Their R&D costs seem alarmingly high, when the most ‘innovative’ things we’ve seen come out of Reddit in recent years have been canned features like their own cryptocurrency and RPAN.
Other than that and Spez being paid a buttload in stock options…
I’d be really interested to see their R&D costs for 2022. I’m wondering how much of 2023’s R&D was spurred by restricting the API code, and then allowing certain applications access; having to finally take seriously their decade-old promise to develop mod tools with no planning or preparation; their total surprise at having to provide access to disabled people; and having to update their app. Those are all areas where they were extremely happy to let languish, and which they suddenly had to provide expedited support for after the protests.
That was the thing that stood out most to me. How the fuck are they spending 50% on R&D with almost zero visible results to the end user?
From the article, for anyone wondering about the actual numbers:
“In 2023, the company’s revenue was $804.0 million. Research and development, at $438.3 million, was more than half, an awfully big number for a company of this age. Total costs and expenses were $944.2 million. The net loss was $90.8 million, which at least is an improvement over 2022, with its $666.7 million in revenue and $158.6 million in losses.”
Their R&D costs seem alarmingly high, when the most ‘innovative’ things we’ve seen come out of Reddit in recent years have been canned features like their own cryptocurrency and RPAN.
Other than that and Spez being paid a buttload in stock options…
I’d be really interested to see their R&D costs for 2022. I’m wondering how much of 2023’s R&D was spurred by restricting the API code, and then allowing certain applications access; having to finally take seriously their decade-old promise to develop mod tools with no planning or preparation; their total surprise at having to provide access to disabled people; and having to update their app. Those are all areas where they were extremely happy to let languish, and which they suddenly had to provide expedited support for after the protests.
And from what I understand they haven’t even gotten close to what third party apps had done for mod tools or accessibility.
That was the thing that stood out most to me. How the fuck are they spending 50% on R&D with almost zero visible results to the end user?
From the article, for anyone wondering about the actual numbers:
“In 2023, the company’s revenue was $804.0 million. Research and development, at $438.3 million, was more than half, an awfully big number for a company of this age. Total costs and expenses were $944.2 million. The net loss was $90.8 million, which at least is an improvement over 2022, with its $666.7 million in revenue and $158.6 million in losses.”