Let's be Cynical: Predictions on WoW (& it's Community) Over the Next Two Years!

[Deleted]

So. Stop whining about non-existing problems. If you stopped liking this game - just stop playing it. But don't ruin it for players, who still like it.

Right, if my favorite italian restaurant starts to make bad food, I should not go and complain about it... I should just go somewhere else, even if there is no other italian restaurant. Moron, no I will go and complain, and if they don't care, I leave. But I don't leave before trying!

[zmp]

Different people like different things so there will always be someone complaining. But I honestly liked MoP and never once thought "cata was better"

^ this. While i predict Legion will be somewhat "Another WoD", im optimistic to think "At least it wasnt totally as bad as WoD".

[WowIsDead64]

Right, if my favorite italian restaurant starts to make bad food, I should not go and complain about it... I should just go somewhere else, even if there is no other italian restaurant. Moron, no I will go and complain, and if they don't care, I leave. But I don't leave before trying!

Bad - is subjective and relative. Your analogy is bad. Because "bad food" - can be both objective and subjective thing. If your italian restaurant start to use bad quality of products - it's one thing. But if it starts to focus on vegetarian food and you personally don't like it - it's only your personal problem. Wow - has decent quality. It's not broken bugged unplayable game with donate slavery. It just doesn't suit you any more. Vanilla's dumb mob grind looked good, when you were 12 years old. But it's felt like playing toy car, instead of driving real one, when you're 20 year old. You changed - not content. There is a period in your life, that is called midlife crisis, when your interests change, but you still don't realize, what happens and why it happens. Real world's mildlife crisis happens at 40-50. But in case of playing games and some other kids' stuff - it happens much earlier - at 20-30.

So, when you ask to "bring Vanilla back", the only thing you do - is ruin game for other players, cuz there is no way to return Vanilla back. Game is the same - Tanaan mob grind isn't any different from Barrens mob grind. Players are different. I'm not social not because I'm so bad. But because I'm too old to treat this game serious enough to make real friends in it - I'm too adult to make friends, while playing in a sandbox. So I just play for the sake of my own pleasure. And don't want anybody to invade into my personal territory.

[Deleted]

Bad - is subjective and relative. Your analogy is bad. Because "bad food" - can be both objective and subjective thing. If your italian restaurant start to use bad quality of products - it's one thing. But if it starts to focus on vegetarian food and you personally don't like it - it's only your personal problem. Wow - has decent quality. It's not broken bugged unplayable game with donate slavery. It just doesn't suit you any more. Vanilla's dumb mob grind looked good, when you were 12 years old. But it's felt like playing toy car, instead of driving real one, when you're 20 year old. You changed - not content. There is a period in your life, that is called midlife crisis, when your interests change, but you still don't realize, what happens and why it happens. Real world's mildlife crisis happens at 40-50. But in case of playing games and some other kids' stuff - it happens much earlier - at 20-30.

Yes, if they start to focus on vegetarian it is a problem, and I have the right to complain about that, too. Maybe I lose that battle, but at least I can say I tried.
And if I still enjoy "old stuff" like Vanilla to WotLK on private servers, along with hundreds of thousands, if not millions of others, why don't we have the right to demand "old stuff" back. People still enjoy it, why not give them what they enjoy instead of that facebook game?

[WowIsDead64]

And if I still enjoy "old stuff" like Vanilla to WotLK on private servers, along with hundreds of thousands, if not millions of others, why don't we have the right to demand "old stuff" back. People still enjoy it, why not give them what they enjoy instead of that facebook game?

Because current game still has this "old stuff" - it's simply optional now, so other players are not FORCED to play that way, if they don't like to. You still can assemble 5ppl group manually, you still can go to dungeons via your own feet, you still can use ground mount instead of flying one, you may even walk, if you like. The major problem with all of you - is that you care about what other players do too much, when you shouldn't. Biggest misconception of many players - is that players will play the "right" way, if they will be forced to do it. No. If player don't like to assemble group via chat - he won't do it, even if LFD/LFR will be removed. If player don't like questing without flying - he won't play content on a ground. There is no black and white - there is always 3rd choice. There is no "flying vs no flying" only - player may always choose to quit this game, if he don't like the choice, he is forced to make. What am I trying to say? Removing choices - will only drive players away. You still have a choice - you just need to make it.

