Huh, MWO doing bad? Been a while since i last followed any MWO news once again.
Meander thoughts and complaining about the game, along with hopes if there were clean slate successor:
Age-wise, expected. The game's old by multiplayer game standards. The game's at a point where it needs full refresh: New engine, new graphics, etc. Evaluate what was good (eg core gameplay), what didn't work, build a sequel with lessons learned. (Provided there's funds to do that, if not, oh well.)
For my part, i gave up on the game last spring. The new Solaris map looked terrible and ran like shit (hell, the game as whole is very uneven), and it wasn't any fun anymore.
But even before i had started to give up on the game. The balance was utter nonsense constantly. Power creep. Very few truly good build styles. Most of all, unfulfilled promises and ideas (i am a Founder, if low tier).
Honestly, most updates and additions to the game have been terrible for a long time IMO. The new and updated maps were too big for a game that is kinda slow for most part and doesn't really have objectives that would make whole map useful. Changing time of day wasn't fun either. Kinda neat to be sure, but not really something that works in an online game, time of day and weather should be part of an arena map's (like MWO's are) design, as they were originally.
New modes were bad, poorly thought out. It ultimately boiled down to death match no matter what, and frankly that's what MWO did best! Objectives weren't never its thing, not in my experience. They did work as something to direct players at certain parts of map, but i'd say that can be done in other ways while keeping the game about being a death match, map control and scouting could be a thing with control points for artillery beacons or the like.
As for faction warfare, they should've integrated quick play to it really. Say, a player pledges allegiance to a faction, and the matchmaking tries to search for others of that faction and/or mercs. Match results affect the universe map, and if there was no factions in the quickmatch (eg majority of players in either team didn't belong to one faction plus what counts as allies like mercs), then player stats are counted and contribute something to greater progress.
No comment on more direct faction warfare as the game has, dunno if it worked or not.
And there has been no real additions for the game for a long while. OK, the Solaris mode, but it was "more of the same with different twist". It would've needed refocusing, or something interesting that truly works with the base gameplay. What, i don't know, but i know it isn't "more objective-oriented modes" or "more of same with twist" or "more stuff" (like 'Mechs or weapons). Maybe AI armies or something? Actual "Information Warfare"?
But I find it ironic that MWO is simultaneously "They are just greedy developers" and "MWO isn't making enough money to keep it going."
Don't think it is really ironic, figure the latter follows the appearance of the former, whatever the reality.
The way the game's monetized makes it appear greedy ("more 'Mechs"), and the way the game's monetized plus the way it appears makes players not really invest into it, not after they've already got a lot of existing stuff.
Of course the devs need to make money to keep the game floating if not thriving, but how it appears to be done matters a lot, especially given that he game's monetization model is kind of old. There have been loot boxes and seasonal battle passes and "just pay for customization" kind of stuff after MWO was made, no doubt this feeds into people not being willing to pay for MWO anymore.
There's also that the game's rather niche, it has poor mass market appeal, especially considering what kind of modern competitors there are.
Some thoughts on hypothetical modern successor:
I'm inclined to think a modern successor should be playable without having to delve into customizing stuff or having to think too much about what 'Mech is good for what. Casual appeal, but without removing stuff that allows advanced players adapt things for their liking. Tricky, to be sure, finding the right balance. Certain amount of depth is necessary, i'm not sure a "shallow ocean" would hold players attention too long in multiplayer format (works in single player, consider Skyrim as an example of "shallow ocean").
Like, a player picks Centurion AL. OK, no matter, it has single heat sinks and whatever else, but they can use it. Once they've played enough, maybe they'll delve into customizing loadouts and whatever else. This would need radical rethinking of how the game's balanced to be sure. Or maybe the game should be "class-based" akin to a MOBA, with no customization, each 'Mech being a "class". Would be more radical departure, but if it might make for a better and more interesting game, why not try it?
I'm thinking a modern successor should probably be F2P (essentially demo) with B2P option ("full game"), with most sales being cosmetics or other ancillary stuff, probably seasonal model too. No monthly (or bimonthly or whatever) 'Mech packs, no gameplay impacting stuff for sale.
Probably less ambitious too (no faction warfare), focus on core gameplay.
TL;DR
Various thoughts i've probably not thought through. Game's old, needs reinventing at this point to revitalize it probably, ie a sequel, relaunch. No real idea how that could be done.
