Blizzard to Old Fanbase: Go Away

[Nagawithlegs]

Between the recent changes to old content in WoW Retail and the inclusion of Classic (plus ways to keep Classic refreshed) it seems like Blizzard is telling its aging playerbase to fuck off from Retail in an appeal for new fans from a modern age with different social sensibilities and values.

Considering how much of the “aging fanbase” exists on this site, how do you feel about this?

[Zantera]

Can't say I get any of those vibes at all, where do you get that from?

[Twdft]

Between the recent changes to old content in WoW Retail and the inclusion of Classic (plus ways to keep Classic refreshed) it seems like Blizzard is telling its aging playerbase to fuck off from Retail in an appeal for new fans from a modern age with different social sensibilities and values.

Considering how much of the “aging fanbase” exists on this site, how do you feel about this?

I didn't get the memo from Blizzard, maybe it was lost in the spam folder. Would you mind posting the text you got?

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Can't say I get any of those vibes at all, where do you get that from?

I've been getting those vibes for the past 7 years.

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It's been pretty clear for several years now that the game is run by people who don't play the game and aren't designing the game for their paying customers. They actively resent the actual Warcraft audience and have been gaslighting and insulting them for years.

[VinceVega]

Between the recent changes to old content in WoW Retail and the inclusion of Classic (plus ways to keep Classic refreshed) it seems like Blizzard is telling its aging playerbase to fuck off from Retail in an appeal for new fans from a modern age with different social sensibilities and values.

Considering how much of the “aging fanbase” exists on this site, how do you feel about this?

Never felt that way. The game is nearly 20 years old. Of course it changes. I still like both. TBC a bit more right now but still i don't see why retail would repel older players.

Sure it is more difficult. I can see it in my TBC guild where some of the older folk have problems with lurker in SSC.
But still... why would blizz want that?

[Zantera]

I've been getting those vibes for the past 7 years.

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It's been pretty clear for several years now that the game is run by people who don't play the game and aren't designing the game for their paying customers. They actively resent the actual Warcraft audience and have been gaslighting and insulting them for years.

I think the game like everything else in life just evolved with time. You can go into discussions about whether the game would have been in a better state if they kept the vanilla/TBC 'model' and just kept pushing out expansions like that, I mean it's certainly a possibility. The game much like a band you like has changed over the years and I can't blame them for trying new things even if their hit/miss ratio isn't the best.

Looking at how Classic and Classic TBC has played out I think also that hasn't been the ringing success that a lot of people thought. A lot of people play it and have fun but you also have a lot of people jumping off the ship because the things you liked 15 years ago aren't necessarily something you would like today.

On a personal level I think the game has been very up and down and that's not just expansion quality wise but patch wise. Funny enough I haven't reached the point of unsubbing since WoD which I did do in WoD, Cata and Wotlk so on a personal level I have enjoyed a lot of the stuff, but I'm also frustrated by certain things that have changed. I think it's a valid complaint that current WoW changes too much (some patches throwing out systems from the last one) but I think it's also a valid complaint that the old WoW changed too little. There's a balance somewhere in between that they never seem to hit.

[oldgeezer]

Between the recent changes to old content in WoW Retail and the inclusion of Classic (plus ways to keep Classic refreshed) it seems like Blizzard is telling its aging playerbase to fuck off from Retail in an appeal for new fans from a modern age with different social sensibilities and values.

Considering how much of the “aging fanbase” exists on this site, how do you feel about this?

Speaking as a genuine old fart, it's fine by me. It's good to bring new players into the game. And I'm enjoying the game as much as ever.

[Morssoe]

Between the recent changes to old content in WoW Retail and the inclusion of Classic (plus ways to keep Classic refreshed) it seems like Blizzard is telling its aging playerbase to fuck off from Retail in an appeal for new fans from a modern age with different social sensibilities and values.

Considering how much of the “aging fanbase” exists on this site, how do you feel about this?

They have never sold expansion advertising classic style other than orc theme for wod. So it's not blizzard's fault that customers buy their games and expecting something else.

Players just get too addicted to wow, and can't stop playing even if they don't like the current iteration.

[un_known]

Between the recent changes to old content in WoW Retail and the inclusion of Classic (plus ways to keep Classic refreshed) it seems like Blizzard is telling its aging playerbase to fuck off from Retail in an appeal for new fans from a modern age with different social sensibilities and values.

Considering how much of the “aging fanbase” exists on this site, how do you feel about this?

I’ll take the 1000 point question on things that never happened.

[Dizson]

Except it isn't what majority of playerbase wants. This is why people leaving in massive numbers, and zoomers will play the new mmos not wow.

[Sondrelk]

I am sorry to hear that your enjoyment of the game has disappeared now that you can no longer use emotes to moan or fart at random strangers. Truly, the end of WoW as we know it.