[Deleted]

Because current game still has this "old stuff" - it's simply optional now, so other players are not FORCED to play that way, if they don't like to. You still can assemble 5ppl group manually, you still can go to dungeons via your own feet, you still can use ground mount instead of flying one, you may even walk, if you like. The major problem with all of you - is that you care about what other players do too much, when you shouldn't. Biggest misconception of many players - is that players will play the "right" way, if they will be forced to do it. No. If player don't like to assemble group via chat - he won't do it, even if LFD/LFR will be removed. If player don't like questing without flying - he won't play content on a ground. There is no black and white - there is always 3rd choice. There is no "flying vs no flying" only - player may always choose to quit this game, if he don't like the choice, he is forced to make. What am I trying to say? Removing choices - will only drive players away. You still have a choice - you just need to make it.

So people enjoying leveling that can take weeks if not months can do that? I doubt that.
People who like attunements? Can do them, there are none.
And people who cannot be bother to make a group don't want to do group content, they just want the lootz from that content. So fuck them, they destroy group content.

[Luxeley]

Great summary. I think WOTLK possessed a lot of redeeming features as well. Even though WOW's decline started at/or around the Activision merger and the introduction of LFG, I think the decline really hit gained steam in mid-Cata. Mop is starting to look better and better, but it's still not good and WOD is a major catastrophe.

I don't know if Legion will succeed or fail yet. Blizzard is definitely trying to address a few issues, but in the process they just may create a few new ones. That's simply how things go, there is always the counter reaction to a new feature. Garrisons didn't really seem that bad in the WOD beta, but once you start doing them for a couple months, they look worse and worse. I do think Legion will pump WOW up to 7.5 million subs (although we will never know the exact #) and I think a players will stick around a bit longer than they did in WOD. But, the real success lies in post launch support and given the current trend... I am not optimistic.

[WowIsDead64]

So people enjoying leveling that can take weeks if not months can do that? I doubt that.
People who like attunements? Can do them, there are none.
And people who cannot be bother to make a group don't want to do group content, they just want the lootz from that content. So fuck them, they destroy group content.

Why don't you play Wildstar then? It was designed specially to cater to Vanilla/TBC fans. All problems are in your brain only.

[Deleted]

Why don't you play Wildstar then? It was designed specially to cater to Vanilla/TBC fans. All problems are in your brain only.

Because Wildstars as a lot of other problems that WoW doesn't have.
But again, voicing your opinion and trying to get a more enjoyable game for people is meet with: Just fuck off!

[CaptainV]

I stand by this, Legion will be the last decent expansion if it is, decent before WoW inevitably goes either free to play, or starts DLC sizing its expansions to make up for sub lossess.

Either way, if Legion is going to be the sunset before the nightfall, then it might aswell be a decent one.

Theres alot of promise with Legion, but I fear that it will never live up to the hype after WoD dissapointed so many players. World Questing might aswell be called dailies in disguise since thats exactly what it is.

You can also consider Legion's Leveling Content to be a good and bad thing. The idea of 4 zones of leveling content does at least make it alt friendly, but at what cost?

In addition trying to ground the players didnt work in WoD, I think this adversion to flying just limits content rather than adding it, why not just add a zone that can "only" be accessed "via" flying in the first place at least then it actually feels relevent to have it again.

Class Halls are also a hit/miss concept, trying to create a system where people visit a class hall with other players around might actually serve to piss them off more than want to be there. They also make a very narrow minded assumption that people will interact in their class hall, thats very presumptuous since I doubt they will even care.

Legion will be remembered as the last expansion that tried to offer the players something, but may not succeed in giving them it.

"If" it fails, as hard as WoD did, then WoW might aswell go F2P and Probably will.

It may even do so "before" Legion launches as some kind of promotional means of keeping players.

I wouldnt be surprised given the popularity of "vanillia" content, if blizzard adds some kind of permanent free level 1-60 trial that lets you do old raiding.

[Trickname]

Community prediction: based on every expansion ever 7 months into Legion mmo forums will see an increasing number of threads with titles like

"WoD wasn't actually that bad"

"I want WoD back"

"WoD was good"

"Bring back garrisons"

"Blizzard were idiots for removing garrisons"

"WoD was the best expansion"

"Why did people complain about WoD?!"

"So much more to do in WoD"

[Uurdz]

But there isn't, people supporting this can't even give a build up to why it should be managed. And when a subscription idea is added, suddenly A LOT of those people disappear.

Right, on to more important topics though.

Hmm, predictions for the start event...

"OMG WTF, I have to do this event with 40 others!?"

From a business perspective: they carry a serious risk with so much revenue tied into their WoW subscriptions. Since Wrath this risk has manifested itself in declining subscriptions. The WoW shop provided an ability to pump micro transactions into the game, something done in most profitable games to date. They then took it a step further to provide WoW tokens, something to try maintain the community of WoW which they knew was vital to it's success.

