The Power of User-Generated Content in Gaming: A Comparative Analysis of “Monster Hunter: World” and “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition”
In this blog post, we’re going to delve into the data-packed world of lifetime player counts, and compare two intriguing games: “Monster Hunter: World” and “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition”. Through the insights derived from these comparisons, we’ll shed light on the benefits of user-generated content (UGC) in video games, its impact, and its potential.
Right at the outset, we will be displaying two key charts that reveal the player count history of both games, offering a clear visualization of their growth trajectories. Now, let’s briefly consider the nature of each game:
First, we have “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition”, which debuted back in 2016. Skyrim is open source, with an impressive array of more than 60,000 mods. These mods, developed by the active Skyrim community and modders, enrich the gaming experience. Alongside the mod support, Skyrim has also rolled out 2 DLCs and 18 additional packages post-launch. (Source: SteamDB)
On the other hand, “Monster Hunter: World” was launched in 2018. Despite having around 4,000 mods, it doesn’t provide official mod support. It’s noteworthy that, as per SteamDB, Monster Hunter has released over 240 DLCs and more than 35 post-launch packages. (Source: SteamDB)
The strategies employed by both games are fascinating. Monster Hunter has consistently launched new content, an endeavor that required considerable resources. In contrast, Skyrim’s community-driven mod support led to a plethora of user-generated content, eclipsing 60,000 mods.
From the charts, it’s clear that Skyrim nurtured a vibrant, self-sustaining community of creators, players, and streamers that continually grew the game’s ecosystem with minimal intervention from the game studio. In contrast, Monster Hunter invested significantly in creating new content.
When we dissect the trends shown by these charts, we notice contrasting patterns. Skyrim started with a relatively smaller player base, but this number swelled over time due to active community involvement. Conversely, Monster Hunter, which lacked such a player-creator-streamer ecosystem, saw a significant spike in players at launch in 2018, followed by a systematic decrease over time.
An interesting observation is that Skyrim, despite being an older game (2016), has maintained consistent growth, primarily because of its community engagement. These patterns underline the power of user-generated content and player participation.
Similar phenomena can be observed in games such as Minecraft, Roblox, and LittleBigPlanet, which heavily rely on UGC.
The takeaway message here is the remarkable potential of games with UGC/UGG and mod support to foster increasing engagement over time. By setting the stage for a community of players who create playable content, such games needn’t invest unlimited resources in new content creation or worry about player attrition between DLC releases. Longevity is a common trait among these games, as seen with Sims4; despite its graphics lagging behind modern standards, it remains among the top 4 PC games (Source: NewZoo), showcasing the formidable power of UGC in games!
As gaming industry leaders, game studio owners, or publishers, this insight could prove invaluable in shaping your strategies. Understanding and harnessing the power of UGC could lead to the creation of games that not only engage but also retain players, enhancing longevity and, ultimately, success.
Remember, when players become creators, games transcend from being mere products to dynamic, thriving worlds.
