This is why I dont play on launch.

[SirCowdog]

I think that's a bit too simplified view.
It's not all about the top 10 guilds and streamers.

It's about set goals. You can be a "shitty top 400 mythic guild filled with baddies" - but if your goal is to "clear mythic before next tier" then perhaps you actually need to play from the launch to manage that since your roster isn't actually Merhod-level. A lot of people in that 400-500 range are "normal gamers", not streamer unicorns.

Would such a guild REALLY suffer from not immediately jumping into the new expansion seconds after launch, though? Especially with catch-up mechanics, I find it difficult to credit a situation where waiting a couple weeks or a month after launch is really going to hurt them. It might even benefit them because they can gain the advantage of guides, logs for better raid comps, strategy vids, and the like, rather than potentially investing in sub-optimal areas.

That's all pure speculation on both sides, I think. I think people should play how they want. It's their recreation time, after all. But I also think MANY players would benefit a hell of a lot more from waiting a bit instead of mindlessly jumping in headfirst without thought just because.

The other benefit of more people waiting to buy an expansion would be to potentially cause Blizzard to focus on launching in a more complete state instead of hyping things up, then rolling out patches and fixes later. Things like the shoddy state of Priests and Shaman getting the middle finger until 8.1 would happen less if players didn't throw money at Blizzard months in advance just because a pre-order was made available.

[Deleted]

The game is just insanely fun right now. I wouldnt even think about stop playing. But hey if you find it fun to just do outdated content, so wait your time i guess..

One of my favorite things of WOW is the early scene of the expansion where everyone still has blue gear and things are actually a challenge. Plus with raids still locked you got time for everything!

Love doing Heroic Dungeons early in the expansion, you aren't simply zerging around

[SirCowdog]

Oh wow so it´s wrong to want to have Blizz do their fucking job and made a product aka expansion which is playable at launch and not only at the first big content patch?

Fucking white knights excuse all and everything there is it´s soo fucking pathetic.

I think you might have misunderstood my argument. That anyone on these forums would confuse me with a Blizzard White Knight is....ludicrous...to say the least.

[ReVnX]

You should play the previous expansion when a new one is released, it's even easier.

Also it will save you money

[crusadernero]

Best feeling playing in the beginning. That said, I didnt start playing BfA before friday. Couldnt play for various reasons. Soon lvl 115, no issues so far and the zones are GREAT!

[Polarthief]

1. ALL you do will be much faster 2-3 patches later.

Not true for a lot of things like reps and unlocks. Allied Races will also require the same as they have for a bit now.

2. Playing on launch is like playing on the hardest mode WoW has.

No more harder than months into launch.

3. No catch up mechanics

Yep, so you can actually do all the content as it comes.

4. No flying

This I agree with but we won't see flying til ~8.2 or so anyways.

5. Not all bugs and quirks are fixed, aka not final product.

First legitimate reason.

6. What you do will become easier in X months

Read: "This content is too hard for me"? Do you only play games that are super easy?

I'm loving that Mythic 0s are actually posing a decent challenge for me atm.

7. Community hasn't explored and made all that sweet juicy min-max guides and tutorials yet.

...and? You don't strike me as the kind of player who plans to do Mythic Raiding or high end PvP if you're not even playing at launch (also because of what you literally just said at #6).

8. You feel less efficient not being able to look up said guides

I guess? It also means guides aren't as needed and maybe you can play how you think is right or discover what IS the correct way to do things.

9. All things you buy cost a lot more. The chance for higher profit is also there, but in general even AH play is hard to do.

When the supply is super low, it's actually the best time to play the AH. Anyways, yes, new stuff costs more, but that's due to low supply and high demand.

1/9, 11.11% isn't too bad I guess.

[rda]

OP, I got to the same conclusion several years ago. For me, WoW has become a big set of checks to cross: get all pets, get all mounts, get all achievements, get all recipes, etc. It is nothing terribly exciting, but you progress steadily and it provides some limited fun. The moment there appears a different game that would look stable enough to last for years, that would have big updates and tons of different collectibles, and would also provide more interesting gameplay than WoW, I will happily switch. Because I don't really like playing WoW, it's just the biggest set of checks to cross that is around, that's it. (Although other games started coming close lately.)

Here is what I would suggest: if you don't care about the cutting edge and are playing mostly to collect stuff, like I do, it is worth getting expansions. Right now I am leveling my main, doing loremaster for BFA. It's not super-exciting, but it's okay. After I max main, I will do some world quests and some instances. But after a week or so, I will spend maybe two-three hours a week on max-level grinds, basically doing what's easiest and most lucrative. And for the rest of the time I am going to go back to Legion and solo mythics for achievements and do similar things. Everyone is going to be jumping up and down in Kul Tiras and Zandalar, dying on the altar of azerite power and high mythics and raids, and I'll be doing stuff that I can now comfortably solo in gear that is just a couple of weeks behind the very cutting edge. Many things in collections take a lot of time to get even after they are soloable, that's my bread and butter and a new expansion increases the range of what I can now do comfortably. So, if you are into collections, consider getting an expansion. You can wait until the end of it, sure. But you can also get it now and just do the bare minimum on the max level, spending time in prior content (eg, if you don't have Legion flying yet, you can get it now, it is now fully unlocked).

[Wolfbear]

Nah it's far more fun playing on launch.

[tikcol]

Nah, it's just being smart.

That's the most stupid thing I've heard today.

[mingarrubia]

- - - Updated - - -

That's the most stupid thing I've heard today.

/shrug

/tenchars

[Temp name]

Your reasons for not playing at launch is my reasons for doing it.

