Tiers for Fears

[Druantis]

Is it possible Blizzard purposely creates all of this emotional drama around trinkets, set bonuses, rankings, talent changes, class changes, pvp, etc., in a strategic attempt to keep users glued to the game - and spending time and energy on forums because their beloved franchise is experiencing yet another wrenching and unexpected rollercoaster upheaval.

Seriously, it's no different than all of the other built-in and faked drama (reality tv shows, tv series, wwe, graphic novels, soap operas, etc.) that works for every other successful media company and franchise.

How else to explain the constant flux and bizarre and nonsensical decisions that throw everyone into a panicked frenzy every hot patch and every tier and every expansion. If employees constantly made these kinds of "mistakes" and got this kind of consistent negative public feedback in any other company they and their mistakes would be quickly removed.

And then top it off by combining this with the known addictive properties of rngesus, ever-moving goalposts, and gambling (coining and gear token farming).

[MechaCThun]

"Is it possible Blizzard purposely [insert game changes & development] to keep users playing game?"

Yes, yes I do think that.

Blizzard will always do what they believe is the right step into developing their game.

Notice how I said "what they believe" lol

Of course not everything will be received well by the player base.

[Druantis]

Agreed, I guess my main point would be that unlike the claims of most posts blizz designers actually know what they are doing and are not making mistakes or missing the boat when it comes to item or class balance (etc.) - but instead purposely and intentionally and knowingly creating imbalance and then swinging the pendulum back and forth to increase calculated drama (time and energy and emotion sink for players).

This means they want players not to receive everything well.

[iamthedevil]

They absolutely do. It breaks up the monotony.

[Deleted]

If in Battle for Azeroth the Outlaw rogue spec will be the top DPS spec...i agree.

[Phookah]

Agreed, I guess my main point would be that unlike the claims of most posts blizz designers actually know what they are doing and are not making mistakes or missing the boat when it comes to item or class balance (etc.) - but instead purposely and intentionally and knowingly creating imbalance and then swinging the pendulum back and forth to increase calculated drama (time and energy and emotion sink for players).

This means they want players not to receive everything well.

Yeah, no. Blizzard doesn't want to hemorrhage players regularly like it does. Purposely causing drama that makes them lose players makes them lose money, which is the exact opposite of what they want.

[Drutt]

No, that's just tinfoil hatting. They make changes because they're trying to make a better game. There are no shadowy manipulations going on here.

The tier bonuses going away, for example, make complete sense. I have 4 items in my bags right now that are 955+, and I can't equip them because I'm locked into set bonuses...but the set bonuses are derived from much lower ilevel items. I'm far from the only person in my guild in the same boat. The amount of bitching yesterday because people opened their M+ chests to get their 960 item and couldn't wear it due to the item going in tier slow was legendary.

With M+ and other sources of gear, tier bonuses have become restrictive, not fun. Changing them is absolutely the right way to go.

It's but one example.

[Deleted]

No, that's just tinfoil hatting. They make changes because they're trying to make a better game. There are no shadowy manipulations going on here.

Well, league of legends uses tactics to make the game feel fresh. They keep changing the entire meta game every...single...time.
I think this is a tactic to try and make the game feel fresh as i have seen many people saying this.

In wow for example, one expansion the top DPS class spec is X and then is Y and then is W.
I never thought i would live to see subtlety rogue to be the top DPS spec for rogues.

[Deleted]

Is it possible Blizzard purposely creates all of this emotional drama around

Grab your tinfoil hats, boys.

You've got emotional drama around anything in every popular online game ever.

[Thoughtful Trolli]

Grab your tinfoil hats, boys.

You've got emotional drama around anything in every popular online game ever.

yah I'm sick of these stupid conspiracy theorists, let's fucking get rid of them all

[Video Games]

I would really like to use fist weapons again so I'd forgive them if they laxed tmog