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Hello Conal Pierse. i hope this will address your views on the subject of Off-Topic and how Off-Topic forum truly means to the Community as whole.
Why Off-Topic means to us:
Off-Topic is home where all players and visiting members, new Bioware fans come together to discuss video games and discuss other topics. (they actually do discuss video games outside of said game forums)
it is also where the friendship, family are formed here. we laugh, cry, talk like a family here. they are part of our everyday life.
we talk very actively here in Off-Topic because it's most active forum out of all Bioware forums. you should know that from the numbers in Off-Topic and how it compares to every other gaming forums out here. here's fact you don't even know: Off-Topic Forum is most number One forum and an favorite in the world with over thousand users from all corners of world discussing here.
Why how Off-Topic does:
Off-Topic actually does help bring in over million users per year even those who Purchase Bioware products. and helps promote Bioware Products simply by discussing about them here in Off-Topic. it also does help grow the userbase for Bioware.
Closing the Off-Topic means:
closing it can actually kill off your userbase quickly over few days. you have over 600% of Userbase. since the closing, it has dropped down to 85% of userbase now. (i'd know from the number of users who left the forums for good over this)
it also can kill your chances to have Bioware product being played by players who never heard of Bioware or its games. even by former Bioware players. when you release a product, it will never get sold faster than any companies could without the userbase buying and supporting the said brand.
Why Off-Topic needs:
Off-Topic Forum actually needs active Volunteer Moderators who can close Threads and give warnings and speak with Official Moderators to discuss on a user's Violations and his/her behavior. it will help keep the forum completely fun and free of trolls for users. it will also improve the relations between the Bioware Developers and the Community. despite what you may think of Community being toxic in the Off-Topic, it is actually other way completely. only just in your game forums, not the Off-Topic.
The Conclusion:
in nutshell, Off-Topic is great place for users to discuss and have fun, making pranks on each other for laughs. even Bioware Developers and Official Moderators can join in on the fun here!
you should try it out, i know you're the Community Manager. but you also should know the perks of being Community Manager.
1. you actually get to boss Developers around for fun and laughs
2. ask the Community what they want to see the changes made to the Forums.
3. you actually can make poll votes on what features should be added first.
4. ask the developers if they could spare something like a teaser for the community.
many more as well.
My Experiences:
i was the Community Manager for five years on a game fan forums.
even active as a Poster for ten years to present day.
i spent seven years on old Batman fan forum that doesn't exist anymore as Moderator.
three years as Chat Moderator for a game forum.
believe me, Off-Topic is fun place to go to and have good time here.
as you can see, not only did you make the decision to close the Bioware's only forum that has bulkhead of users who uses EA/Bioware products.
granted, you also have forgotten very valuable lesson. i don't think any of you guys at EA still remembers, but it was you guys who made memorable games such as Need for Speed Underground 2. the lesson learned from that was: "players are important to companies, not for status or power. we want to be known as the company that makes best games for players to love and play." you used to have your own games you made long before you became the publisher. i hope here is many of you over here that still remember.
i remember EA Games before the current EA. i just don't think it would look good on your already stained record as worst company by closing the off-topic.
if you want to be back in good standing with the community and players, you need to go back to your roots, start again and look at the decisions that the company has made in years from player's view. think "now that i think about it, it was bad decision we did make as the company, how do we fix it?" you can't fix it. only time will tell. but, you can start with reversing some of decisions such as closing the lobby.
this message is also intended for BioWare bosses too.
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