Cata Will Hurt the WoW Playerbase.

[Dusttoes]

I think when Cata hits, the playerbase will suffer a bit. Not only that but the main things we enjoy ingame will be improved only to an extent that we'll find feasible.

So the changes I think will come to the reconsideration of the staff and we will see a downturn in the players. We'll know for sure when the actual open beta hits but for now we speculate and only hope that is this not forthcoming..

I see no other outcome though :-\. I love WoW and play it.

[phyrix]

Cataclysm will make WoW even more casual-friendly.

I think the playerbase will at the very least remain stable, if not, it will probably increase.

[Lotena]

So essentially this is speculation about speculation at this point. Informative.

[Bether]

Um no, I think it will cause a swell in the player base, just like WoLK and BC.

[kailtas]

And 3 people on a wow forum just predicted cata...

NOT

[Vongimi]

THE END IS NEAR!!!!

JK cata is gonna be great. But I want to clarify something for everyone before cata hits. ENTRY RAID IS ENTRY. Dont complain about easy mode t11, or I will find you.

[Chrysopoeia]

stop the trolling, I guess cataclysm will be gr8 and there's plenty of stuff to do in the beginning.

leveling, dungeons, new spells, new raids, new systems, revamped zones etc etc etc !

playerbase will increase,

[Will]

given the amazing hype i'm seeing, i doubt it will be dented.
Sure, old school players whine and quit, then get replaced straight away

[Buzzo]

well cata is gettin me back so +1 to playerbase :P

[Kinderwurst]

But I don't see what the actual playerbase will suffer from in your statement... Because the game is catering to casuals? If that's what it is, the playerbase should increase, not dwindle because more people will be able to see more content in the game.

[PrettyBiased]

if there is an increase in player subscriptions it will only be short term new player subscriptions, long term players like myself will have long since left after enduring this past horrible expansion and the wrath of the lich king 2.0 cataclysm to come. The game can cater to casuals and that much is fine, but having a casual endgame has broken all joy for anyone with any ambition.

[Orumis]

what is this I don't even

[Kekkonen]

Many ppl will quit when Cata comes, but also those who went to a break will be back when Cata is launched.
So its quite +/-

[Buzzo]

endgame isn't casual i don't see many guilds with lich king heroic down
i didnt see casuals down yogg saron pre nerf or algalon
i didnt see casuals down malygos - naxx - in blue items,
but well if you look at welfare epics anyone can get em. if u look closer u can see if someone is a casual (!=bad) or a hardcore player. (!=uberskilled demigod)

[aGit]

Cataclysm will make WoW even more casual-friendly.

I think the playerbase will at the very least remain stable, if not, it will probably increase.

just like it did on wotlk?

oh wait...

[Bakis]

Cataclysm will make WoW even more casual-friendly.

I think the playerbase will at the very least remain stable, if not, it will probably increase.

Agree, only type of playersbase that might decrease are the better or/and older players that find WoW lacking a challenge. In order to acommondate new/casual players the bit by bit remove any sort of advntage a really good player would previoulsy have over a poor one. Biggest example of this might be the neverending homogenization (no clue how it is spelled) and the later instances. ICC prety much allocated 90% of it's challenge to one of out the twelve encounters. Heroic mode might finally be set in stone tho now that they throw out the stupid limited tries option. I just hope we dont get another expansion of neverending badge upgrades making only the latest instance meaningfull, less homogenization and instance challenges that doesn't soly aim casuals.

Are a few really nice changes tho, the rated bg's primarily and BLZ at least official aim to give players 2+ instances to run at the same time like we had in TBC and well Naxx/EoE/Maly.

[Blackriver2]

I think when Cata hits, the playerbase will suffer a bit. Not only that but the main things we enjoy ingame will be improved only to an extent that we'll find feasible.

So the changes I think will come to the reconsideration of the staff and we will see a downturn in the players. We'll know for sure when the actual open beta hits but for now we speculate and only hope that is this not forthcoming..

I see no other outcome though :-\. I love WoW and play it.

Care to support your claim?

[grayscale-warfare]

It will increase the playerbase. Me and all of my friends are waiting for it to come out so we can restart our accounts, and thousands of other people are likely doing the same

[frownface2000]

I think when Cata hits, the playerbase will suffer a bit. Not only that but the main things we enjoy ingame will be improved only to an extent that we'll find feasible.

So the changes I think will come to the reconsideration of the staff and we will see a downturn in the players. We'll know for sure when the actual open beta hits but for now we speculate and only hope that is this not forthcoming..

I see no other outcome though :-\. I love WoW and play it.

Im confused, you didn't actually make a single definitive statement in that entire post.
WHY will the playerbase suffer? You never say.
WHAT "main things ingame"? You never say.
"So the changes I think will come to the reconsideration of the staff" - English please?

[Shiggity]

I'd actually prefer a shrinking player base.

But that's just me.

Let's be honest though, WoW would still be profitable with 500k users.