Why are people in denial about the state of the game?

[Wilfire]

Let's look at Metacritic scores:

TBC - 8.0 user score - generally favorable reviews - subs rise
WotLK - 7.7 user score - generally favorable reviews - subs rise
Cataclysm - 5.6 user score - mixed or average reviews - subs decline
MoP - 5.0 user score - mixed or average reviews - subs stagnate
WoD - 5.9 user score - mixed or average reviews - subs decline
Legion - 7.3 user score - mixed or average reviews - subs rise
BfA - 3.1 user score - generally unfavorable reviews - subs decline

You could make an argument that Legion does not fit the pattern since it had mixed or average reviews, but 7.3 is a lot closer to TBC's 8.0 and WotLK's 7.7 than any other expansion.

The fact is that these reviews are broadly representative of the state of the game. Thousands of people can't all be wrong about something. MoP had good gameplay but unappealing story / design direction so subs stagnated. Cataclysm, WoD and BfA were all badly received and coincided with a rapid drop in sub numbers. Legion was generally seen as a return to form for the game and although we didn't get exact sub numbers, it was pretty evident that they were on the rise just judging by increased activity across all endgame content.

All of these people can't be wrong.

[Sorrowseer]

No one is in denial, you are in denial thinking they are, the people you think are in denial just like certain aspects of the game, they are not unaware that there is a lot of ailings in other areas, have a nice day.

[Eleccybubb]

Because sadly there are people on this forum and others in general OP who think Blizz can do no wrong and defend everything they do like it's their job in life.

It's pitiful to say the least.

I mean they are also in denial about the mass exodus WoW has had recently and most of their players moving to other MMOs. But eh let them.

[Softbottom]

Metacritic is not exactly the the best source to get reviews from. Besides that; Players will blindly follow and give blizzard money no matter the state of the game. For some people it's an addiction and for others it's just a cheap source of entertainment. I no longer play but still read the forums to see if stuff will ever change for the better (which it doesn't seem to be in my opinion). When I did play I could pay for my sub with 15 minutes of real work and play as much as I wanted for a month. It's a cheap form of entertainment.

[Belloc]

If people like the game, then they like the game. You don't have to like it, but that's all there is to it. It's not being in denial, it's enjoying a high-quality product that isn't quite as good as previous years, but still plenty good.

[tankbug]

You can't really review a WoW expansion fully and fairly before it's at its end. It's not a 50-100 hour independent game, like Fallout 4 vs Fallout 3. Generally people are getting tired of the game, and they need bigger and bigger dose to get high, Legion was huge, Bfa can't compete and at this stage of the game, so the fall is really high.

[Kumorii]

I see way more people attributing "blizzard defender" to someone wrongly than then denial you talk about.

[A Chozo]

Look.

Some players like the game, in the current state. They don't care about Metacritic (lmao using metacritic as a source for the game's situation), and will continue playing, because for those, the game is fun. The state of the game is nice for those players.

Then other players, unhappy with the game, try to convince the people having fun that the game isn't fun. That's when it gets weird. Or even weirder: players having fun trying to convince everyone that the game is fun for all, and they all should just play.

Weirdos appear from both sides, but the people unhappy with WoW simply play other games, while the people that are happy with WoW keep playing it. "State of the game" being good or bad is a perception that each players should have for him/herself alone.

Personally I haven't seen much "denial" - it's more two groups trying to explain each other's perspective, and some vocal outliners being dramatic.

[Saverem]

The 3.1 score for BfA is probably because of the large echo-chamber that is the internet right now. BfA isn't great, but it's def not as bad as Cata or WoD was. Cata and WoD actually caused me to unsub around x.1 and go play other games. BfA has problems, but the PvP (excluding WM) is the best it's been for a while. BoD is one of the best raids since NH. M+ is pretty fun with the new Reaping affix.

AP and class pruning is the biggest issue that needs to be looked at.

[yamix]

The 3.1 score for BfA is probably because of the large echo-chamber that is the internet right now. BfA isn't great, but it's def not as bad as Cata or WoD was. Cata and WoD actually caused me to unsub around x.1 and go play other games. BfA has problems, but the PvP (excluding WM) is the best it's been for a while. BoD is one of the best raids since NH. M+ is pretty fun with the new Reaping affix.

