Originally Posted by
Thimagryn
What I want is the game to provide something for the event they glorified in the past. Sure they only gave pets out for 2 years out of 6, but those two years were memorable.
You just see it as entitlement, while I'm telling you it's deeper than that.
Every year we get a holiday event. Year after year, it's the same holiday event. But every year, something new gets added or updated keep things at least a little bit fresh. Sure some people complain it's the same old content, but at least we're getting equal/more than last year. The Anniversary event is like if they took away the holiday events and prizes, but still acknowledged it as a holiday and gave out a temporary buff in its place. People feel dejected at the premise of not having what they got before. It's not about the prize or the free gifts, it's about having less than what was expected. Nobody likes a nerf. That's the core issue.
If you mention the Anniversary to any WoW player, most will think of the Pets. It's not a coincidence that this happens. This is the impression Blizzard made for the first two years they actively celebrated the event, and it stuck strong. There's a reason why even 4 years after the last pet had been given out people STILL think about it. It's the principle.
I don't offer a solution for this predicament, but I offer insight as to why so many people are disappointed by the simple EXP buff and why they always compare it to the pets. The minor anniversaries don't make any impressions, yet they still draw attention. No one will remember the years that they didn't get a pet, which is why people will still ask if they're getting them the next year, and the next.