Do you think games need good customer support?
I mean, there are companies that have and those that don't. Each one has its own pros and cons. Companies don't outsource because it's either they don't have a budget, or don't trust other companies to handle internal matters. Others outsource because it either frees up their time for game development or cuts down on costs.
What's your opinion on this?
Everything is relative.
There is no universal answer. Of course a game company or a hobbiest should invest in supporting their customer. But the cost and effort involved is unique to every situation.
I see your point here. There's no point to have a 24/7 customer support team if the game is not very popular and only receives bug reports every few days or so. I agree that the developer can handle this by allotting part of his time. On the other hand, the same solution is not applicable for extremely popular games like, say, Candy Crush.
But how would you know if you can still handle it in-house or it's time to outsource a company?
If you ignore your early customers, you would be hurt in the long run.
I agree. Not only that, but it may lead to bad PR considering how people are in social media these days.
But how would you know if you can still handle it in-house or it's time to outsource a company?
Yes. It is hard to predict a hit. Don't try. Just make a plan that includes contingencies. If you start bringing in tons of money, plan to start hiring staff (internal or external). In other words, cross that bridge when you get to it.
Thanks for that advice, Tom. Gauging when to start planning for a bigger/more dedicated support team is proving to be difficult.
