Originally Posted by
MasterHamster
To a lot of people, WoW isn't just a game, it's essentially a hobby within a hobby (gaming) and/or an escape. Something they could always jump into and have some measure of fun. There's a lot of people who has been thoroughly alienated from WoW's current design, even though they've tried to hold on even throughout WoD, Legion (slight improvement at least), and BFA (the nail in the coffin).
They still want to enjoy the game but the game's design paradigm has shifted too much. A lot of people have stayed subbed and played even when they weren't having much fun, just like it's tough to give up other hobbies you're in a way "invested" in. It's not the same as no longer booting up a singleplayer game you've played through 12 times on Steam.
Those of us who has been playing since the days of classic, BC, LK, and in some ways even Cata/MoP, has seen the game very slowly but noticeably change to something unfamiliar and unfun. It's nowhere near the same game, even though a lot of systems are similar. But it's actually hard to tell exactly what it is that has changed so much. Why do I care so little about any BFA dungeon, but have so much fun playing through Westfall on a private realm, to spend a lot of time in DM, most likely not even getting a drop for my trouble? Because you aren't stuck in Godmode, you care about what's in your inventory, any green upgrade you find makes a difference in how well you perform.
Modern WoW has tried to exclude human psychology from it's players. It's trying to somehow override the fact that people don't care about a high level item, if that item doesn't fit into a bigger whole and you didn't actually do anything in particular to get it. I bonus-rolled and got some upgraded item from a world boss I zerged while barely paying attention. I can't even remember what slot it's in now, because it makes no difference.
If you know where to look, there are quests in classic you could do while they are 5+ levels above you and grant you a very powerful (for your current level) weapon. The reason that reward is so inticing, is because the game world is usually dangerous if you're not prepared (bandages, foods, potions). You will truly notice the difference if you get that weapon. However, if you are two-shotting mobs regardless that item doesn't even matter.
In contrast to Live, where you are overpowered by default. The only place within BFA where your gear actually makes some sort of tangible difference, is high M+ and premade raiding. Everywhere else, you are a winner just by participating. This does not actually foster the same sense of satisfaction from clearing something, and climbing the power progression ladder. I've had more fun getting my private realm warrior to 20, than all of BFA. I can't name a BFA dungeon boss even if you dangled money in front of me. Because I just teleported into that dungeon and zerged the boss without really caring about any of what was going on, I mean we're going to win within 20 minutes regardless. 'Cept the second last boss of, the guy who does mind controls and you have to avoid orbs... well I've forgotten the name of the dungeon.
I can spend 5 minutes flying somewhere, killing some easily soloable "elite", and get a gear upgrade.. but that gear upgrade doesn't matter. The most important aspect of MMORPGs, wanting to become stronger, is dead in BFA. At least to me, because I don't enjoy what has essentially become the only real places with some semblance of progression, premade raids and m+. Everything else is a theme park with free entrance fees and everyone is a winner just by attending. The entire rest of the game is just there to catapult you to the very endgame. And don't forget, that once the new content patch is out, 95% of what you've done is made completely irrelevant anyway.
Tl;dr
WoW has forgotten how to MMORPG, and a lot of people feel alienated.