i was never interested in “how big” a game is, as long as there are people to play with. however, i’m a bit surprised at this difference btween dt and hd2. 30-35x is massive, one can only wonder what factors made hd2 attract so many more players than the popular 40k.
I wouldn’t be particularly concerned if Darktide’s player count consistently stayed around 10,000 to 15,000, but these numbers are getting close to a level where matchmaking could start to suffer.
Around a year ago, when the player population was about the same as it is now, we only had Standard and Auric missions, and even then, I frequently matched with familiar faces in high-difficulty games. Now, with Mortis and Havoc also in the mix, the player base is even more spread out. I really hope the situation doesn’t get any worse.
These numbers don’t account for WinPC, Xbox or PS5. Player counts are better than they were a year ago or two years ago because of that.
He’s a local lunatic glazer with low standarts.
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2 years of reskin mtx’s.
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1,5 new enemy.
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No new faction
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No side systems, like prestige levels, factions reputation quests, stuff to grind
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No new biomes
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Many weapon families still have 1 mark
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Recolored enemies
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Balance is in the worst state it has ever been.
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Dude that invented tides combat left FS
The situation with DT is just pathetic rly. There was only one meaningfull update - skill tree, wich FS can’t balance still. Oooh there was Orthus, oh well who cares.
Meanwhile DRG drops seasons. HD2 droped new faction, weapon customization. SM2 is cooking horde mode and provided modding tools to the community. GGG being GGG and drops insane ammount of content with every league for PoE2.
FS not being AAA has all those AAA studios problems, like Ubi or Bungie. This is mindboggling, how they don’t understand (or want) to support DT, when deccisions about what action FPS is needed are obvious. Half a year to nerf dueling sword is their performance.
They keep unleashing new community manager like what, every 6 months? Poor guys burnt out trying to handle negativity caused by FS (management) incompetence.
I don’t even know is it a comedy or a tragedy.
Do you want to know the ultimate copium?
They are using 99% of their time to port DT from Stingray to UE5 (same sh-t as with oblivion so it uses stingray logic but on UE5 engine)
I would not bet that you could be wrong…because I think that it may be something like that.
There is practically a 0% chance of this happening
You mean they are developing V3 or Sigmartide on UE5. DT is just a milking cow now.
Darktide has always and very consistently had player retention issues, pinning it on balance is a stretch to say the least.
Player retention issues that have been this consistent over 2.5 years are more likely to be a mix of people disliking doing the same maps over and over and over that all look the same plus slow content updates.
first one could be fixed with map generation or dynamic design plus a change of locale which I doubt FS is interested in, second seems vanishingly unlikely to change.
Retention is pretty great for a repetitive experience.
But what we ask is:
- player agency: cosmetics, weapon customization
- balance: problem for Fatshark is that this word means something different for every player
- content: on this, they have just delayed content.
About content, there are still boltgun variants we could get, or the 3rd revolver variant…
In fact, lot of things were just delayed.
The main problems are:
- Fatshark try to always put retention mechanics (craft locks, rank demotion etc.)
- Fatshark always try to ignore the players feedback (examples: DS problem, craft locks etc)
- Fatshark delivers so few new content… when Helldivers delivers 12 weapons, they are working hard to deliver 3.
Balance adjustments are especially important for maintaining the motivation of high-level players.
Compared to DS, Smite, and the current Auric, some classes have been excessively adjusted, which has further reduced the overall difficulty. I know several players who find the game less enjoyable because of this, and I’m one of them. I’ve stopped playing entirely lately.
Of course, balance isn’t everything.
There’s nothing wrong with replaying the same maps either.
The real problem is the lack of new weapons, enemies (including bosses), or new features.
Bosses like Karnac, the Captain, and the Moebian 21st are oddly restricted to events or Havoc mode only.
For the past few years, regular missions have barely changed, so it’s only natural that players are getting bored.
I’m out here wondering that isn’t it time for Fatshark to release a big paid-for expansion that would include:
- New class/classes.
- New weapons.
- A full-fledged campaign (Vermintide 2 style).
- New enemy faction.
- Mourningstar overhaul/redesign with stuff to do like minigames and a bar (DRG).
Maybe it’s just me, and to be honest, I’m not really playing Darktide anymore (Dune Sune!), but playing Gloriana for the uptenth time with new weapons or a class is still the same as playing Gloriana for the uptenth time with no changes to how the game plays.
I’d really like for Fatshark to carry over more features from Vermintide 2, like how spawns work, the more RPG feel of the game, map design, and slow down the combat, but I recognize that I may be alone in that opinion.
Will there be a post in the forum to show what’s coming? I’m working so can’t follow skulls updates
Someone here can probably DM you the information.
I will do it if no one else does it first.
Oh my god. That would be hilarious, that the slow development pace is due to, secretly, a third Fatshark Port devcycle.
Oh my god. Don’t do that to me.
There is very little explanation remaining, to believable explain, why the f-ck is everything so goddamn slow with DT content and balancing patches.
The one class per quarter promise was one thing.
But waiting for 2 years now to push the x=y knobs on dueling sword away from oneshotting crushers → and push those knobs on thunderhammer to do it.
Is just riddiculous
Or V2 getting more content that DT.
I dont mind good games having more stuff to them, but they have abandoned DT so far
I do not think so.
Development is slow. True.
They mostly delayed content. True also.
They spent 2 years on adapting the game to xbox and ps5. True also.
I doubt that they develop a new engine based on UE5. However, I would not be surprised if they change the engine for next game, either by continuing to improve the Foundation Engine, or by adopting, by example UE5. However, switching to a new engine would have consequences for the gameplay. But this has no real impact on Darktide.
Last 2 years were spent on Xbox (2023) and PS5 (2024). Now, they may have time… I really hope that they have the time now to deliver real new content.
When you look at VT2, best content has come lately. Maybe we are at this moment…
But to be honest… I have been so disappointed by the lack of balance, by Havoc, by the lack of new content… that I have lost hope.
I am actually playing Helldivers 2 mainly. Super Earth is under attack. Liberty needs me. I need to spread the democracy.
(I play also Darktide, but not more than 1 or 2 missions per day, and sometimes I don’t play it at all)
I am still hesitant about Dune… when I see trailer, I see impressive buildings. You want to walk in these buildings… you want to be part of this.
But you see that it is buildings that involve clearly a guild behind them. This means lot of time…
I don’t plan to spend more time on my computer. Darktide was already a problem with 30 minutes non stop missions.
So, this afraid me. I have played time consuming MMORPG games. Neocron, I was one of the 3 leaders of a guild and I have spend lot of time in guild conflicts on this game. Same in Face of Mankind were I played several years one member of the Directors Board of a company. But, I was young.
And I don’t have time to invest like that in the games. So, I am not still sure if I take it… because I am not sure it will allow us to play really alone.
Vermintide 2 also has the same player retention issues…
would there be any reason to port a 2.5 years old game to a newer engine? at this point, it would be easier to develop a darktide2 on ue5 from scratch.
No, this is the funniest mopium of all, alongside the idea that VT2 has gotten more attention and content than DT since launch. Where are the new weapons in VT2?