As they are limited with their Capital Expenditure on WoW (irrespective of RoI, they need to divest into other games/genres or risk sinking along with WoW) so they need to stretch content.

The current model isn't working. They've not been able to release expansions or content at a sufficient pace to retain the player base and their powerhouse status is dropping. They're still the top dog, but not for much longer.

What Vanilla realms allow them to do is tap into an older more mature market, who play the game differently. Who are less interested in spending money on fashion items and more interested in playing challenging but rewarding content. As the content already exists, production costs are significantly lower and they are able to manage their risk of subscription drop outs due to dissatisfaction in the current version by providing what has worked very very well before.

You must remember, Vanilla, BC and Wrath make up the most successful MMORPG of all time. Even outdated content has a strong draw, look at Age of Empires 2 - HD. They added very little new and have a moderate community of players and resales of an old old game.

The model would need to work along side existing subscriptions. An addon of $5 to the $15 already would provide them with revenues to relaunch the game, along with faction and realm transfers (used for moving from vanilla to BC to wrath) would provide additional micro transactions. Instead of competing with the retail version it would compliment it. Detract from the community, yes, but that's a risk they would now be willing to take given current state.

A total cost of $20 per month is not unreasonable. They majority of those wanting to play vanilla will be in their mid twenties at the youngest, likely with stronger buyer power than those in the teens/young adult that drive games like LoL. With the engaging content they will not struggle to retain subscriptions for at least the first 18months.

Hope that's helpful

Edit: My predictions are as follows

10 June - WoW movie: Drives new players to the WoW with a very cheap game package in time to draw people in for Legion
30 Aug - Legion: Provides new fresh content.
Nov - Blizzcon: Blizzard announce a new MMO type game or Vanilla servers

Vanilla servers released in late 2017.

[Musta]

Numerous reasons why legacy servers would be a good business decision: please let me know if you want them listed.

Please, enlight me.

[Uurdz]

Please, enlight me.

Please see above.

-Reduces Business Risk
-Retains/Increases revenues at reduced cost (existing content)
-Provides an additional channel to achieve micro transactions

[Gasblossom]

People will complain that gold is too hard to make after removal of garrisons. Probably a lot.

The majority of players hate garrisons, so how in your mind does that translate into "a lot" of people complaining about them not being around anymore?

[Musta]

The majority of players hate garrisons, so how in your mind does that translate into "a lot" of people complaining about them not being around anymore?

They already said they dont have the data anymore and would be a tremedous task to even TRY to get these back online so people can get bored within 2 months. They are not fixing bugs, they are doing absolutely nothing. IM sorry, but you have a really short memory if you want a vanilla server back. Evertyhing changed during 12 years, includind yourself. And Blizzard knows that.

P.S. IF money was the issue for blizzard, and thats BIG if, they would have already changed the model. 12 years wasting money is not something a competitive company would do, so, they must be confortable with the current system. Its just logic.

[Gasblossom]

They already said they dont have the data anymore and would be a tremedous task to even TRY to get these back online so people can get bored within 2 months. They are not fixing bugs, they are doing absolutely nothing. IM sorry, but you have a really short memory if you want a vanilla server back. Evertyhing changed during 12 years, includind yourself. And Blizzard knows that.

P.S. IF money was the issue for blizzard, and thats BIG if, they would have already changed the model. 12 years wasting money is not something a competitive company would do, so, they must be confortable with the current system. Its just logic.

I think you are responding to a different person. Nowhere in my post was I talking about vanilla.

[Deleted]

Legion launch will peak at 7m players. Adventure mode questing will get old or the rewards will become outdated within 2 months and we'll be back to complaining about no content outside of raiding. Subs will tank below 4m within 6 months.

Within the next 2 years Blizzard will launch legacy servers to save themselves from the embarrassment of WoWs slow death. Subs will rebound to 6-7m.

Embarrassment? There's nothing embarrassing about your game dying after 13-14 years, having millions of paying subscribers for the entire duration....

[Musta]

I think you are responding to a different person. Nowhere in my post was I talking about vanilla.

Sorry i was replying to @Uurdz

[Queen of Hamsters]

"Why are Artifacts catered to no-lifers? I have a JOB, a FAMILY and a LIFE which means my Artifact weapon is always behind!!"
"Garrisons were better, they made it possible to play and earn gold without being a no-lifer! I hate competing with other players for resources!!"

Both of these can be seen murmured already.

- - - Updated - - -

Different people like different things so there will always be someone complaining. But I honestly liked MoP and never once thought "cata was better"

Same, MoP was amazing because it was an amazing expansion, which only feel a bit short due to the team being too fast with content patches and then having it all grind to a halt with 5.4.