[Oneirophobia]

The first week or so after launch is most like vanilla, yet you see so many threads complaining and saying they can’t wait for classic.

[Ryzek]

Are things easier when you wait for everything to unlock and for all the catch up mechanics to kick in? Yes it is. At least for me that is boring, the start of an expansion is one of the most exciting times besides getting a raid boss down for the first time that you have been stuck on for a while. Also all the time gates, and other inconveniences at the start of an expansion don't really affect you when you are having fun with friends.

[xwolf1989]

totally agree with you, im only going to play BfA when next expac launches because it will be alot easier..... /s

[Dracullus]

totally agree with you, im only going to play BfA when next expac launches because it will be alot easier..... /s

You're not pro enough. You should play BfA when 10.0 will launch, this way you will be able to solo all content. ;D

[Deleted]

Honestly?

All of the point you posted are the reason why I do play on launch.
It's harder, unexplored, buggy and no flying, but that's given.

[Azerate]

That IS why you play at launch. To experience the content while it's fresh and a bit harder than later. I'm enjoying it a lot personally.

[Djuntas]

OP, I got to the same conclusion several years ago. For me, WoW has become a big set of checks to cross: get all pets, get all mounts, get all achievements, get all recipes, etc. It is nothing terribly exciting, but you progress steadily and it provides some limited fun. The moment there appears a different game that would look stable enough to last for years, that would have big updates and tons of different collectibles, and would also provide more interesting gameplay than WoW, I will happily switch. Because I don't really like playing WoW, it's just the biggest set of checks to cross that is around, that's it. (Although other games started coming close lately.)

Here is what I would suggest: if you don't care about the cutting edge and are playing mostly to collect stuff, like I do, it is worth getting expansions. Right now I am leveling my main, doing loremaster for BFA. It's not super-exciting, but it's okay. After I max main, I will do some world quests and some instances. But after a week or so, I will spend maybe two-three hours a week on max-level grinds, basically doing what's easiest and most lucrative. And for the rest of the time I am going to go back to Legion and solo mythics for achievements and do similar things. Everyone is going to be jumping up and down in Kul Tiras and Zandalar, dying on the altar of azerite power and high mythics and raids, and I'll be doing stuff that I can now comfortably solo in gear that is just a couple of weeks behind the very cutting edge. Many things in collections take a lot of time to get even after they are soloable, that's my bread and butter and a new expansion increases the range of what I can now do comfortably. So, if you are into collections, consider getting an expansion. You can wait until the end of it, sure. But you can also get it now and just do the bare minimum on the max level, spending time in prior content (eg, if you don't have Legion flying yet, you can get it now, it is now fully unlocked).

Cool tips, agreed on it all.

Didnt wanna mention this, cause its almost embarrassing, but when I bought legion back in like...7.1, maybe before. My plan was to only do content that wouldent be faster or slower if I had flying...Yes im so pathetic a gamer I did a very in depth plan on how I wanted to play. That meant I did stuff like fish grinds, the croco mount down in dalaran sewer etc.

- - - Updated - - -

Honestly?

All of the point you posted are the reason why I do play on launch.
It's harder, unexplored, buggy and no flying, but that's given.

Yep, thats what you should also really do, I figure people like me are far from the norm, still interesting to talk about.

[rda]

Didnt wanna mention this, cause its almost embarrassing, but when I bought legion back in like...7.1, maybe before. My plan was to only do content that wouldent be faster or slower if I had flying...Yes im so pathetic a gamer I did a very in depth plan on how I wanted to play. That meant I did stuff like fish grinds, the croco mount down in dalaran sewer etc.

I don't think it is embarrassing to plan the game, and I am the same when it comes to WoW, because it's now just a collect-a-thon for me.

I also despise lack of flying and until they add flying to BFA, I just won't really be doing anything in the BFA zones. Why would I when I have tons of things to do and collect in zones from previous expansions where I can fly. BFA things aren't more interesting than Legion things or Draenor things or Pandarian things or things from other expansions.

[Lochton]

So, been kinda on the fence to make this thread. Now I just feel like it. Won't bore you with a lot of text, just reasons, since that is easier to digest.


1. ALL you do will be much faster 2-3 patches later.

That is because content would be outdated, and you would be way behind if you wish to be an active player. And there would be more stuff to explore on top.

2. Playing on launch is like playing on the hardest mode WoW has.

No, not really. With the new phasing and scaling, it isn't hard to complete your objectives, or fighting mobs.

3. No catch up mechanics

It is new content, there is no catch up mechanics. You shouldn't need them for brand new content. Later on, you'll have some but you'll be behind other content already.

4. No flying

Tough, that is life. The game isn't that hard without flight.

5. Not all bugs and quirks are fixed, aka not final product.

This is an MMORPG, this is World of Warcraft. You'll never have all bugs and quirks fixed, deal with it. Even bugs claimed to be fixed can reappear.

6. What you do will become easier in X months

And then there would be other things harder, and you'll be fighting that. And still be behind on content.

7. Community hasn't explored and made all that sweet juicy min-max guides and tutorials yet.

Well, of course not, everything is new. People are exploring and enjoying the new feel. If you need hand holding, then you can wait for the guides.

8. You feel less efficient not being able to look up said guides

Yes, because things are new. You're meant to explore that and learn how to cope with the content.

9. All things you buy cost a lot more. The chance for higher profit is also there, but in general even AH play is hard to do.

The Auction House is being overplayed currently, a lot of materials are rather cheap at the moment. Yes, there is chance it is expensive on other servers right now and we know it'll go cheaper, but you won't have much market yourself either. You end up missing out on business as well.