shy gull
Simple Summary
Game development is never easy or straightforward. Plans change constantly, and things often take longer than expected. Most people understand that delays and adjustments happen, but when changes come as a surprise or aren’t communicated properly, it leaves a bad impression. When this happens repeatedly, frustration builds, leading players to leave and sell.
Sentiment around Illuvium is at an all-time low. While broader market trends and setbacks in web3 gaming have played a role, much of the frustration could have been alleviated with better communication throughout the development.
As the saying goes, what’s everyone’s job is no one’s job.
Abstract
To rebuild trust, enhance transparency, and keep the community informed, this proposal seeks to assign a dedicated team member per game to handle communications.
(1) Monthly Announcements: The dedicated team members would provide a monthly update on their game's development progress.
(2) Community Engagement: With support from the Community Sub-Council, they would address questions and concerns about their game as needed.
Overview
Ideally, the dedicated team member would be the game's producer, as they always have the most up-to-date information, but Labs can decide who takes on the role for each of their games (Arena, Overworld, Illuvium-Zero, and Beyond).
(1) Monthly Announcements: Each dedicated team member would provide a monthly update on their game’s development progress. The format of this update is flexible, it could be an announcement, a pinned post in the respective channel or a blog post.
Each game’s monthly announcement would cover what has been completed in the past month, ongoing work with updates to general timelines, upcoming developments, and any other information they consider relevant to the community.
(2) Community Engagement: The dedicated team member for each game would be responsible for communicating updates, changes in plans, and delays as needed.
The Community Sub-Council, whose role is to bridge the gap between the community and the team, would monitor all game channels and assess community needs. They would notify the assigned team member whenever an update or specific communication is necessary.
Rationale
Clear and consistent communication is essential for maintaining a strong, engaged community. When players feel informed, they are more likely to stay invested in the ecosystem, even when delays or changes occur. On the other hand, poor communication creates uncertainty, frustration, and ultimately, a loss of trust which leads to lower engagement, weaker retention, and increased sell pressure.
By assigning a dedicated team member per game to handle communications, this proposal ensures that updates are delivered consistently, concerns are addressed promptly, and expectations are managed more effectively. This structure allows the team to maintain control over messaging while fostering a healthier relationship with the community.
This proposal is the first step to rebuilding trust and improving sentiment around each of Illuvium’s games.
