Lexman61

Sure, let's all hope for the best, but the overall player count will never spike back to the early glory days of DayZ. For that, it's just too late I'm afraid (for all the reasons previously mentioned). Upward trends always happen after new updates are released only to inexorably start declining again after some time. The numbers on the Steam Chart unfortunately prove this. The future of DayZ on PC will be a small but dedicated and passionate community of players (for better or for worse). Bohemia's new wave of potential customers and likely profits from DayZ will necessarily have to come from the upcoming console versions. Better to be pleasantly surprised than gravely disappointed. Regards

I realize that expectations and hopes run very high among some players regarding .63 and eventually the final version of the game. But I realistically think that too much time has passed to regain a significant amount of former and new players to DayZ. The attention span and novelty effect for a game that's been out for more than 4 years is gone. There are no new masses of PC players to enthusiastically attract. The majority of gamers tend to move on no matter how successful a game they play is initially. Many have been disappointed over time for a number of reasons (justified or not), and are not willing or interested in giving it a second try. It's all very normal and predictable. Maybe DayZ in its final version will turn out to be an excellent game, but unfortunately I think it's too late to make a difference (number-wise speaking not qualitatively). So the end result will still be a game played by relatively few which I truly think is saddening considering the great appeal and potential this game had to attract and keep a much larger and active player base. Regards

All due respect for the passion, patience and faith most of the dedicated players still have for DayZ. A devotion which the official numbers of the Steam Charts unfortunately cannot express (I know, numbers can be cruel sometimes, you have my sympathies), but with an average player count of 2.134 for the last 30 days and a peak of 4.347, claiming that a bright new future lies ahead with droves of gamers just waiting to join seems just a little bit beyond wishful thinking. The downward trend is stable and continuous over time. There is no indication that proves the contrary. The PC player base has run dry and the great paradox is that the announced console version is really the only thing that might breathe some life back into the game (number-wise). Clearly a commercial move by Bohemia in trying to turn the tide. But, considering the undoubtedly more "casual" nature of console players (no offense meant), I fear that even an initial success on Xbox and Playstation will be short lived. DayZ will most likely end up being a niche game also on the console platform. DayZ, a great and innovative game concept which unfortunately will satisfy only a "handful" of dedicated followers. It's a pity. Regards

Many left not only due to never ending development times and the novelty wearing off but also because the changes made to the game play over the course of time and the subsequent results hereof. Loot distribution, weapon availability, half empty servers, too much time spent gathering supplies and too little action (just to name a few) We've had this discussion before. DayZ has become a niche survival game for niche group of very dedicated players (which is in line with what the developers always had in mind), at the cost of having a larger player base which would have been better in the long run. This is obviously fine for the die hard survivalists who still play today, but don't fool yourself into thinking that, when the game will be finally ready millions of former and new players will join the ranks of DayZ. http://steamcharts.com/app/221100 The official numbers aren't exactly promising and although sometimes miracles can happen I wouldn't count on it. But in any case, no offense to the passionate DayZ old-timers, a happy few I guess. Regards

Maybe that's the reason why so few people still play DayZ?! I wonder.....

Well, you know how forums work. Like a blank sheet of paper which just begs every hour of the day to be scribbled on. Let the people express themselves.

You must nevertheless admit the almost " religious fervor" some people seem to have for this game and this inevitably causes them to have a very dogmatic and often defensive attitude with fellow gamers with a more relaxed point of view. I call this the classical " flight simulator syndrome".

I see no implementation of the butterfly effect in-game.

Why not also include the " chaos theory " in the game and the well known " butterfly effect ". You might as well go all the way if you really want a truly meteorological experience!

You are absolutely right, after all it's just common sense. Unfortunately some people want to turn DayZ into the equivalent of a professional flight simulator and get totally carried away in requesting the most specific details and "realistic" features to be included in the game. As I have stated in earlier occasions, the quest for "realism" is a never ending loop which would ultimately make DayZ an un-perfect simulator and a very boring game (there can never be enough of realism, right?). It's a video game, not a software program for Navy Seal training.

I sympathize with your opinions but surely you must know that even the slightest reference to COD, PUBG or Battlefield on this forum is considered blasphemous and you are immediately branded as a plebeian heretic. You better publicly abjure your sinful and unacceptable opinions immediately and hope for forgiveness from the guardians of the holy DayZ survivalist temple.

