Dealing with community backlash over post-update bugs. Are you prepared to handle the fallout?

Acknowledging problems shows players that you value their feedback and take responsibility for any disruptions to their gaming experience. Ignoring or downplaying issues can erode trust and escalate negative sentiment. By openly addressing the bugs, you demonstrate accountability and build trust with the community. Provide clear communication on what went wrong and outline the steps your team is taking to resolve the issues. Acknowledging issues not only helps defuse community frustration but also builds a stronger connection with your audience. It turns a negative situation into an opportunity to show your dedication to quality and player satisfaction.

When acknowledging issues and game-breaking bugs, a "crisis" communication process can optimize efficiency. The framework I like to implement is "OFR" which draws from ITIL practices (IT Infrastructure) and represents a timeline: - Occurrence Detection and acknowledging through public-facing channels (SoMe / Community platforms) - Fixing Assess (identify stakeholders) Communicate (call a meeting) Escalate (prioritize) Delegate (get operations going) - Resolved Celebrate the wins Analyze for learnings

Make sure you understand and confirm the issue, gather the team, and discuss how you will act. Then you will have to plan execute and post solution.

One of the best things I've worked on was a public facing bug-tracker. Updates shared right from the dev team as they are being worked on. I've seen others use a public trello for this, but the one I worked on was a bespoke page that tracked, updated, and prioritized bugs. This was super helpful in sharing real-time updates to players.

Transparency about your approach to fixing the issues is key to managing player frustration and regaining trust. Start by acknowledging the bugs, then outline the steps your team will take to resolve them. By sharing specific plans, such as timelines for patches and updates, players know what to expect and feel reassured that you're actively working on solutions. Effective communication of your plans not only shows accountability but also helps maintain player engagement during a challenging time. It turns frustration into a collaborative process, where players feel involved and informed, keeping your community intact and invested in the game's future.

Always have a plan in place BEFORE a crisis. You know your game will have bugs. You know you're going to have to talk about it. Having copy that is pre-approved by production, legal, and PR is a massive time saver.

Engagement in crisis is tough. It's also a double-edged sword since if you don't have any updates, then engaging could make people more mad. Especially if it's been days or weeks or months to fix a critical issue. Always have a game plan and try to strive for as much transparency within reason.