ni taishite. to iu inshou

I have a couple questions about an excerpt from an interview with a video game developer. Warning: this excerpt includes extensive use of the word "hardcore." I am extremely sorry.

「[game]はマスに対してのコアという印象ですね。コアじゃない、全然。コアを落とすのであれば、全く違うモノになる。そこは今ひとつ、納得できないんです。」

a) With the first sentence, is the developer saying a) that the game gives the impression of being hardcore for the mass market, or b) that it gives the impression to the mass market of being hardcore?

b) In the third sentence, is 落とす a) being used in the literal sense ("if you drop [lose] the hardcore [elements], it becomes something completely different") or b) being used in the slangy sense of "dropping" (releasing) a work ("if I release a hardcore (game), it would be something completely different"). The second option seems unlikely, but with the first option, the third sentence doesn't seem to follow from the second. I don't understand the flow of the developer's thoughts.

Thank you for your help in this HARDCORE discussion.

In the first place, I am not sure what they mean by "core" here. Does he mean the "mass is the intended = core users," or "hard core" as you say, or something else?

I can't make sense of this text without further context (not a hardcore game user here :)).

I just hit upon a completely different interpretation of "core."

[Game] gives the (superficial) impression of a product intended for hardcore fans/users, against (one that is intended for general) mass users. (but) it is not good at all as a game for hardcore users. If you want to appeal to those hardcore users/fans, the product would be something completely different. That's something that doesn't sit well with me.

So in this case the developer is saying that while it gives the impression of a fanatical product, it is not at all, and that he is not happy with the way it came out.

And the 落とす in this interpretation means to "appeal fully to," "convince," or "seduce."

But this is just one attempt, and I took the "core vs. mass," interpretation ("...ni taishite no"), not "core for the mass (market)," and still I am not sure...

Thank you very much for the information. (I apologize for my late reply here.) Those meanings of 落とす and に対しての completely evaded me; your interpretation does make sense in light of the developer's other opinions. I very much appreciate your help and patience.