Yes of course, the Garden of Eden is only for the few chosen ones. But, then again, even the "earthly" numbers from DayZ's Steam Charts sure don't look that heavenly! http://steamcharts.com/app/221100 Take care survivor.

Yes, It can only be a question of time before we reach the Garden of Eden with the DayZ development. On that exceptional day our journey through the desert will come to an end and millions of former players will return. Hallelujah!

Censorship is the child of fear and the father of ignorance. Laurie Halse Anderson Lèse-majesté?

Maybe you should try playing "Farming Simulator 17" (available on Steam). Might just be more suitable for your needs (no risk of getting killed by those pesky COD and PUBG inspired players). Regards

With all due respect for the "dedicated and passionate" DayZ survivalist players who care about this game, but there is no denying that the player count tells a sorry tale (official Steam chart). http://steamcharts.com/app/221100 With just a few thousands individuals regularly playing on a daily basis, DayZ has clearly become a niche game for a small tight knit community. This is what the "hard-core" people always wanted and this is what Bohemia is delivering (or at least trying to). It's all part of that "flight simulator" realism that many long for in a "true" survival game. The fact that this probably alienated many former and potentially new players, is totally irrelevant. So once again, by looking at the player count, you realize that this is a take-it-or-leave-it deal. Join the club and accept the rules or go play something else (no offense). Regards

The more time that passes the more this "issue" is becoming a question of "faith" in the developers rather than a somewhat prolonged timetable following a windy road. In any case, we all want to reach the promised land with Hicks and his disciples developers but time has sown some nagging doubts that are beginning to raise a question - not the final destination and development conclusion of the game - but whether it will have been worth it after all. Will DayZ eventually become that unmistakably exceptional, hard core survival, breathtaking game that so many have been waiting for or, will the end result be a giant anticlimax? Time will tell. Regards

Totally agree with you. BUT, if the console version is to (potentially), revamp interest for the DAyZ PC side they'll need more than just a handful of Xbox players. Why waste time, money and resources just to start another niche community? A large(er) player base is always better in the long run even for the die-hard survivalists. Regards

Don't know if this journey towards DayZ's final version will have a happy or sad/disappointing ending for PC players. Let's just hope that future console players will have a less time consuming and a less problematic path to fully enjoy DayZ. After all, a successful console release can potentially also benefit the PC side and create renewed interest in this game (something I think is badly needed). A worse case scenario with a few thousands players PC and a few thousands on console could hardly be considered a brilliant success after years of game development. To the developers; please bear in mind the more "casual nature" of console players (no offense meant). Most likely less patient and dedicated than your average DayZ PC player. Would advise against an excessive "survival simulator" console gameplay simply emulating what is intended for a niche PC "audience". Somehow skeptical that this would attract and keep console players in their millions. Regards

Hmm, taking a cynically realistic attitude to this BETA report I would say well, nothing new under the sun. "The game will be ready when it will be ready" is the basic message. "To make you swallow the bitter pill of frustration many of you have been taking for a while now on a regular basis, here are our great implementation plans for a brighter future!" The paradox is that this ongoing situation creates two seemingly contradictory states of mind for some players. One the one hand more tiresome frustration, on the other hand the so-much-long-awaited final development of DayZ becomes even more loaded with high expectations. Will DayZ eventually become that exceptional, extraordinary, super engaging survival game many are waiting for? Will it live up to years of hopes and patience? I'm not so sure I still want to give the developers the benefit of the doubt. Better to be pleasantly surprised than bitterly disappointed! In any case, common sense would dictate to wait in making a final judgement, but a very prudent perspective is nevertheless definitively needed. Regards

Personally, have no major issues with DayZ. In any case, there seems to be a number of players posting on this forum who clearly find their gaming experience unsatisfactory for a broad range of reasons (sometimes understandable other times less so). 4 years have passed by since the early access alpha release of this game. At this point in time the take-it-or-leave-it advice is just a question making a simple personal choice. Play if you enjoy, quit if you don't, whatever your motives might be (gameplay, development time, bugs, game mechanics, too much PvP, too much KOS, etc, etc.). DayZ does indeed offer the possibility for many different play styles. Obviously it cannot equally please the run-and-gun Rambo, the KOS psychopath and the survival fetishist but that should be rather self evident at this stage of the game. So, stay with DayZ if you feel that in spite of all the game still appeals to you, or leave for greener pastures. Regards

