How will 8.3 keep casuals occupied for 9+ months?

[styil]

EDIT: sorry, this was meant for the general discussion forum.

With 7.3 lasting 9 months, it is safe to assume that 8.3 will also be around for at least just as long, especially with such a big raid. So the real question becomes, what is going to motivate the casual playerbase to stick around for 9+ months?

No new outdoor zones, no new dungeons. Just the same WQ's and assaults formula from the last 5 patches. What is Blizzard expecting casuals to do after 9 days, let alone 9 months?

And the worst part is, it doesn't even seem like those cut development resources have made their way into Shadowlands either, which is spreading content just as thinly.

[Xaviaton]

I believe the current consensus is that we will have 8.3(.5) for more than 10 months (Early Jan - Late Nov).
I think Blizzard has come to expect a significant drop-off in the last 4-5 months of the expansion as part of their expansion cycle at this point. Assuming that 9.0 arrives some time in November, they can probably convince people to subscribe another month before Shadowlands. The addition of 8.3.5 sometime in April or May might keep people in. Some people might stick around for Classic or level alts and whatnot in the middle-period downtime, or just take the summer off. With this time they also keep the "6-month sub" base from unsubbing. While I do believe they want to produce good content I sincerely doubt they themselves think that the 8.3 content will keep people entertained for the full end-of-expansion cycle, which the final patch rarely does. The only thing that kept Legion going for me in this period was alt-leveling for mage-tower but I doubt something equally fun/time consuming/rewarding will be included in 8.3.

[Amerissis]

What is going to motivate the casual playerbase to stick around for 9+ months?

Nothing or everything. Every casual plays the game differently. Altoholics will keep leveling alts, achievement hunters will keep hunting achievements, casual raiders/dungeoneers will still do their raids and dungeons, pet battlers will battle pets, mount/pet collectors will keep collecting. Casuals are glad they have some time to complete the things they do. I'm still working on getting exalted with Rustbolt and those water gnomes and when that's done I have an alliance alt that still needs to reach exalted with whatever it is you need for Kul'Tirans (now at honored).

It's the raiders that have nothing to do after clearing the raid a few times.

And the people who have nothing to do, be it casuals, hardcores, raiders or whomever, will just quit for a while. That's how it's been for years, nothing shocking or new. Time for different games!

[Drusin]

Which casual playerbase? My casual playerbase (we collect everything in the damn game) will be fine for years without new content

[Khrux]

What is anyone going to do for 9+ months?

Even the raid won't last half that long for most people. 2 reused zones for invasions, some solo content, a raid tier, mechagon m+ and a new race is very light content. The 8.2 patch had more content than 8.3 does and then 8.2 lost its appeal very quick when it turned into generic WQ/daily simulator for pearl/AP grinding.

8.3 will be done in a week, other than the raid and then its a long ass draught for the foreseeable future.

[Dracullus]

Lol, it's very likely we're looking at shortest drought, on top of that supported by BWL and ZG in Classic (+ maybe small 8.3.5) . Shitty attempt OP.

[TheRevenantHero]

it's ok to have 6-9 months drought before an expansion. this is when the game has the least amount of subscriptions.

But this is mitigated partially by blizzard because of wow classic. Some people will think that a subscription with 2 games is a good deal and will stay subscribed even when there is nothing going on in retail.

to OP: This is completely normal & been happening for the last 7 expansions. I would even encourage blizzard to focus completely on next expansion to give us the best experience possible.

There's even less going on in Classic though. Most people will level to max level then quit again. Another massive content drought will severely damage the game.

[A Chozo]

As with any other WoW patch, the casual playerbase will complete whatever content that exists once then let their monthly sub expire. They'll go play another game or do something else.

Happens all the time in mmorpgs.

[Clbull]

No, but WoW Classic will.

And that's if WoW still has any player base after the great Blitzchung betrayal.

[Eapoe]

EDIT: sorry, this was meant for the general discussion forum.

With 7.3 lasting 9 months, it is safe to assume that 8.3 will also be around for at least just as long, especially with such a big raid. So the real question becomes, what is going to motivate the casual playerbase to stick around for 9+ months?

No new outdoor zones, no new dungeons. Just the same WQ's and assaults formula from the last 5 patches. What is Blizzard expecting casuals to do after 9 days, let alone 9 months?

And the worst part is, it doesn't even seem like those cut development resources have made their way into Shadowlands either, which is spreading content just as thinly.

The same things that keep them around after 9 days from the very launch of the xpac.
Other than that, Blizzard has done placeholder raids in the past, as well as create events to start into the next xpac around 1-2 months before release.
I still hold by my first sentence, casuals will have the things they always have, so why try to make it sound like this is just some end of the xpac problem when it exists from day 1 of a new xpac. “Grats, you dinged max level. What do you do now filthy casual!?”

[Osmeric]

There was a large drop-off in participation from the Uldir to BfD to EP, and now EP is mostly dead.

So the unsub until 9.0 (or permanently) has been going on for a while. I'm seeing players who dallied in Classic unsubbing now too.

I suspect 8.3 participation will be lackluster at best. Players whose guilds sputtered to a halt in EP may find their guilds aren't in a position to start up again when 8.3 drops.

