ResetEra Ownership Update

[Perzeval]

MOBA just shot themselves in the foot.

I don't know how much the rest of you know about ERA culture (I'm an expert), but honor and shame are huge parts of it. It's not like it is in America where you can become successful by being an asshole. If you screw someone over ERA, you bring shame to yourself, and the only way to get rid of that shame is repentance.

What this means is the members, after hearing about this, are not going to want to disable adblock, nor will they purchase ERA clear. This is HUGE. You can laugh all you want, but MOBA has alienated an entire market with this move.

MOBA, publicly apologize and cancel the acquisition or you can kiss your business goodbye.

 

[dark_prinny]

So, after looking around at some of the other sites in the moba network I think there's probably a few changes to the user experience that we can maybe look forward to:

• Affiliate links on the bottom of every page

This seems the most obvious considering they're on all of the network sites footers and the company themselves stated their desire to "grow traffic flows" and "extract synergies" between sites. Bjorn also spent much of his career in the SEO field so I'm sure setting up backlinks will be an early priority.

Given the problematic nature of many of these sites this creates a number of issues and a conflict with many of the communities ideals. It would be strange to impose a news or discussion boycott on Hogwarts Legacy for example while every page contains a link to MMO-Champion which considers any discussion of trans identity as a "forbidden topic". Similarly many of these sister sites are dedicated fan forums for Activision Blizzard properties.

• More obtrusive and aggressive advertising

All of these sites are loaded with ads and many of which are the more intrusive kind such as auto playing videos. I'm not sure how reliable the blocked elements counter on adblock is but it shows 20-30 elements blocked on the homepage for Era compared to 80-110 on all of hearthpwn, mmo-champion and mtg salvation.

Even using adblock doesn't entirely fix the problem as the advert space which has to be manually clicked to remove on each page load will just hold the empty unremovable bar obstructing the page view if blocked.

• Era Clear being pushed harder

More disruptive ads gives a great inventive for removal and these sites seem big on their premium options, also including cosmetic badges so everyone can see who the premium users are on the forum!

• Easier registration

All of these sites are designed to be easy to sign up to and quick to make your first post offering registration using social accounts. Something very incompatible with the current Resetera model of private e-mail registration only. It's a difficult sell to believe this would continue at a time when traffic is falling and those leaving seem to outnumber those joining.

More members means more posts for ads to exist on and more potential subscriptions being sold. They are a business after all.

Click to shrink...

$160 💀

 

[Deleted member 8674]

If I bagged 4.5 million I would never post on the internet again.

Click to shrink...

Someone should keep an eye on private islands sales news.

 

[Disclaimer]

Where is he? It has been 55 hours now.

Click to shrink...

Why would he come back to this thread, or this forum he never participated on?

What satisfactory explanation for his cash-out and selling of us to an alt right profit chasing entity could he possibly conjure that would assuage people?

Of course he isn't coming back to explain, because the only explanation is "fuck you got mine," and his modus operandi was keeping his head down and quietly locking any thread about Era's ownership before it had more than a few posts. lol

 

[ArrogantBastard]

y'all would've done it too don't front

Click to shrink...

Actually, no I don't think I would have especially considering the site was making 700k a year.

 

[Deleted member 5865]

So, after looking around at some of the other sites in the moba network I think there's probably a few changes to the user experience that we can maybe look forward to:

• Affiliate links on the bottom of every page

This seems the most obvious considering they're on all of the network sites footers and the company themselves stated their desire to "grow traffic flows" and "extract synergies" between sites. Bjorn also spent much of his career in the SEO field so I'm sure setting up backlinks will be an early priority.

Given the problematic nature of many of these sites this creates a number of issues and a conflict with many of the communities ideals. It would be strange to impose a news or discussion boycott on Hogwarts Legacy for example while every page contains a link to MMO-Champion which considers any discussion of trans identity as a "forbidden topic". Similarly many of these sister sites are dedicated fan forums for Activision Blizzard properties.

