Are new MMOs too unpolished and clunky to compete with WoW?

[Einzweidrei]

I think this is the better question to ask.

Wow kind of is getting dated. The graphics? It's more that we've been staring at the same artwork style for several years than them being dated. The mechanics? Most of them get updated at least every expansion. The foundation of the game? This is the thing that is "dated" ... powerlevel to max then raid everything available at max level and/or grind PvP, all for the purpose of getting gear that is used to replace itself.


But before I derail my own thread... I really don't think it matters. WoW's graphics and mechanics and foundation could all be dated, and it won't matter, because no one else is going to put out a truly POLISHED and STREAMLINED game in the next year. They will have good ideas, but the UI will be painful to use, or the combat will be clunky, or the character development will be lacking, or the endgame will be nonexistent, or there will be major technical issues. And a couple issues along those lines are all it takes for the game to flop in the first few months, and then it will just be like EQ2 and V:SoH and AoC and WAR and all... another failed WoW-killer that will go free-to-play-cashshop-downhillslide within 6 months of release.

[Deleted]

WoW's primary triumph is in the responsiveness of the control system. New MMO's often lack that finesse.

The secondary triumph is in always providing the player something to do. New MMO's often lack end-game content which hurts their retention.

[Wynnyelle]

From what I've heard about SWTOR, Tera, and GW2, they all have very responsive controls and fluid movement. The production quality in them is a lot higher than some of the older games that have since flopped. Game companies realize that they have to try if they want to compete, and I think that they will compete.

[Valanna]

WoW's UI is painful to use. The question is if other MMOs can provide 3'rd party addons quickly enough to stop my eyes from bleeding out.

[Puremallace]

WoW's primary triumph is in the responsiveness of the control system. New MMO's often lack that finesse.

The secondary triumph is in always providing the player something to do. New MMO's often lack end-game content which hurts their retention.

So what is your reasoning on why Rift has put out more content then WoW? It has shown the obvious age of WoW or Blizzard lack of caring anymore to a very large amount of people. ToR and GW2 are really just icing on the cake. For all the stuff ToR is missing and it is missing a lot of convenience features it will not die out fast.

WoW is 7 years old and it is really showing bad.

[Deleted]

to put in extremely simple terms:
all objects have pull, the bigger the object becomes (movie star, game, movie, brand of clothes...) the more people will be pulled towards it.

the new MMOs that have been released the last couple of years have been from close to previously unheard of studios, and now Bioware/EA are entering the fray, giant vs giant if you so will.

Bioware and EA have a long series of extremely successful games behind them, so they definitely know what they're doing and they have the founding to do what they want, which is a big part of it all.

all in all, enjoy the coming months

[Krolikn]

It will be very difficult to truly compete with WoW (while Blizzard still care for it). It has had years to get polished and is huge with all the expansion packs. Newer games may have the graphics but most of them have performance issues and don't run or control nearly as smoothly as WoW.

[wilbbailey]

WOW has been and will remain to be the largest mmo with the biggest fan base for a long time to come in my opinion.

[Puremallace]

WOW has been and will remain to be the largest mmo with the biggest fan base for a long time to come in my opinion.

You think the WoW fanbase even begins to compare to the Star Wars fanbase in size? If they can even get 1% of that fanbase to play ToR that would completely dwarf WoW.

[Chickat]

SWTOR,TERA,GW2 and RIFT will put a dent in wow, but i think it will be fine. I imagine in 2 years time wow will still have over 6 million players which is more then enough to at least be in the top 2 mmos. WoW doesn't need to be number one to be successful.

[Deleted]

I've had more fun in beta state SWTOR over 2 days than I have had with Cataclysm in 10+ months

Go figure

[Solidito]

One of the main things with new mmos i hate is the movement, wow's seem refined and seem to work perfectly. It looks nice and not clunky, skills happen in a smooth manner. But games like Rift and so on seem to be the complete opersite.

