The Reason the WoW Community is Toxic

[Louisa Bannon]

The current Dalaran Underbelly PvP/FFA crisis points up exactly what is wrong with the WoW community and why it is toxic.

The game encompasses all kinds of activities and playstyles. There is PvE, PvP, crafting, exploration, dungeons, raids, questing, world mini-bosses, etc. There are things for everyone to do even if that is just gathering or fishing. No element of the game should ever be developed at the expense of others in the game community. Sadly, many of you seem to actually enjoy when others are denied their fun and are placed within your grasp so that you can grief them. And this is additionally encouraged by Blizzard that creates content for this kind of shortsighted pandering to one segment of the player base. Its very odd that they pander to a small group that way because their success is entirely reliant on having appealed to a large audience with very varied playstyles in the past.

Most of you are looking at what you want out of something and by all available evidence unable to see how that works out for the other guy. You don't care about the other guy's experience but you should. The other guy is paying just like you are and his money helps keep the game afloat just as much as your money does. The more players they lose, and many are gone already, the worse the game gets and the more pigeon-holed the development seems to become. The target audience is ever smaller and smaller.

If you love the game you must demand that Blizzard develop the game so that you are happy with it but so is the other guy. There is a time and place for everything in the game and you just need to encourage Blizzard to build and maintain the game that way. Letting the other guy get screwed so that you can have some temporary fun is basically cutting off your own nose to spite your face.

I'm just going to press the point one step further and state this problem is not just a problem in the game but a problem in life and society as a whole. You can't ever let any one group of people bully another, because eventually they come for you and yours too.

Most of you don't know me, I only dip a toe in here once in a great while and usually for only a short time. But all I do is PvP in the main. I am exactly the type of player that Blizzard may see themselves as specifically pandering to with the current state of the Dalaran Underbelly. I am not now playing the game, but even if I were I would oppose the way Blizzard is handling this matter. Why? Because I care about the game and I know that when most of the players are happy with something the game is healthy and has a good chance to progress. There are dozens of ways I can indulge my desire for PvP, but forcing it on PvE players is not one I would consider either good for myself or even good for the game.

You need to care about the other guy and his experience in game. If you don't, the game is surely going to die by a thousand cuts that you are cosigning with your indifference.

This is quite literally how a society thrives and survives or how it dies, fractured with each person defending only their own little space. Taken out in the end, one by one until none are left.

[Segus1992]

The reason the WoW Community is toxic is because the game is too popular for it not to be.

[Java]

The reason the WoW Community is toxic is because the game is too popular for it not to be.

And too old.

[Segus1992]

And too old.

The community was shit even in Vanilla.

[jellmoo]

I'm honestly sorry, but even after reading through your post three times, I'm still not sure what you're identifying as the root of toxicity here... You seem to take some sort of issue with PVP in the underbelly of Dalaran, but I'm not quite sure what the issue actually is.

[pmkaboo]

its a online multiplayer game. ofcourse the community is toxic...

[Deleted]

You can replace Toxic in WoW with Toxic in IRL!
Its people in general

[SteveRocks]

The current Dalaran Underbelly PvP/FFA crisis points up exactly what is wrong with the WoW community and why it is toxic.

You need to care about the other guy and his experience in game. If you don't, the game is surely going to die by a thousand cuts that you are cosigning with your indifference.

This is quite literally how a society thrives and survives or how it dies, fractured with each person defending only their own little space. Taken out in the end, one by one until none are left.

1. The Underbelly situation is not a "crisis."
2. PvP is a normal and valued aspect of the game. PvP players are not "toxic."
3. If you don't like PvP, avoid the Underbelly.
4. It is physically impossible to please everyone. It is not the consumers responsibility to look out for the interest of others.

[Joeydivision82]

So...........PVP is happening in a PVP area. Damn Blizzard.

I demand that all Arenas have raid bosses and somewhere to fish from this point on because they cant allow a PVP arena to cater to those who want to PVP. Raiders should be allowed to raid in those areas too.

[SirCowdog]

The WoW community is toxic because people are unable to differentiate between criticism of something they like and criticism of themselves.

Throw in some rampant elitism and intolerance of playstyle choices different from their own, and there you have it.

[callipygoustp]

The Reason the WoW Community is Toxic

Two reasons:
1. Anonymity.
2. Lack of any kind of meaningful repercussions to deter bad behavior.

[Deja Thoris]

How is it a "crisis"?

I'm not sure the word means what you think it does.

[Swizzington]

I don't have a problem with the wow community. At all. I don't see why people think that. The majority of people I deal with on wow are great.

[Hotmail]

Complaining about toxicity in an online game does fuck all other than erode what makes a game a game in the first place.

There is also the matter of MMOs being about creating a sense of identity with your character and one of the many ways this can be done is by dividing the community into mini-factions and spamming your forum with memes about how the latest BG cost a raid tier.

[Jtbrig7390]

The WoW community is toxic because most of the Online Gaming Community is toxic. Some parts its better some its much worse.

[elmoe420]

...I am exactly the type of player that Blizzard may see themselves as specifically pandering to with the current state of the Dalaran Underbelly. I am not now playing the game, but even if I were I would oppose the way Blizzard is handling this matter...

If you are not playing the game and hence have no first hand experience with the current Dalaran Underbelly then what exactly are you basing your opinion on? Are you just reading the opinions of some others who are currently playing the game and trying to extrapolate from that? I'm sorry and I'm not trying to be rude but this isn't a sound basis to present any sort of compelling assessment of the situation.

[Louisa Bannon]

I'm saying that you have to take some responsibility for your neighbor. That is the hallmark of civilization and any solid community.

You can't just be "Good Germans" and say to yourselves "Oh, Blizzard made it this way so its fine" while other players have to put up something they generally find unacceptable. When its your turn you will wish you had the support of others too.

[Sarange]

I'm saying that you have to take some responsibility for your neighbor. That is the hallmark of civilization and any solid community.

You can't just be "Good Germans" and say to yourselves "Oh, Blizzard made it this way so its fine" while other players have to put up something they generally find unacceptable. When its your turn you will wish you had the support of others too.

The underbelly "crisis" is actually pretty fun. Its made with pvp as a core element as you get way more currency from it than killing the shitty mobs that can be summoned. You would know this if you had tried it. Its not toxic at all. Whats toxic is the people that want the carrot without the stick. Turns out that even more people leave at that point, funny huh?

[Mister Cheese]

You keep using that word, but I don't think you know what it means.

[Aori]

Not any more toxic than anything else.