AP and class pruning is the biggest issue that needs to be looked at.

It reminds me a lot of WoD, tbh. The leveling zones weren't bad (although I think I prefer WoDs, at this point - just due to having more variety and bonus objectives). There's not a whole lot to do though once you're max level that isn't just a grind. I kind of want some solo objectives that *aren't* a treadmill - mage tower, Chromie, both of these were fun things to do that weren't just the traditional treadmill.

[AwkwardSquirtle]

Those people aren't wrong, but that's not stopping me having fun. The game being not as good as it was is still better than a lot of other games.

[Eapoe]

Like I’ve said multiple times, I will quit when I get bored or the game ends.
I don’t jump on the bandwagon of hate because it’s the cool thing to do, nor has Blizz done anything to enrage me at this point.
“Blizz put another mount on the store!” Who cares? Most of the store items I purchased are because of the real life promo that was tied to them, such as the Mercy skin going for Breast Cancer research and support, or the pets where proceeds went to a good cause. There have been some things I purchased just because I liked them, but again, who cares?
Timegating? I don’t believe it exists in the way most people argue against it. Yes, things are time gated, but to say it’s to increase MAUs is a stretch. Put simply, for example, if someone is playing simply for an allied race that hasn’t been given a release date, that person simply unsubs, waits for the date, resubs, gets their shit done which takes less than a month sub fee, and gets what they want. If a person stays subbed for any other reason, such as raiding or hanging out with guild members, then there is no increase to MAU for a timegated allied race as that person is staying subbed for other reasons.
As far as game time played, Legion was by far the worst for me. I hated the feeling of having to log in to get my BiS or grind AP to a certain point. BfA actually has a decent middle ground where I don’t feel like I have to grind and log in to play and do what I want, not to do things I need to do.
That said, there are things wrong with the game and it is on a decline. If it continues this way I probably will unsub, but that will be another xpac or 2 down the road. If Blizz changes that direction, then who knows how long I will keep playing/

[TracyM]

Look.

Some players like the game, in the current state. They don't care about Metacritic (lmao using metacritic as a source for the game's situation), and will continue playing, because for those, the game is fun. The state of the game is nice for those players.

Then other players, unhappy with the game, try to convince the people having fun that the game isn't fun. That's when it gets weird. Or even weirder: players having fun trying to convince everyone that the game is fun for all, and they all should just play.

This, very much this. I would say that the practice of reviewbombing has gotten far more pronounced over the years as well (look at what happened to The Last Jedi, or Black Panther, or Captain Marvel; they may not be your cup of tea but neither of the first two is a "bad" movie, and Captain Marvel isn't even out yet, so giving it a horrible reaction score makes no sense).

The Metacritic scores don't line up with my experience at all; I'd put MoP at essentially the same score as TBC and Wrath, with Legion slightly behind. BFA is in the middle (6-7); Cataclysm maybe a 5, WoD a 3.5. BFA would go up a half-point if they'd just ditch the faction war and get on with something interesting.

Are there mechanical issues? Of course; I'm with the people that think Azerite is questionable, TF/WF are overdone (and, paradoxically, underdone, in the case of Azerite pieces; it should be all or nothing), that islands should be better (though they're hardly a disaster), warfronts need attention, etc. All that said -- there were mechanical issues in every previous expansion (Artifact Power became junk and the Artifact design in terms of choices barely survived the first raid; a number of systems are junk in WoD; dailies and rep were junk in MoP; dungeons and many classes were junk in Cataclysm, not to mention raid lockout shenanigans; Wrath and TBC are horribly immature design-wise by today's standards; though classes in general were better designed, QoL was hugely lacking).

The state of the game is ALWAYS that the current expansion is garbage and the next expansion will be the glorious savior of WoW, fixing all that is wrong and bringing right and justice to Azeroth. Often they fix the sins of the previous expansion while introducing new and amazing transgressions.