Although the criticism regarding what some players perceive to be an excessively long development time and/or game mechanic inadequacies cannot be completely dismissed, DayZ is today - from a gamer point of view - basically in a "take-it-or-leave-it" stage. The old timers, die-hard and passionately dedicated players who are still involved with DayZ will continue to play and patiently wait for the game to reach its much longed for "final delivery" stage. For the people who are tired, frustrated and disappointed (with varying degrees of justification for their dissatisfaction), you have all the reasons in the world to call it quits.Why would you continue to play a game you consider not fun, frustrating, unfinished and long time overdue in its development? You might think that 30$ have been wasted but let's be honest, you haven't purchased a defective gold Rolex which cannot be returned and refunded! So, if you belong to the group of the seriously unsatisfied, well simply move on and play something you feel is worthwhile your time. Maybe come back later, the door is always open in the DayZ world. Regards

When discussing the topic of "player base" I guess there are basically two ways of looking at it: 1. The raw overall numbers of online players of any game. 2. The "sustainable" or necessary number of players needed for a satisfactory online gaming experience. Personally I would prefer to discuss about what is a "sustainable player base" for DayZ rather than simply comparing numerical figures with other more popular FPS and/or survival games. I think it's fair to say that, presently the official Steam chart for DayZ's player count is low, whether it is sustainable or not in the long run is yet to bee seen. Don't really think that a huge amount of old players will come back or that a massive number of fresh recruits will suddenly populate the servers. Unless of course, the future console version of DayZ is a total success. and creates renewed interest for this game also on the PC. Regards

In spite of its great success at release, time has proven that DayZ was probably never meant to be a game for the masses. The developers made it clear from the start that this was going to be a hard core survival game and have slowly but surely followed the outlined path. This fact alone was inevitably going to appeal to a limited audience and make DayZ a niche game for a niche community of players. Obviously, other factors have taken their toll on the player count, but I believe the main reason was/is simply what stated above. I hold no contempt for those players who might have preferred and/or expected a more action oriented game (PUBG is the simple and obvious example although a completely different category), they just left when realizing DayZ was not living up to their (wrongful) expectations. The people who still stick around are the truly dedicated and passionate players, but to expect a massive influx of new and former players when 0.63 is released or when the game will finally be finished, is a somewhat naive belief bordering on wishful thinking. Paradoxically (especially for a game that was originally developed only for the PC), a successful release on Xbox and PS4 would create a snowball effect creating renewed interest also on the PC and thus potentially adding new players and a larger player base. If this will happen remains to be seen. Personally, I'm skeptical about console players flocking to DayZ when PUBG will also be available to them. The more "casual" gaming nature of console players is undeniable (no offence intended). So let us put our minds to rest and accept that DayZ will only be for a few of us. Regards

With all due respect, but some people clearly take an over intellectualized approach to DayZ. We are after all playing a video game, not a survival simulator for National Guard officers or CIA special OPS teams to realistically train in a post apocalypse civilian scenario. Nor should this game become a Ph.D dissertation in sociology or psychology for a few players who wish to recreate in their mind what is not, and never will be, a real life situation on a screen monitor. There is an underlying patronizing attitude in the idea that there is a right and wrong way to play DayZ. That players should be "forced" by the game itself to play in a certain way, or obliged to follow the unwritten dogmas that some players promote to be the only "true" manner in which to enjoy DayZ, is completely unacceptable! The kid coming from COD, the KOS only player or the asocial lone wolf sniper have the same right to play and enjoy the game in any way that they see fit on par with crop breeders, socially minded super interactive persons, ethical bandits and the "I-forgot-this-is-only-a-videogame types". The concept of trying to "weed out" some player types according to your own play style and behavioral preferences is just the opposite of what a videogame should be. I play DayZ for my personal enjoyment, not to please or conform to somebody else's play style, ethical, or philosophical "standards". If this is a problem for somebody too bad. DayZ is not and should not be like a game of chess with fixed and unchangeable rules to obey.