Loyalty Programs — Why Now?
by Burbie52, HSM team writer
Loyalty.
What does that word mean to you? The dictionary might define loyalty as unreservedly standing by someone or something in our lives — and that would be an accurate description — but what does it mean to you? Many of us have been loyal fans of Home for many years now; we have stuck by it through hacks and a variety of ills visited upon it and us by other users. Through the derision from other “gamers” and our friends or family in real life. We have remained loyal throughout all of this, and lately it seems that both Sony and some of the developers have decided it is their turn to show us their loyalty.
For a long time HomeStation Magazine has written about the benefits of a loyalty program in Home. Many different authors have given this idea a go ’round, and most people agree that it would be a great new idea for the denizens of Home in many ways. This may be particularly true now, when the uncertainties of Home’s future has all of us hanging onto the edge of our seats like we are about to fall off a cliff. This lack of confidence has many people running to other pursuits away from Home and its precariousness.
Loyalty Reward From Sony
Though x7 was an attempt at a loyalty program, it failed in many respects as far as the regulars in Home were concerned. Its garish music and blaring advertisement for the program was an instant turn off for me and many others I know. I only go there to look at the store for previews. Perhaps, on a balance sheet, it was successful; yet its impact upon the culture of Home is, in my view, hardly positive.
Lockwood has initiated a new program — LKWD Life — based on the loyalty of its customers; this is a great idea that is long overdue, but is it going to be enough? In the past couple of months we have seen a growing trend in Home, Sony has implemented their daily questing for rewards, they have now added trophies to entice trophy-stalking gamers in, and now Lockwood is giving rewards for loyalty to its products.
But is it all a day late and a dollar short?
I think they are on the right track here, but these are things that should have been done a long time ago, before the fate of Home was playing a balancing act on a high-wire. Though I must say it makes me wonder about why they have picked this particular time to do this. Perhaps it’s as simple as the ideas taking a long time to develop and deploy — certainly a logical conclusion, given the scope of LKWD Life — but it amazes me that the core client evidently wasn’t in a place, years ago, to handle something like this.
Is Sony trying to get people interested in Home again so they can prepare to port it over to PS4? They probably can’t put the Home we know onto their newer foundation there; its base is simply too antiquated in computer terms. It would be like trying to put a Word 2000 program on a 2014 computer. It just won’t work. But there are potential solutions for this — such as streaming Home via PlayStation Now — if Sony feels Home is sufficiently lucrative enough financially.
This is a possible solution, though it would mean that the Home we know would remain static and never change much from its current state of being. There would be no updated graphics or any new core changes, and it’s highly unlikely that new content submissions would still be accepted. The PS4 is simply too new to become a new place for Home to reside; and despite claims of a few users holding off on buying a PS4 specifically because of the lack of Home, even they must realize they are in the statistical minority.
Lockwood Life final reward
But all this brings me to the real question here. It seems that Sony and several developers are trying to pique interest in Home once again with these new abilities, such as the two- and eight-avatar interactions, and innovative spaces with a lot of interactivity like Lockwood’s new Polar Rush Tundra space, but why at this late date? Is this because the developers have more tools at their disposal with the new updates, or are they saving the best for last? It really has me wondering. Perhaps we’re simply enjoying the fruits of the last year of labor by the recently-formed HPG Features Team.
Whatever the reasons for this new and long overdue concept, along with the avalanche of very welcome features, I think it is probably too little, too late. Many people I know are spending less and less time in Home — following pursuits elsewhere. Myself included. I still enjoy my time in Home with friends — for me, that is what Home is all about — but many of my friends are no longer coming in, and Home has begun to have an empty feel for me.
Funny thing is, though many developers have left or are going to leave in the future, it is really up to us whether Home continues long after they are gone. Home isn’t about stuff – it’s about relationships. And that is where our real loyalty should lie. We may be past Home’s golden age, but it’s important to enjoy what’s still here for us. So have fun with your friends and enjoy the winter of Home’s sunset.
June 21st, 2014 by Burbie52 | 1 comment
Burbie52 is a 62 year-old published author and founder of the Grey Gamers group within Home. Born and raised in Michigan, she has lived there her entire life, with the exception of a twelve-year residency on the Big Island of Hawaii. She enjoys reading and writing, as well as video games, especially RPG's. She has one son in his twenties.
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Cynically most loyality program’s use existing released stuff, so it’s a way of getting more money out of less work. Plus you can add it to any of your new stuff so it sells just to get more loyality points regardless whether the new stuff is good or not. Some of it seems to be we are drip fed new functions etc again perhaps to keep a level of interest over a longer time rather than release the best functions first and have nothing to release next week. Your right about the relationships on home but most of mine are transferring to other places. I meet more home users I know on GTA 5, than I do on home now.