[Venziir]

Let's look at Metacritic scores:

TBC - 8.0 user score - generally favorable reviews - subs rise
WotLK - 7.7 user score - generally favorable reviews - subs rise
Cataclysm - 5.6 user score - mixed or average reviews - subs decline
MoP - 5.0 user score - mixed or average reviews - subs stagnate
WoD - 5.9 user score - mixed or average reviews - subs decline
Legion - 7.3 user score - mixed or average reviews - subs rise
BfA - 3.1 user score - generally unfavorable reviews - subs decline

You could make an argument that Legion does not fit the pattern since it had mixed or average reviews, but 7.3 is a lot closer to TBC's 8.0 and WotLK's 7.7 than any other expansion.

The fact is that these reviews are broadly representative of the state of the game. Thousands of people can't all be wrong about something. MoP had good gameplay but unappealing story / design direction so subs stagnated. Cataclysm, WoD and BfA were all badly received and coincided with a rapid drop in sub numbers. Legion was generally seen as a return to form for the game and although we didn't get exact sub numbers, it was pretty evident that they were on the rise just judging by increased activity across all endgame content.

All of these people can't be wrong.

"All of these people can't be wrong" of course they can. If popularity equalled quality; McDonalds would be the best food on the planet.
The issue with ratings and reviews, is that it's 100% subjective. I write reviews for an online magazine, and I am very well aware of the fact that what I write and how I rate isn't a cold, hard fact; it's my opinion.

Sure, TBC has a 8.0 user score where as MoP has a 5.0 - doesn't change the fact that I disliked TBC and loved (most) of MoP.

[McNeil]

Its very hard to take Metacritic seriously when it rates MoP as the 2nd worst expansion. I have my issues with MoP but its still far better than Cata and WoD.

[darklogrus]

You can't really review a WoW expansion fully and fairly before it's at its end. It's not a 50-100 hour independent game, like Fallout 4 vs Fallout 3. Generally people are getting tired of the game, and they need bigger and bigger dose to get high, Legion was huge, Bfa can't compete and at this stage of the game, so the fall is really high.

It should evolve with the game and right now 3/10 is pretty damn accurate..

[cparle87]

Too many people who are insecure/unsure looking for validation for their own choices, rather than deciding to play, or not to play by their own choice. I don't care if someone likes the game or doesn't like the game, but don't tell me what to like or not like, or why to like or not like something. I'll quit the game or keep playing the game or take a break on my own hook, thank you very much.

Why is that so hard for so many people?

Most people aren't as mature as you are. If they've become soured to the game and have quit they will, for years to come, come onto this game and swear up and down that Blizzard is the devil incarnate just to get an echo chamber to tell them that they were o so wise to quit the game then and thank them for imparting this wisdom upon them.

[Monster Hunter]

Because sadly there are people on this forum and others in general OP who think Blizz can do no wrong and defend everything they do like it's their job in life.

It's pitiful to say the least.

I mean they are also in denial about the mass exodus WoW has had recently and most of their players moving to other MMOs. But eh let them.

It's just they have a vested interest, I was the same through wod and early bfa. I defended wow to the hilt in wod even though yes it was shit, its hard to explain its like wanting something to be in such a way that you become blind and its such a part of you that attacking it is like being attacked personally. No one outside of the thing it's self can prove you other wise, it takes something to finally effect you personally to such an extent you can't excuse it and it directly come from the thing for you to have an awakening.

The best I can describe it as is blind faith, It's similar behaviour the super religious have that allows no matter the shit a religion does they will always excuse it and rise to its defence as good, That how I describe where my head was at during wod.

[Spotnick]

Not sure I get why people would be in denial?

Raids and dungeons have pretty much been the same forever now, mythic+ is a fun addition to the game and I'm personally enjoying myself like in any other xpac.

At this point I'd pretty much say the biggest issue is gear is too easy to get, I mean, I no longer raid mythic and that's already the only place where I could get upgrades after only a few weeks of the season being up.

Only thing that changed since then is the class I play, because yeah, they changed them and I started not enjoying them so I had to find new ones to play. Weirdly it's the 2 most recent classes now.

[Pooti]

OP, what is it you want, exactly? Everyone to agree with one opinion? That rarely happens on anything. Even if they did, and every single player agreed with you, so what. It is what it is.