• Easier registration

All of these sites are designed to be easy to sign up to and quick to make your first post offering registration using social accounts. Something very incompatible with the current Resetera model of private e-mail registration only. It's a difficult sell to believe this would continue at a time when traffic is falling and those leaving seem to outnumber those joining.

More members means more posts for ads to exist on and more potential subscriptions being sold. They are a business after all.

Click to shrink...

You get rid of the email requirement, cause a big influx of new users, many of whom will be bad actors (and can easily sign up a new account when banned), and you'll overwhelm the mod team, who will start quitting due to burn out. Then you replace them with your people, and now Era looks like some of those other hell sites that were linked in this thread.

Click to shrink...

These next few months will be nothing if not interesting lol

 

[Randomly Generated]

$160 💀

Click to shrink...

Shit, they're 100% going to make the experience unbearable unless you subscribe.

 

[Kyuuji]

Dying at paying money to a site and ending up with an "uncommon" tag lol.

 

[dark_prinny]

Dying at paying money to a site and ending up with an "uncommon" tag lol.

Click to shrink...

You can always pay 160 and get a legendary one. You guys are always complaining.

 

[Kyuuji]

You can always pay 160 and get a legendary one. You guys are always complaining.

Click to shrink...

Lmao. At least it's not one where you pay and then get a loot-box roll for what tag you get lol.

 

[Speevy]

You can subscribe to block racism.

 

[srtrestre]

I have adapted Cerium's farewell to the staff and community into an animated short for your viewing pleasure:

 

[Chariot]

This forum needs a renewed focus and influx of new members, but I don't see where they would come from.

Click to shrink...

Absolutely. What gives a discussion board like this value is the discussions and in extension the people who post here. Mods managed to drive away communities that were part of the community starting from the GAF days and were adding value to this forum.

A lot has been lost and the less there is the faster it collapses.

 

[Deleted member 3010]

So, after looking around at some of the other sites in the moba network I think there's probably a few changes to the user experience that we can maybe look forward to:

• Affiliate links on the bottom of every page

This seems the most obvious considering they're on all of the network sites footers and the company themselves stated their desire to "grow traffic flows" and "extract synergies" between sites. Bjorn also spent much of his career in the SEO field so I'm sure setting up backlinks will be an early priority.

Given the problematic nature of many of these sites this creates a number of issues and a conflict with many of the communities ideals. It would be strange to impose a news or discussion boycott on Hogwarts Legacy for example while every page contains a link to MMO-Champion which considers any discussion of trans identity as a "forbidden topic". Similarly many of these sister sites are dedicated fan forums for Activision Blizzard properties.

• More obtrusive and aggressive advertising

All of these sites are loaded with ads and many of which are the more intrusive kind such as auto playing videos. I'm not sure how reliable the blocked elements counter on adblock is but it shows 20-30 elements blocked on the homepage for Era compared to 80-110 on all of hearthpwn, mmo-champion and mtg salvation.

Even using adblock doesn't entirely fix the problem as the advert space which has to be manually clicked to remove on each page load will just hold the empty unremovable bar obstructing the page view if blocked.

• Era Clear being pushed harder

More disruptive ads gives a great inventive for removal and these sites seem big on their premium options, also including cosmetic badges so everyone can see who the premium users are on the forum!

• Easier registration

All of these sites are designed to be easy to sign up to and quick to make your first post offering registration using social accounts. Something very incompatible with the current Resetera model of private e-mail registration only. It's a difficult sell to believe this would continue at a time when traffic is falling and those leaving seem to outnumber those joining.

More members means more posts for ads to exist on and more potential subscriptions being sold. They are a business after all.

Click to shrink...

Welp, this place sure is headed to nice place. :lol.

Calling it, the moment these registrations are opening up to anyone. We might be getting loads of instantly closed threads of people telling this place and its people to fuck off and that's probably when the staff will begin to leave, and what's left of the membership will probably stop visiting too.

I mean, just these affiliated links at the bottom of the page would give such a hypocritical vibe lmao.

