We're Ready for Descent 3

When you introduced Descent, there was a significant uptick in participation (approaching double).

When you introduced Endless Ledge, there was a standard reduction in participation.

When you introduced Descent Champions, there was an epic uptick in participation (quintuple).

When you introduced Emberwake, as a relaunch of racing for a new generation of racers, there was a significant uptick in participation (more than double). A marketing success.


No other new race types or mods have ever come close to D:C - to this day season 5 remains twice as popular as any other season. Props on a job well done!

Well, you introduced that race 10 seasons ago. We're ready for Descent 3. Time to hook a new generation of racers and reinvigorate the race scene. We've averaged 27,000 racers each season. Let's pump 50,000 more racers into the scene!



[Estimates include +10% participants to account for players participating but receiving 0 season points.]

Raw data:
21126
15910
25680
14594
75391
34854
29104
28810
25866
18838
14146
36790
17774
18290

The problem is we have a community that is going to parrot what they hear on a stream by and large, and most of the streamers or "elite" racers have always hated D:C.

I always liked it because it promoted skills beyond "run to this area in as stupid a fashion as possible, as long as its fast, and clear".

Unfortunately the nice balance has since been invalidated by a whole host of things, and the only solution seems to be just making the race shorter and shorter which defeats the purpose of the race being different or special.

So I'd love for a Descent vers 3, but it'll be tough to sell in this subforum.

Your data is inaccurate because you have to take into account which seasons clashed with new leagues advertised expansions.

S3 Clashed with the first challenge leagues.
S5 clashed with the A3x release.

The only thing that's obvious is the decreased amount of participation because of a monotone raceformat and garbage rewards.

I'd love a Descent 3, but I think what we're going to get instead is a significantly revamped/extended Descent and/or Champs, with act 4 zones and mobs. At least that's what Chris said. I think this makes it less probable that we'll get an all-new version of Descent, but who knows.

There's also the Ascendancy maze stuff which, beyond permanent leaderboards or whatever they said they were planning, could also lend itself to a new short race type. And we all know how much GGG likes throwing mazes at us in races! ;)

I updated the OP with another chart, showing overlaps of Challenge Leagues, Expansions, and Race seasons.

"

Fightgarr wrote:

I think what we're going to get instead is a significantly revamped/extended Descent and/or Champs, with act 4 zones and mobs. At least that's what Chris said. I think this makes it less probable that we'll get an all-new version of Descent, but who knows.

AFAIK this was never stated as fact, but simply as a possibility. Part of the point of this thread is to steer GGG away from wasting resources massively overhauling perfectly functional Descents. Put those resources into something new. Money much better spent.

Races are fun,

if anybody finds them boring or uninteresting, then he does not understand them well enough.

And understanding races is not easy. I still don't see good explanations why somebody should play races.

I am active player since Nemesis, but it took me 3-4 seasons to finally undersand that I can be a decent racer, and that racing is rewarding, and how exactly i can profit from alternate-art items, and that racing is fun.