Listen, we all know that microsoft pulled their funding and support out of GENESIS so that they wouldn't reveal their secret kabal illuminati control of EGC. It's so obvious that the team behind EGC is actually just two Bill Gates sitting on each other's shoulders and wearing a trenchcoat plotting the demise of AoE2 because he got smushed on Arena onceNow this is a wild thread to stumble across at 8am.
I didn't get a chance to read Robo's comment before it was deleted so can't comment on anything apart from what was quoted. Either way he's the only one that's correct in describing what EGC is:
Some of the conspiracy theories here are just incredible. And what makes it particularly hard to understand is that I'm happy to answer legit any question about EGC, our plans, our structure and our funding. So why not just like, I dunno....ask?
The 'EGC is part of Microsoft' is just such a low quality conspiracy theory too. Like it genuinely boggles my mind that with all the information out there and publicised (especially regarding GENESIS) that anyone could possibly believe that.
But most of all I don't get how it's possible that literally one person here seems to get the concept of a startup. The idea of attempting to make a short-term loss with the aspiration of long-term gains. Now people are obviously entitled to think that EGC is a poor investment, but I mean it's pretty transparent that that's what it is. And that's generally supposed to be a great thing within a gaming community. Top level competition is pretty capped when no one believes there's a commercial opportunity, and has a very high ceiling when they do (think RedBull).
Anyway if you're a fan of AOE4 it doesn't really matter whether you think it's a good idea or not. Just enjoy the events and the fact someone is willing to take a gamble on funding events before knowing how succesful the game will be. It's easy to put your money where your mouth is when you know 50,000 people will watch live, it's hard when you don't have a clue.
And if you're only around for AOE2 and want nothing to do with AOE4, that's obviously fine. But it's frustrating to see some of the attitudes and way that this is expressed. I've taken every effort to not cannibalise AOE2 viewership even when hurting my own numbers (ask Memb if you like). So to read some of the attitudes to our events it's really disappointing.
Oh and:
Why preface a direct criticism of the hosts with "I don't want to criticise the hosts"? You quite verifiably did want to. And I mean, that's completely fine. Forums exist in part to express criticism of things you don't like. So just own it man, no need to pretend a direct criticism isn't just that.
Pesti