?

How can one apply at a company or say he wants help and lay his criticism to his potential employer in public?

 

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[Anklebiter]

Dear HB,

 

 

Im sure this launch craziness will be forgotten after a few months but I hope there are lessons to be learned.

 

 

Did I miss something? Heatblur is no longer going to release the Tomcat by end of winter as they announced?

[XtraChrisP]

I think I understand his position, but I also think DCS is an entirely different animal.

 

The flight sim community is small and niche, and the things that apply to broad mass market product launches don't necessary apply here. I think, that among our small community, word-of-mouth is probably more valuable than carefully managed branding.

 

My understanding is that HB has a product that's very close to release (they stated in another thread that they're ready to announce a release date but need the go-ahead from ED) but they probably also have some things that need ironing out before sending their product out into the wild.

 

Personally I love the YouTube videos and am glad that guys like Jabbers and Magz are able to share their Tomcat adventures with us. I'm sure that in the creation of those videos there are some ugly bugs and other things that are edited out and if they were present in an EA release would generate some unpleasant word of mouth. I say keep it coming, and OP, congrats on releasing products that have moved 100s of millions of units, but I think that your lessons as they apply to mass appeal may not be entirely relevant when applied to the niche appeal of the flight sim market.

[Cobra847]

Thanks for the input! It is appreciated.

 

I strongly believe we have some of the best marketing in the industry. The strong discussions taking place here (with much emotion involved, certainly) are a vast minority per our metrics. There will always be a core group of people who are overexposed to every piece of media we produce. Meanwhile, we're reaching thousands more through content producer outreach.

 

We try to work with content producers to space content and keep things fresh, and we may have let it go to too many at once this time around, but this will always be a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" type of situation. It was in 2014 when we launched the MiG-21, and it is today. The main change we'll make moving forward is not doing pre-orders based on a date range (this simply does not work with consumers). Expectation management simply falls apart at the seams.

[fl0w]

You are trolling HB right?

How can one apply at a company or say he wants help and lay his criticism to his potential employer in public?

 

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IMHO, HB depends a lot on user feedback in order to greaten their product. If anything, it opens new eyes for some and shows a different perspective on how things would be done. It doesn't certainly have to be amended to but helps with rational decision making.

 

But on the contrary, I can not speak for HB or the application thread.

 

Edit: Cobra is speedy! I reside my post to his official words.

 

Thanks for the input! It is appreciated.

 

I can't say I agree on most of your points. In fact, I strongly believe we have some of the best marketing in the industry. The strong discussions taking place here (with much emotion involved, certainly) are a vast minority per our metrics. There will always be a core group of people who are overexposed to every piece of media we produce. Meanwhile, we're reaching thousands more through content producer outreach.

 

The main change we'll make moving forward is not doing pre-orders based on a date range (this simply does not work with consumers).

[TLTeo]

Did I miss something? Heatblur is no longer going to release the Tomcat by end of winter as they announced?

 

 

You didn't miss anything. The release candidate build is in ED's hands and is currently being tested (plenty of official ED posts around here confirming that), which means a) release is close - presumably it should be around or before the 21st and b) HB can't announce a date because the timing of the release isn't their to decide.

[TomCatMucDe]

Thanks for the input! It is appreciated.

 

I can't say I agree on most of your points. In fact, I strongly believe we have some of the best marketing in the industry. The strong discussions taking place here (with much emotion involved, certainly) are a vast minority per our metrics. There will always be a core group of people who are overexposed to every piece of media we produce. Meanwhile, we're reaching thousands more through content producer outreach.

 

The main change we'll make moving forward is not doing pre-orders based on a date range (this simply does not work with consumers).

He is obviously trolling. Not sure if it's worth an answer :)

 

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[theOden]

You are trolling HB right?

How can one apply at a company or say he wants help and lay his criticism to his potential employer in public?

 

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What makes you think he wants to work for HB?

 

 

Good post lancerr.

[fl0w]

You didn't miss anything. The release candidate build is in ED's hands and is currently being tested (plenty of official ED posts around here confirming that), which means a) release is close - presumably it should be around or before the 21st and b) HB can't announce a date because the timing of the release isn't their to decide.