 

[RailWays]

Dying at paying money to a site and ending up with an "uncommon" tag lol.

Click to shrink...

I guess paying $160 for an ad-free forum experience would constitute one being called "legendary"

Spoiler

A legendary sucker

 

[Deleted member 8674]

y'all would've done it too don't front

Click to shrink...

I would but I would be more honest with the community about it and be honest to myself so I can sleep peacefully at night.

 

[dark_prinny]

I'd pay $200 for a "handsome human" tag.

 

[Furisu]

Cosmetic badges... for which you can pay up to 160 dollars?

At least you become a prominent Legendary member!

 

[Ravenwraith]

I would but I would be more honest with the community about it and be honest to myself so I can sleep peacefully at night.

Click to shrink...

Nah you wouldn't have even heard from me. I'm surprised he posted that much

 

[dalq]

I suggest you guys check out mmochampion foruns to see how much of a cesspit this place will become lmao

 

[Deleted member 9207]

You can always pay 160 and get a legendary one. You guys are always complaining.

Click to shrink...

But does it include an animated avatar?

 

[dark_prinny]

But does it include an animated avatar?

Click to shrink...

You'll get a loltyler1 pic with a Dorito background and you'll love it.

 

[Speevy]

I suggest you guys check out mmochampion foruns to see how much of a cesspit this place will become lmao

Click to shrink...

I mean we get an account suicide periodically already telling us how much of a cesspit this place is.

I hardly see increased interest in the site making it drastically different unless they just stop moderating it.

 

[NotVeryFriendly]

I suggest you guys check out mmochampion foruns to see how much of a cesspit this place will become lmao

Click to shrink...

It was the clear best fit!

 

[FeD]

Why would he come back to this thread, or this forum he never participated on?

What satisfactory explanation for his cash-out and selling of us to an alt right profit chasing entity could he possibly conjure that would assuage people?

Of course he isn't coming back to explain, because the only explanation is "fuck you got mine," and his modus operandi was keeping his head down and quietly locking any thread about Era's ownership before it had more than a few posts. lol

Click to shrink...

I've looked into it over the past days. And honestly this. I've tried to ask the GM and some admins on if there was any effort from Cerium's side to keep the forum in the community's hands, but got no response on that. But then stating as the reason for the sale that the pressure of being the sole owner was too much is a bit weird to say the least.

Then having that sell-side broker in the mix, that already sold another website to MOBA Networks. And add to that, that there's still a million on the table that will get paid out at the end of the year. And it's not hard to see why the wording in the OP is the way it is. Need to keep the current team on to keep engagement at least stable or that last million is probably off the table.

Just diving into this, well diving, two google searches starting with "Resetera LLC" and it looks like Cerium always was well off. The irony of this entire thing is real.

 

[Dennis8K]

People actually paid money to post on Era?

Mans was already making $700,000 per year owning Era and you want to throw more money at him?

 

[I Am Captain America]

I don't want to comment further but I'm praying for a solution we are strong ✊

 

[dark_prinny]

People actually paid money to post on Era?

Click to shrink...

What if I told you I GET PAID to post? 😎

 

[Pokémon]

That's certainly a way to handle things, 'community resettler'.

Click to shrink...

Thank you :D

 

[Speevy]

People actually paid money to post on Era?

Mans is making $700,000 per year owning Era and you want to throw money at him?

Click to shrink...

You laugh but my 48 dollars a year allows one starving child to drink a cup of coffee.

 

[Deleted member 3010]

People actually paid money to post on Era?

Mans was already making $700,000 per year owning Era and you want to throw more money at him?

Click to shrink...

I believe the narrative was "To support the community you love." which today looks...pwahahahahaha!

I'm sorry for the poor souls who put money in here and I hope those who still do retract these subs ASAP.

 

[subpar spatula]

I don't want to comment further but I'm praying for a solution we are strong ✊

Click to shrink...

What solution? There is zero guarantee the site will remain as is other than some feeble, "if they change anything the community will leave". Cerium sold at the best point because admin and mods still hold hope and the base goes, "ummm wtf".