[Dizson]

I am sorry to hear that your enjoyment of the game has disappeared now that you can no longer use emotes to moan or fart at random strangers. Truly, the end of WoW as we know it.

They are slowly taking everything away that was good in the game and adding "new" systems that aren't working that well, of course people are pissed.

[Segus1992]

Between the recent changes to old content in WoW Retail and the inclusion of Classic (plus ways to keep Classic refreshed) it seems like Blizzard is telling its aging playerbase to fuck off from Retail in an appeal for new fans from a modern age with different social sensibilities and values.

Considering how much of the “aging fanbase” exists on this site, how do you feel about this?

Being old and resenting change is normal, but an MMO has to keep changing or it'll stop being interesting.

[RoKPaNda]

Between the recent changes to old content in WoW Retail and the inclusion of Classic (plus ways to keep Classic refreshed) it seems like Blizzard is telling its aging playerbase to fuck off from Retail in an appeal for new fans from a modern age with different social sensibilities and values.

Considering how much of the “aging fanbase” exists on this site, how do you feel about this?

That's not the impression I'm getting at all. I'd rather be playing retail but right now Classic is more fun for me.

[TBCCLOL]

Naa, is just Blizzard trying to mirror-climbing post sexual harrasement issue, so they are doing random things instead of the right things, to calm waters.

[Alroxas]

It's been pretty clear for several years now that the game is run by people who don't play the game and aren't designing the game for their paying customers. They actively resent the actual Warcraft audience and have been gaslighting and insulting them for years.

What? Ion played (and probably still plays) WoW. The new co-lead, Mike Ybarra plays wow (recently finished +20 in all SL dungeons).

I think you're attributing corporate level goal mandates with the people developing WoW.

I'm sure that Bobby Kotick and the other C-level executives just want increased subs, longer subs and less investment (time, money spent) to get those subs. Now as a designer/creative director/programmer how do you meet those goals while still making a good game?

That's the the point of view that nearly all the complainers keep forgetting. Sure you may want X, but if ABK gave you X, then you wouldn't remained sub for very long and that why they have systems A, B, C to keep you around.

How about this as a novel idea = ABK gives players X but the return for X is that all current players not only have to remained subbed continuously for a year but also needs to bring in at least 2 more players that remained subbed continuously for at least half a year.

[Aucald]

While I consider the removal of these emotes to be rather silly, said removal doesn't really affect me or change how I engage with WoW in any real way. Neither do the changes to various NPC's or what have you. I don't think they'll really purchase Blizzard the goodwill they seem to be angling for, but that's neither here nor there. As a veteran player I don't feel singled out or anything.

If anything, I consign it to the bin of "too little, too late" insofar as change goes. Content in the game was never Blizzard's problem as it seems to be, and the solution to their current woes isn't going to be found in trying to clean up WoW of emotes or questionable humor.

[Dazmalak]

I agree, OP. The current devs dislike the game, its lore, and the people who made it big. It's why the retcons are more frequent to old lore. Rather than build on what's there, they just change it to fit the dumbed down Disney narrative they're pushing. Classic WoW was an appeasement offer, nothing more. Personally I think the systems (talents, gearing options, dungeons, etc) in old WoW are better, but naturally it's a game people have already played so of course it's not going to stay popular.

[loras]

Between the recent changes to old content in WoW Retail and the inclusion of Classic (plus ways to keep Classic refreshed) it seems like Blizzard is telling its aging playerbase to fuck off from Retail in an appeal for new fans from a modern age with different social sensibilities and values.

Considering how much of the “aging fanbase” exists on this site, how do you feel about this?

I'm not sure what you're talking about here, and i say that as someone who has played since vanilla.

I mean taking out references to a reprehensible employee is hardly bound to age, generation or other such things, it's just cutting off toxic "assets". The only real negative about that is that it highlights just how little they have done in terms of keeping their vast stores of old content actually properly accessible, by now showing how much they could have done.

And while i think the emote removal is clumsy, counterproductive and foolish, i do think that being upset over such a thing is more a sign that you feel uncomfortable with the idea that acting like an asshole could have consequences for you, or that the option to be an asshole is taken from you.

Now i agree that it's hard to nail down what "being an asshole" entails, but empty criticism and hostility serve no positive purpose whatsoever, there is no reason to enable that (think any insult that can be boiled down to the form of "ur mum gay"; irrelevant ignorable insults that only serve to heighten tension and show displeasure).

I do think there are various problems with WoW, and that stuff like this does not really solve much and only really distracts, but i do not see this as anything age-bound, rather it targets those with certain behavioural tendencies.

[Nagawithlegs]

I don't think they'll really purchase Blizzard the goodwill they seem to be angling for

Do note that without Wowhead singling out every censorship change for clickbait, we wouldn't know these changes happened in the first place. Blizzard isn't advertising these changes: they're going scorched earth and don't care about the reaction.