Can you see Blizzard...

[StrayFox]

Adding or Removing a feature from WoW for the better of the game rather than for the amount of subscriptions?

It seems Blizzard always tries to fix or add a feature to regain subscriptions rather than get the game on the right track. They know there are features in the game that are dampening the experience (Their statement on flying mounts ruining the incentive to explore for example) but they are trying to create ways to get around it rather than facing the problem head on.

So can you ever see Blizzard removing or adding a feature in WoW for the betterment of the game's life? Or will they always have the rising and falling of subscriptions dictate what happens?

EDIT :

I guess to better clarify, lets say Blizzard hates a feature they added or regret adding. Can you see Blizzard ever removing said feature for the sake of making the game better?

Lets say they remove flying mounts for example, we know a lot of people would quit WoW and another group of people would agree it was the right thing. (Not saying Blizzard regrets adding flying mounts, not saying flying mounts are a bad thing.) lets 'pretend' in Blizzard's eyes having a flying mount is a bad feature and shouldn't have been added, can you see blizzard removing it?

[Mawnix]

Why remove something they spent resources on for the game when it's a good idea?

TBH most of the stuff they've added in hindsight IS beneficial, but that doesn't mean it was executed CORRECTLY.

Example: Cross Realm Zones. Now being done as Connected Realms and a plethora of people enjoy them.

Add to the features you've already implemented and IMPROVE them so that they may make the game more profitable. Don't remove them entirely; they'd simply hinder the game entirely and waste resources.

[Deleted]

Features designed to increase subs are to the betterment of WoWs life. It's just individuals may not agree with them.

[Kelimbror]

So can you ever see Blizzard removing or adding a feature in WoW for the betterment of the game's life? Or will they always have the rising and falling of subscriptions dictate what happens?

Wouldn't having more subscriptions likely better the game's life...as in...make it last longer? I think so. Your premise implies that they are mutually exclusive ideas and they aren't. All the features they implement try to make the game's quality better.

[Forgettable]

Features designed to increase subs are to the betterment of WoWs life. It's just individuals may not agree with them.

This is exactly what I was going to say.

[swagster]

blizzard is greedy they will do what brings them more money

[Deleted]

make the game more profitable.

And this is what is wrong with gaming today.

[yjmark]

What makes you think that implementing a feature that causes more subscription loss is the "right direction"?

[Mawnix]

And this is what is wrong with gaming today.

How?

Blizzard listens to its fans and tries to implement what THEY want and what is BEST for them more-so than most other companies.

But for a company, ANY COMPANY, to keep making games and increasing their quality/value, they have to make it profitable.

That's not what's wrong with gaming today.

That's basic business with proper customer service.

[Ghul]

there really isnt a definite right or wrong with these things, some people will like it, some will be "meh" about it and some will hate it. its will always be like this, with everything in the world.

[StrayFox]

Wouldn't having more subscriptions likely better the game's life...as in...make it last longer? I think so. Your premise implies that they are mutually exclusive ideas and they aren't. All the features they implement try to make the game's quality better.

I agree as well, but its kinda like Blizzard is a doctor who is keeping a dying patient on life support with the medication in their hand, but they won't give it to them. Thats how I feel *shrugs*

[Arbs]

Everything that is added was prbly a good idea to them at the time, It's the communitys fault they have become as big a problem as they are today.

[Itisamuh]

Both in theory; however, nothing added to the game so far has really hurt it. Flying mounts are the only thing I can think of, but most people love them so from a neutral standpoint, they were a good thing despite my intense dislike of them.

[Kelimbror]

I agree as well, but its kinda like Blizzard is a doctor who is keeping a dying patient on life support with the medication in their hand, but they won't give it to them. Thats how I feel *shrugs*

It's fine if you feel that way, but what segment of the population are you? For at least 6 years 90% of their players weren't actively designed for. This is the first time everyone has been given a piece of the content and systems pie. I can only imagine people disappointed with the direction were a part of the original 10% or just need a break from the game. It's not radically different from its peak, there's just more types of content available. They made some initial mistakes, but have clearly been trying to develop a slice for everyone without taking away from anything.

[Dubalicious]

This is such an odd question, or maybe just an off way to ask it...

Subscription numbers are RESULTS of the decisions the devs made, they aren't the driving factor.

Perhaps the point to be made here, is that devs aren't necessarily the "be all end all" of what makes it into the game or how it makes it into the game.

[Khime]

Features designed to increase subs are to the betterment of WoWs life. It's just individuals may not agree with them.

Exactly. A better game is one more people will want to play.

I'd be interested to hear which decisions by Blizzard the OP regards as making the game worse, but were supposedly done solely to increase subscribers.

[Deleted]

Blizzard listens to its fans and tries to implement what THEY want and what is BEST for them more-so than most other companies.

I was referring to the fact that everything is sacrificed for the lowest common denominator - anything to get more subscriptions, god from money.

Complexity gets sacrificed at the subscription altar. If something is too hard for the common pleb to understand, it needs to go. They don't expect people to rise up to the occasion and learn something new or try to excel themselves, no - they will remove it in order to appease those that neither have the patience, the time or the desire to put in any effort at all.

Exactly. A better game is one more people will want to play.

And that is why Call of Duty is so popular, because it is vastly better than anything else on the market and every revision is SO much better than the last one and that's why Justin Bieber sells tens of millions of records, because his music is simply so much better than anything else on the market.

[StrayFox]

It's fine if you feel that way, but what segment of the population are you? For at least 6 years 90% of their players weren't actively designed for. This is the first time everyone has been given a piece of the content and systems pie. I can only imagine people disappointed with the direction were a part of the original 10% or just need a break from the game. It's not radically different from its peak, there's just more types of content available. They made some initial mistakes, but have clearly been trying to develop a slice for everyone without taking away from anything.

I'm only one man, I understand I'm not the majority of the player base. I'm just curious if Blizzard adds a feature in order to get more subscribers or if they will add or remove a feature to make the game 'better'. I heard of rumors of Blizzard hating some features they added and regretting ever adding them, but they won't remove them... rather they try to find ways around them.

And don't ask me where I got the proof of Blizzard stating this, I'm not sure if its true or not they're just rumors.

[Alyxanna]

Adding or Removing a feature from WoW for the better of the game rather than for the amount of subscriptions?

It seems Blizzard always tries to fix or add a feature to regain subscriptions rather than get the game on the right track. They know there are features in the game that are dampening the experience (Their statement on flying mounts ruining the incentive to explore for example) but they are trying to create ways to get around it rather than facing the problem head on.

So can you ever see Blizzard removing or adding a feature in WoW for the betterment of the game's life? Or will they always have the rising and falling of subscriptions dictate what happens?

I think that's exactly what they do. The question is what is 'the right track' and the 'good of the game'. As designers that's their call and we are nothing more than a suggestion box. The rising and falling of subscriptions largely is the game's life.

[Deleted]

Blizzard should always things good for the game and no for players. All this LFR, LFD, Flex and other casual bull*** blizzard created only becosu fans wanted them. Problem is that majority of players have no clue how should game look like. Ye in that moment LFR or Flying mounts looks like good idea. But in long run it end up very bad for the game.