 

[qwerty999]

comparing ResetERA to Facebook and portraying health issues as "a bit of stress" is off-base here.

another way you can demonstrate you care about the business is realizing that you're in no shape to run it, so you sell it to an entity that can.

Click to shrink...

So I took your comment into consideration...

I have adapted Cerium's farewell to the staff and community into an animated short for your viewing pleasure:

Click to shrink...

But then I saw this...

I've looked into it over the past days. And honestly this. I've tried to ask the GM and some admins on if there was any effort from Cerium's side to keep the forum in the community's hands, but got no response on that. But then stating as the reason for the sale that the pressure of being the sole owner was too much is a bit weird to say the least.

Then having that sell-side broker in the mix, that already sold another website to MOBA Networks. And add to that, that there's still a million on the table that will get paid out at the end of the year. And it's not hard to see why the wording in the OP is the way it is. Need to keep the current team on to keep engagement at least stable or that last million is probably off the table.

Just diving into this, well diving, two google searches starting with "Resetera LLC" and it looks like Cerium always was well off. The irony of this entire thing is real.

Click to shrink...

And for some bizarre reason, can't help buy feel as if the forum sentiment is also this.

Cerium ain't no Zuckerberg.

Zuckerberg also does a better job of maintaining game communities. And he's been doing it since the age of 19.

Steve Jobs had health issues... And he still took it upon himself to run Apple.

 

[RailWays]

What if I told you I GET PAID to post? 😎

Click to shrink...

Hook me up with your astroturfing firm. Mine don't pay me enough

 

[entremet]

Which is why I think the school/work/ISP e-mail requirement to sign-up here is one of the first things that's going to go. I'd be shocked if that requirement remains in place 6 months from now.

Click to shrink...

The current mods said no.

Iv'e always like Quarter To Three more stringent requirements. I think they required an essay at one time lol.

 

[dark_prinny]

Hook me up with your astroturfing firm. Mine don't pay me enough

Click to shrink...

Speak to my manager. Officer Big Mac

 

[subpar spatula]

The current mods said no.

Iv'e always like Quarter To Three more stringent requirements. I think they required an essay at one time lol.

Click to shrink...

The current mods have zero say, though. That's the weird part. They got a handshake agreement when the corporation bought it for $4,500,000. And they wonder why people are skeptical and then they go, "Well! If that happens we leave!" and we go, "Wait what?!"

It's just hilarious.

 

[srtrestre]

The Legend of Cerium: The Adventure of Grift
God of Grift
Metal Grift Cerium
Ceriumon: Let's Grift!
NEO The Grifter Ends With 4.5M

 

[dark_prinny]

Why so Cerium, son?

 

[Dekim]

The current mods said no.

Iv'e always like Quarter To Three more stringent requirements. I think they required an essay at one time lol.

Click to shrink...

Any assurances the mods are getting now from new management means nothing. They have no leverage if the new owners wants to open up registration to maximize engagement and traffic. You don't spend $4.5 million on an investment--make no mistake that is what ResetERA is to MOBA--and not be proactive with it.

 

[vhoanox]

The current mods have zero say, though. That's the weird part. They got a handshake agreement when the corporation bought it for $4,500,000. And they wonder why people are skeptical and then they go, "Well! If that happens we leave!" and we go, "Wait what?!"

It's just hilarious.

Click to shrink...

Look at this 85 pages thread, what is even the "WE" anymore!

Let say people leave, to where? with who? who own the new forum? there is no trust anymore?

 

[subpar spatula]

Look at this 85 pages thread, what is even the "WE" anymore!

Let say people leave, to where? with who? who own the new forum? there is no trust anymore?

Click to shrink...

And if people put their brains to this logic they would level themselves to thinking the new corp would do something to fracture and realize the community wouldn't split.

What do you want us to say? That the absolute power on this forum is the volunteers? No. That's no reasonable.

