Clay Cosand

I'm so much cooler online. I like to ref n stuff. #RedsoxNation Please tilt your head to the right for the most pleasurable Loki sighting.

[Clay Cosand @Cosand30]

@hardshelldev @Method Forced lol. It’s one thing to be upset they took out boosting in game so they could make more money out of boosts, but to say you’re forced is just laughable

[Peter Girnus 🦅 @gothburz]

I am a senior vice president at a $68.7 billion gaming company.

Activision-Blizzard.

We have a 30-year-old franchise.

Warcraft.

Millions of players. A subscription model that prints $15 a month per user. A cash shop on top of the subscription. Paid expansions on top of the cash shop.

Our former creative director just told the press he wishes we hadn't called it "Warcraft."

He said the name sounds intimidating.

He helped create the name.

We ran focus groups. The focus groups said the brand needed to be "more approachable." We asked the focus groups if they played the game. They did not. We took their advice anyway.

Our VP told an interviewer we want players to experience "weddings, raids, and new adventures." She listed weddings first. Before raids. In a game called Warcraft. Nobody in the room flinched.

She also said "No one thinks the same about Warhammer."

She compared our franchise unfavorably to a competitor. On the record. As a defense of the franchise.

The forums are on fire. Twenty-year veterans are writing goodbye posts. One thread is titled "Think I'm done with WoW." Another calls our pre-patch a "player purge."

We called our GDKP raiders "delusional."

We timed a cash shop bundle to launch during the Trading Post anniversary -- the one event where players earn free cosmetics. We offered 200 discounted items but kept the monthly currency cap at 1,000. The math doesn't work unless you open your wallet.

The community noticed. We described their concerns as "feedback we're monitoring."

We are always monitoring. We have never once changed course because of monitoring.

The players say we're "Disneyfying" the game. Turning gritty into cute. War into weddings. Orcs into mascots.

They're not wrong.

The data says approachable properties have wider TAM. Total addressable market. That's the metric now. Not "subscribers who love the game." Not "community that built this franchise." TAM.

TAM doesn't post on forums. TAM doesn't write goodbye letters. TAM doesn't have 20 years of muscle memory and lore knowledge and raid nights that turned into real friendships.

TAM is a number in a slide deck that makes a board feel comfortable.

We added player housing. Players have asked for it since 2004. We launched it in 2026. Twenty-two years. We described this as "listening to our community."

We are very good at listening. Eventually. When the feature aligns with a monetization roadmap.

Here is what I know and cannot say in a meeting:

The name was never the problem. The name built this. The name survived server crashes and subscription drops and an activision merger and a harassment scandal and a $68.7 billion acquisition.

The name is "Warcraft" and for 30 years nobody was confused about what it meant.

The problem is not that new players find the name intimidating.

The problem is that old players are starting to find us unrecognizable.

And we don't have a focus group for that.

[Clay Cosand @Cosand30]

@Blochead4real @CoachParseghian @Boinger I thought he was the one who exposed the island first, or did we just forget that all together. Gosh the media did good on him that’s for sure.

[Clay Cosand @Cosand30]

@TheKostos I think if you wave your arms more and scream that raspy ass voice more people might believe you man

[Clay Cosand @Cosand30]

@Barrelldelphia @barstoolsports @BarstoolRundown @TaxAct Not sure how that was even an argument they thought had any legs to stand on… like are you saying kyron Williams ran it to the 1 and then stafford threw it in every time? 😂😂 Foh here with that garbage take

[Clay Cosand @Cosand30]

@realmihai_matei @TheEpsteinFiles @grok It’s been confirmed he had an account I know that. So him being tied to bannon has made people try and connect some dots, but at the same time, I wouldn’t be surprised if this is all actually true lmao.

[Clay Cosand @Cosand30]

@DeesyStreams @Answer_Me_Bitch @DanPickz2 @BarryOnHere 😂 one time? Did you not watch the bowl against Atlanta? Are you fucking high buddy? 😂 your hate is misguiding you. Try and appreciate greatness my dood. You’ll enjoy sports a lot more

[Clay Cosand @Cosand30]

@BaileyCastan5 @WA_NorthWestwx @MJRodnick @brgridiron A lot of that was just him flapping his gums, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, then he said that towards the end and just shut that shit off💀💀 but yes that was way late to be turning it off

[Clay Cosand @Cosand30]

@WA_NorthWestwx @MJRodnick @brgridiron I stopped listening when I heard him claim that the patriots have the corners to cover JSN…. My dood nobody has the corners to cover that man. Nobody.

[Clay Cosand @Cosand30]

@SpeakEZsports_ @HoodiDrake @SamMonsonNFL Wouldn’t that go to Caleb Williams then? How much is that rookie contract compared to these other valuable assets lmao. I’ve never understood the “value” argument tbh. There’s many more people more valuable to their team.

[Clay Cosand @Cosand30]

@Jaiden0730 @hiphoptwist @jamdoggg @TitleTalkTCL Talking common sense to a patriots fan is like pulling teeth man. In all reality, to me, if Josh Allen gets it last year with his abysmal stats over Lamar’s insane numbers he put up. Then drake maye should’ve gotten it this year.The mvp last year was pure highway robbery

[Ben Houselog @benlikessport]

If any MVP voters would like to explain their votes in depth I am all ears

Because I have NO idea what the standards are anymore

[Clay Cosand @Cosand30]

@ItsJust__E @milehighlifer Wouldn’t the common metrics be yards and passing tds?💀💀 all I’m gonna say, is if Lamar doesn’t get it last year because he is somehow “less” valuable than last years Josh Allen…. Then drake maye shoulda got the nod imo.

[Clay Cosand @Cosand30]

@Drizzy_Dru29 And then the year he gets robbed he puts up insane passing numbers…. And the mvp that year puts up arguably the same numbers as…. Checks notes…… Aaron Rodgers…. Of the New York jets…. Only 1 stat did he lead last year among qbs…. Biggest mvp robbery imo lmfao

[Clay Cosand @Cosand30]

@curlydpool @MJRodnick @FirstTake @minakimes This was the same year Josh won MVP. So she was certainly right on the money with that one. And people gonna say somehow stafford winning it after the year he had was a bigger steal….. Aaron Rodgers on the jets arguably the same passer as Josh Allen during his mvp season. Smh

[Clay Cosand @Cosand30]

Where the hell was this energy last year when Josh Allen’s stats got him an MVP over @Lj_era8 ‘s absolutely insane “REGULAR SEASON” year of passing @minakimes

[Michael Rodnick @MJRodnick]

"I'm a voter, and I voted for Drake Maye. And, I'm right, I'm going to explain to Dan Orlovsky why he's wrong."

This felt like the last scene in "8 Mile". Mina knew the schedule would be brought up and brought FACTS.

🎥: @FirstTake | @minakimes

[Clay Cosand @Cosand30]

@Burner1645061 @BaileyRoseBoyle @On3Richie You could go take a look yourself you know?

[MLFootball @MLFootball]

“DAD, HOW GOOD WAS LE’VEON BELL
IN HIS PRIME ON THE #STEELERS…?”

One of the five most special running backs in his prime:
https://t.co/xyCY3u4RPw

[MLFootball @MLFootball]

“DAD, HOW GOOD WAS ANTONIO BROWN IN HIS PRIME…?”

The greatest run we have ever seen in #NFL history by a wide receiver.
https://t.co/uhr3NAEDUi

[Clay Cosand @Cosand30]

@notawrestler_x @JHWalz32 Are we having the same conversation if the platform is raised? No. Okay there’s your answer