[kamuimac]

EDIT: sorry, this was meant for the general discussion forum.

With 7.3 lasting 9 months, it is safe to assume that 8.3 will also be around for at least just as long, especially with such a big raid. So the real question becomes, what is going to motivate the casual playerbase to stick around for 9+ months?

No new outdoor zones, no new dungeons. Just the same WQ's and assaults formula from the last 5 patches. What is Blizzard expecting casuals to do after 9 days, let alone 9 months?

And the worst part is, it doesn't even seem like those cut development resources have made their way into Shadowlands either, which is spreading content just as thinly.

the answer is simple

it wont

8.3 is aimed solely at youtubers and raiders so they dont do too much negative PR before launch of 9.0

they simply have no choice but to shut them up .

thats why there is 0 content for casual players and only grinds aimed at raiders. there is no mage tower this time meaning there is absolutely no reason to push gear because you will replace it with leveling greens anyway and there is nothing that you could utilize it for unless you raid.

for me its a perfect moment to take long break from game most likely 6+ moonths long since match or april

[Loveliest]

Nothing or everything. Every casual plays the game differently. Altoholics will keep leveling alts, achievement hunters will keep hunting achievements, casual raiders/dungeoneers will still do their raids and dungeons, pet battlers will battle pets, mount/pet collectors will keep collecting. Casuals are glad they have some time to complete the things they do. I'm still working on getting exalted with Rustbolt and those water gnomes and when that's done I have an alliance alt that still needs to reach exalted with whatever it is you need for Kul'Tirans (now at honored).

It's the raiders that have nothing to do after clearing the raid a few times.

And the people who have nothing to do, be it casuals, hardcores, raiders or whomever, will just quit for a while. That's how it's been for years, nothing shocking or new. Time for different games!

Yeah, I think the word casual isn't properly picked here. I think he wants to say "non-raiders".

[12yoPlayedSinceClassic]

EDIT: sorry, this was meant for the general discussion forum.

With 7.3 lasting 9 months, it is safe to assume that 8.3 will also be around for at least just as long, especially with such a big raid. So the real question becomes, what is going to motivate the casual playerbase to stick around for 9+ months?

No new outdoor zones, no new dungeons. Just the same WQ's and assaults formula from the last 5 patches. What is Blizzard expecting casuals to do after 9 days, let alone 9 months?

And the worst part is, it doesn't even seem like those cut development resources have made their way into Shadowlands either, which is spreading content just as thinly.

I think you should understand what a casual playstyle is.

It means that a person are playing at this artifical level with no interest in competition. If games are made to compete in - then there are plenty to do for the casual group.

For the hardcore player - 9months can be long. You should be able to finish Mythic raiding a couple of times by the end of this gap.

[Rootsbum]

I always end up taking a long break quickly after the last patch.
Im probably gonna gave loads of fun with my Vulpera DK in 8.3, but thats it for me and I probably wont return until late summer.

Its just not worth it repeating the same content over and over when it wont help me the next patch or anything.

Though, I love the "reset" each expansion though.
And I cant wait to go into the Shadowlands as a foxman after being a goblin for years.

[Khrux]

The real "problem" in 8.3 is that the only things to keep you playing are the AP/essence grinds, which has two core problems of their own;

1. Grinding for AP/Essences is only relevant to the raiders/mythic+ pushers, because you don't need them otherwise
2. The AP/Essences are redundant in 9.0, so unless you need them now(to raid/mythic+) you won't be bothered farming them casually to lose them shortly afterwards

Most players will do invasions in each zone once or twice, do the solo nightmare thing a few times and then the new content is exhausted. Its back to WQs, AP farming, rep grinds for Essences etc. which is the same content you've been doing since 8.0 - which most players are long bored of already.

The last patch of an expansion is the only patch that has the "but its all going away soon" feeling, even if its 9 months it still feels like a huge waste of time unless your a die hard.

[oldgeezer]

Eh, I'll be fine. WQ rewards are improving, and I haven't even unlocked Mechagon and Naz on a bunch of my alts yet. And there's the Uldum/Vale invasion stuff. No shortage of things to do.

[MrLachyG]

EDIT: sorry, this was meant for the general discussion forum.

With 7.3 lasting 9 months, it is safe to assume that 8.3 will also be around for at least just as long, especially with such a big raid. So the real question becomes, what is going to motivate the casual playerbase to stick around for 9+ months?

No new outdoor zones, no new dungeons. Just the same WQ's and assaults formula from the last 5 patches. What is Blizzard expecting casuals to do after 9 days, let alone 9 months?

And the worst part is, it doesn't even seem like those cut development resources have made their way into Shadowlands either, which is spreading content just as thinly.

as a casual I will be farming mounts, achievements, pets, toys from the current expansion and any i am missing from old expansion. might level an alt if i feel like it

[Ange]

Lots of crying about the brutosaur, depends how casual some people play, this one goal could be enough to keep them busy.

People wanted things that remain relevant for a long time and require a longer grind - there it is.

[Osmeric]

The last patch of an expansion is the only patch that has the "but its all going away soon" feeling, even if its 9 months it still feels like a huge waste of time unless your a die hard.

I think that feeling set in earlier in this expansion.