[Puremallace]

One of the main things with new mmos i hate is the movement, wow's seem refined and seem to work perfectly. It looks nice and not clunky, skills happen in a smooth manner. But games like Rift and so on seem to be the complete opersite.

and when I compare WoW's movement to GW2 or Aion it is obviously 10 years old. People have different taste. If anything WoW fans should be praying for competition.

In case people were wondering what that note in the ptr notes was concerning this is how it works in Rift. Competition is good for WoW

[Crableg]

SWTOR,TERA,GW2 and RIFT will put a dent in wow, but i think it will be fine. I imagine in 2 years time wow will still have over 6 million players which is more then enough to at least be in the top 2 mmos. WoW doesn't need to be number one to be successful.

Well you can remove Rift from that list.

OT: WoW has a really responsive control system, everything feels smooth, other mmo's feel like they take time to do whatever you press, Rift wasnt too bad, but it doesnt compare to WoW.

[Chickat]

You think the WoW fanbase even begins to compare to the Star Wars fanbase in size? If they can even get 1% of that fanbase to play ToR that would completely dwarf WoW.

I am absolutely horrible at doing math in my head, but doesn't that push star wars fans over 1 billion? I doubt there are a billion star wars fans.

---------- Post added 2011-10-19 at 09:11 AM ----------

Rift still put a small dent in wow, and if wow and rift were introduced together im sure Rift would have won.

[Krolikn]

I've had more fun in beta state SWTOR over 2 days than I have had with Cataclysm in 10+ months

Go figure

I don't love Cata but you've only played the beta for 2 days. Not enough to judge it good or bad. Like many people you want something new. I thought Rift was awesome for a while...got boring rather fast and I quit.

Rift still put a small dent in wow, and if wow and rift were introduced together im sure Rift would have won.

Rift wouldn't exist without WoW.

[Deleted]

So what is your reasoning on why Rift has put out more content then WoW? It has shown the obvious age of WoW or Blizzard lack of caring anymore to a very large amount of people. ToR and GW2 are really just icing on the cake. For all the stuff ToR is missing and it is missing a lot of convenience features it will not die out fast.

WoW is 7 years old and it is really showing bad.

Haven't played Rift, so can't comment on the game from first-hand knowledge. It may indeed have put out a ton of content .. but if the content is crap and the game plays equally poorly then it's not going to retain players. Other recently released MMOs have highlighted this.

WoW style graphics age well, and everyone notices when controls aren't smooth.

Haven't played TOR either, but it's graphic style should also age well and if the game has slick handling and tons of engaging end-game content (when I get to max level) then it may put my WoW sub in jeopardy.

[Puremallace]

I am absolutely horrible at doing math in my head, but doesn't that push star wars fans over 1 billion? I doubt there are a billion star wars fans.

---------- Post added 2011-10-19 at 09:11 AM ----------

Rift still put a small dent in wow, and if wow and rift were introduced together im sure Rift would have won.

I guarantee you take a poll outside of the mmo world and ask which do you know more about. Star Wars will come out on top. Star Wars has always been that golden goose waiting to be plucked. Some people think Bioware/EA might finally be able to do it.

I do not buy the hype until the game play backs it up. It will not kill WoW in no way shape or form, but it will take some.

[Evil Inside]

From what I've heard about SWTOR, Tera, and GW2, they all have very responsive controls and fluid movement. The production quality in them is a lot higher than some of the older games that have since flopped. Game companies realize that they have to try if they want to compete, and I think that they will compete.

I can confirm this about SWTOR. Just played the beta a few days ago, and while there are a couple of bugs which are to be expected really, the responsiveness and the ui and everything is about as good as WoW. Most of the keybindings are also the same, I found it incredibly easy to adapt to the controls.

[Deleted]

wow, despite the buffs and nerfs around, is a very polished game when compared to other mmos, it plays smoothly, its progressive all the time, and allows you ro get into it.