 

[qwerty999]

Look at this 85 pages thread, what is even the "WE" anymore!

Let say people leave, to where? with who? who own the new forum? there is no trust anymore?

Click to shrink...

A lot of people have started migrating back to Neogaf... If only because Evilore was a lot more transparent in terms of how he dealt with others.

For starters... He didn't sell out his own people.

Looking at the Neogaf thread that talks about the Resetera sale... It seems as if Evilore has been doing his forum thing for "a while"... But Restera couldn't keep it together for even 4 years.

Ultimately... Neogaf has a successful track record.

 

[Einherjer]

I know it's been said bevore but it would be pretty funny if everyone leaves to another place bevore shit actually hits the fan here and MOBA get's an empty forum for their money.

 

[Disclaimer]

The current mods have zero say, though. That's the weird part. They got a handshake agreement when the corporation bought it for $4,500,000. And they wonder why people are skeptical and then they go, "Well! If that happens we leave!" and we go, "Wait what?!"

It's just hilarious.

Click to shrink...

It's obvious to anyone who's taken a passing look at the numbers that changes are going to come, and sooner than later.

Era was bought for 4.55m as a for-profit venture. Era's community, engagement, and profitability are stagnant at best -- downsliding at worst -- but even if they stayed the same as they are right now, it would take them, what, ~9 years to make back their investment, let alone profit, with Era's current earnings?

That's, uh, not something they're going to wait around for. That would not be a sensible investment strategy. Björn Mannerqvist, CEO of M.O.B.A. Network, is literally quoted as saying Era represents "great growth potential" and they have "significant opportunities to develop it."

What the staff says on this literally doesn't matter. The CEO is right there saying in the press release that changes are going to roll in to make this place profitable for them, and soon.

 

[PJV3]

A lot of people have started migrating back to Neogaf... If only because Evilore was a lot more transparent in terms of how he dealt with others.

For starters... He didn't sell out his own people.

Looking at the Neogaf thread that talks about the Resetera sale... It seems as if Evilore has been doing his forum thing for "a while"... But Restera couldn't keep it together for even 4 years.

Ultimately... Neogaf has a successful track record.

Click to shrink...

Some might and have, most seem to be going off to smaller communities to do their own thing.

 

[subpar spatula]

I know it's been said bevore but it would be pretty funny if everyone leaves to another place bevore shit actually hits the fan here and MOBA get's an empty forum for their money.

Click to shrink...

Like, some people have legitimate grievances. MOBA owns sites that are very bigoted. Why would they not want to associate with a company like that? Would people not leave if Blizzard bought Resetera?

 

[qwerty999]

It's obvious to anyone who's taken a passing look at the numbers that changes are going to come, and sooner than later.

Era was bought for 4.55m as a for-profit venture. Era's community, engagement, and profitability are stagnant at best -- downsliding at worst -- but even if they stayed the same as they are right now, it would take them, what, ~9 years to make back their investment, let alone profit, with Era's current earnings?

That's, uh, not something they're going to wait around for. That would not be a sensible investment strategy. Björn Mannerqvist, CEO of M.O.B.A. Network, is literally quoted as saying Era represents "great growth potential" and they have "significant opportunities to develop it."

What the staff says on this literally doesn't matter. The CEO is right there saying in the press release that changes are going to roll in to make this place profitable for them, and soon.

Click to shrink...

Exactly... and anyone who stands in the way is going to get squashed / ousted.

I mean... look at Myspace... the site sold out to Rupert Murdoch... and whether people liked it or not... there were changes.

 

[PJV3]

I know it's been said bevore but it would be pretty funny if everyone leaves to another place bevore shit actually hits the fan here and MOBA get's an empty forum for their money.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, if someone fancies a quickish couple of million then set up a site 50/50 with a charitable trust ownership and try and tempt people.

 

[Claude Augario]

I know if I paid 4.5m for a fucking forum I'd be making changes.

Someone should keep an eye on private islands sales news.

Click to shrink...

Looking in the wrong direction. Check the next Blue Origin flight.