What moreso determines MMOG success - strong player communities, or more fixes and features? Can development and marketing decisions impact the strength and endurance of game communities? The Syndicate's Sean "Dragons" Stalzer begins to answer these questions and introduces Ten Ton Hammer's newest column in the first edition of D-Mail, a new bi-weekly column focused on the social side of today's (and tomorrow's) MMORPGs!

From the article:

Growing and strengthening online communities is a big deal with relevance to both the business and consumer side of gaming. However, online community support is often an area that receives very little public attention perhaps because it is not as flashy as uber-end-boss-of-the-week or a fancy new spell system or new series of phat l00ts that are coming in the next patch. I will attempt to make the case, as the weeks go by, that focusing on community is more important than any of those other factors in determining the success of a game and its future revenue potential. All of the other factors that go into making a game,directly impact the success of communities, which in turn impacts the bottom line.

The fourteen year leader and CEO of The Syndicate, Sean "Dragons" Stalzer, begins to answer these questions and introduces Ten Ton Hammer's newest column in the first edition of D-Mail, a new bi-weekly column focused on the social side of today's (and tomorrow's) MMORPGs! Check out D-Mail #1 - You've Got D-Mail!