 

There was some false information yesterday on some Discord servers about a faked thread post of Wags saying the F-14 was going to be delayed to June. It's been already declared not official, but in case that this was the reference, I will say it here.

[TomCatMucDe]

IMHO, HB depends a lot on user feedback in order to greaten their product. If anything, it opens new eyes for some and shows a different perspective on how things would be done. It doesn't certainly have to be amended to but helps with rational decision making.

 

But on the contrary, I can not speak for HB or the application thread.

 

Edit: Cobra is speedy! I reside my post to his official words.

If he was sincere about it he would write a PM to HB and not a public post where he highlights the supposed shortcoming of the company where he is applying at. Who would get a job with such behavior?

 

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[fl0w]

If he was sincere about it he would write a PM to HB and not a public post where he highlights the supposed shortcoming of the company where he is applying at. Who would get a job with such behavior?

 

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Sometimes the best criticism and feedback is the type that is publicly said. I understand your point on the whole application part, but for what was said, it allows others to build on. If HB/ED finds this unsuitable for discussion, however, then it is best to let it be as I would be putting socks in my mouth for speaking wrongly.

[Manuel_108]

The main change we'll make moving forward is not doing pre-orders based on a date range (this simply does not work with consumers). Expectation management simply falls apart at the seams.

 

That would certainly be a very welcome change.

[Manuel_108]

If he was sincere about it he would write a PM to HB and not a public post where he highlights the supposed shortcoming of the company where he is applying at. Who would get a job with such behavior?

 

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What are you talking about, he is not applying for a job? It's fair criticism, you don't have to agree with it for God's sake.

[Cobra847]

I don't see a job application by the OP. :)

 

In any case- we always appreciate constructive feedback. Listening is the only way to improve. :)

[Bogey Jammer]

My boss is always listening, my country's government too, but both my salary and forced spendings are still not improving :cry:

[Ramsay]

I enjoy the F-14 youtube videos and wish there were more to fill the time until release and set expectations.

 

Nothing the OP says would fix an issue that arises from offering an October pre-order for a 'Winter' release and then releasing in March.

 

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and clearly most (i.e. myself) expected the F-14 to release 4-12 weeks after the start of taking pre-orders.

[arturojgt]

The anxiety made us bought this module in preorder, just the rush.

 

They put their hands in ours pocket literally with those YouTube mind tricks and our anxiety give them permission.

 

I’m more worried about the following:

Some companies have a high priority to release a new module and put in the “low priority shelve” some very nice modules with bugs.

 

I understand the necessity of money but not the second part, many of this errors are not related to those companies, they are under a NDA so they are the visible face and they are taking all the slaps. Yes but No.

 

We choose to play the OPEN BETA and EARLY ACCESS game.

 

So grab a very confortable sofá, a cold beer, some peanuts, popcorn and chili out.

 

 

 

 

 

In the toilet and using Tapatalk pro to kill the time.

[Jetsun]

Some orange dressed bald dude from Asia always says that desire equals suffering.

 

To be more specific, failing to perceive reality as it is, without self imputed fantasy, is the root cause of all suffering. And the orange dress code is not at all mandatory, can be a lot more rock n roll outwardly, a lot! :lol:

[lancerr]

This is a very interesting community and I'm very happy to now be a part of it and see how engaged everyone is.

 

Cobra - thank you for your quick response. I was concerned about my post being constructive rather than just critical and I see you took it that way. Removing date range was a smart move.

 

For those who think I'm applying - I am not. Quite happy where I am.

 

I posted this to HB forum and not as a direct message since I wanted this to be a community discussion vs a private one between HB and myself.

 

Cheers and happy flying.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[arturojgt]

To be more specific, failing to perceive reality as it is, without self imputed fantasy, is the root cause of all suffering. And the orange dress code is not at all mandatory, can be a lot more rock n roll outwardly, a lot! :lol:

 

 

 

Hahaha.

 

 

In the toilet and using Tapatalk pro to kill the time.