When gamers bail

Community Managers often deal with a variety of "I'm leaving the game" comments, but there are two kinds I see the most:

The first type is the most common one, the ones that are said out of frustration and/or anger. Generally they are triggered by a patch note or some sort of game announcement that they don't particularly like. Sometimes they change their mind and stay, but not always. Sometimes they end up liking the change and others just decide it wasn't so bad after all. There are even situations where a change seems bad in theory yet somehow works well in practice. We also have situations where the devs may go back and rework it further. After all, not everything is done right the first time around, right?

These comments can sometimes be viewed as threats - or tactics to force us to re-think our actions - but I don't like to make those assumptions. If someone says they are leaving the game I'm going to take their word for it. In no situation will I try to convince someone to do something they don't want to do. Sorry, I do love my players, and I do hope people want to stay with the game, but if someone has decided it is the best thing for them then who am I to come along and tell them otherwise? It certainly isn't because I enjoy seeing them go. I especially dislike it in situations where someone is upset. I don't like it when people make decisions when they are not feeling like themselves at the time. But I will always tell them that I wish them the best and that I do hope they decide to come back, if they feel up to it. And I do mean that.

I understand how frustrating it can be to know a change is coming and you feel powerless to it. When a group of people decide to change a game they do run the risk of changing the fun factor for at least someone out there. Obviously the goal is to IMPROVE the fun factor, but fun means different things to us all. In some situations the fun may still even be there, it's just a different type of fun. But I've played enough games in my day to know exactly what it feels to love a game that is no longer what it used to be. There have been games I've left, characters I've abandoned. Yes, those situations do happen. But that's okay too...to each their own. I'm one of those "there is something out there for everyone" believers.

Now to the second reason someone would say they are leaving a game. Again, it is just one of the many reasons, but it is a common reason.

Sometimes we gotta leave a game because life is giving us a swift kick in the you-know-what. Sometimes we just need to get our priorities straight, we no longer have the time, etc. When someone is in a situation where they have the SAME exact routine for a long period of time SOMETHING usually is going to have to change. I totally get it, and again, sometimes people are surprised when I express how supportive I am. I hope they aren't surprised or disappointed by my reaction. I am NOT happy to see them go, but I am happy that they are doing what they think is the best thing for them. And I always want to let them know that they are welcome to come back whenever they feel it is time, if it is ever the right time.

Real life always needs to have priority over everything else. It's the truth. We are human beings first, gamers second. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.