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The big question all the executives must ask.
GreenChaos
Member Posts: 2,268
Why is WoW so popular? How can we do the same?
I know what they are thinking and they are wrong.
They are comparing the game to previous games, this is where they are wrong.
Millions of people started with WoW. They had no MMO to compare it to.
They are thinking the big reason is because it's simpler. Even some head guy at BioWare said that. He said WoW was so popular because it limited your choices. He exact words, “too many choices are crippling”.
But just think about it, for the millions of MMO players starting with WoW, they had no idea it had fewer choices than EQ, UO or any of the others. It has nothing to do with the class system, skill system or any of the features, executives looking to copy these are doing it wrong.
This is why WoW is so popular
50% timing, 50% name recognition. That's it. For years people had heard about MMOs, most gamers knew about EQ, and when ever they asked anyone about it, people would always say, it's great, but it takes up so much time. So most gamers avoided MMOs. About the time WoW was coming out so was EQ2 and a bunch of others, people were starting to get the MMO itch. I know I was one of those people.
Up until then I had been mudding. For whatever reason a bunch of people decided to try a MMO at the same time, they looked at the options, and one was from Blizzard, that was a name the knew and loved and loved a lot. And they all had heard about what a time hog EQ was. So they all tried WoW. As soon as WoW became the most popular that because reason number three.
Timing + name + popularity. That's it. It has nothing to do with WoW being easy mode. How would the people playing it even know it was easy mode if they hadn't tried other MMOs? Unfortunately most executives, even the ones at BioWare are looking at WoWs features and simple skill system and simple quest system as the holy grail. uhg,. they have it so wrong.
Timing + name + popularity, nothing else.
Comments
The question is why did WoW become such a success while EQ2 just stuttered along? Both came in the same time period.
Your 'equation' is missing a key component. WoW offered a 'new game experience' when it came to MMORPGs. While it primarily copied existing MMO mechanics and concepts, it used them to create a game experience that other MMORPGs could not. It addressed a lot of pet peeves more experienced MMO players had (personally I loved that they had a Create All button on their crafting interface). The game just played different than every other MMORPG out there.
The only other games where I got that same 'new game experience' feeling were Earth & Beyond (since it was my very first MMORPG) and EVE. Every MMO I tried since pretty much boiled down to 'different settings and gimmicks but same old gameplay'.
While you're bang on about why WoW attracted a large following at release .. you're neglecting the issue of player retention.
No matter how well-timed a release or how recognisable an IP is; EVE proved that you don't need a huge IP to be the best MMO in the subgenre .. the simple truth is that no MMO would be able to retain it's playerbase year after year without it being an extremely well-made and enjoyable game.
That's what it's all about; Is the game more fun than the alternatives?
And that's the root of the question that the executives need to ask themselves.
Playing: EVE, Final Fantasy 13, Uncharted 2, Need for Speed: Shift
The question is why did WoW become such a success while EQ2 just stuttered along? Both came in the same time period.
Your 'equation' is missing a key component. WoW offered a 'new game experience' when it came to MMORPGs. While it primarily copied existing MMO mechanics and concepts, it used them to create a game experience that other MMORPGs could not. It addressed a lot of pet peeves more experienced MMO players had (personally I loved that they had a Create All button on their crafting interface). The game just played different than every other MMORPG out there.
The only other games where I got that same 'new game experience' feeling were Earth & Beyond (since it was my very first MMORPG) and EVE. Every MMO I tried since pretty much boiled down to 'different settings and gimmicks but same old gameplay'.
No it's not, that's my point it was timing and name recognition that's it. You mentioned some improvements they made to previous MMOs, but that's my point, most people playing WoW started with WoW, they didn't know those were new features.
Sure there was a few features to steal some guilds from EQ and make reviewers happy but most people playing are not playing because it is simplified - because they don't know that it is simplified because it's their first MMO. That's what I'm saying.
I am saying that the BioWare executive who said WoW is successful because it has fewer choices is wrong, wrong wrong wrong. BioWare - wrong. That is not why WoW was a hit.
While you're bang on about why WoW attracted a large following at release .. you're neglecting the issue of player retention.
No matter how well-timed a release or how recognisable an IP is; EVE proved that you don't need a huge IP to be the best MMO in the subgenre .. the simple truth is that no MMO would be able to retain it's playerbase year after year without it being an extremely well-made and enjoyable game.
That's what it's all about; Is the game more fun than the alternatives?
And that's the root of the question that the executives need to ask themselves.
Well you make a good point there. I'm not saying it's a bad game. Or that is had bad features. But as far as player retention goes now we get into other issues, like popularity, player time invested, that's were their friends are. All sorts of things.
I'm not saying it's not a good game. I'm just saying if you are trying to find out why it is so popular comparing it to previous games, when most of the people playing didn't play those previous games is wrong. It's just simple mathematics.
What I would say to executives is, sure look at WoW. But don't compare it to MMOs before it. Don't look at it as a movement towards anything, like BioWare who looks at it as a movement towards simplification. Look at it as a starting point, and ask what can you do better.
Don't assume people want something simpler or with fewer choices. Or anything that implies movement or direction from previous games, that's my point. Other that better graphics which is always a given in gaming.
Before WoW I was the only one of my friends who played MMOs for one reason. I had a credit card and they didn't.
WoW was the first to add game cards. All my friends tried WoW then for this reason and it was their first MMO. I bet that lured millions of players too and now good luck gettin them out of WoW to try a new MMO...
addicting + rewarding + fun
I think THAT is a more powerful equation.
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Guys! I'm hopelessly lost in a mountain of mole hills! Them damn moles!
Wow had:
*The Blizzard name. This means a LOT, as it ties in with the next point:
*Quality. It was one of the least buggy MMOs ever. As I recall, many players were surprised the beta was as polished as it was. So much so that Blizzard ended the beta early so they could start collecting subscriptions.
*Established IP. Lots of gamers knew Warcraft. There were three prior games for it. There was lore to work with and that people already had some exposure to. EQ? Some generic fantasy bleh no one knew about. EQ2 is the same except for those that have played EQ1, which doesn't expand it by much.
The fact it was casual friendly also helped to some extent and the low system requirements allowed it to be played on a wide variety of systems. But primarily it's a mattery of quality. Not what was done, but how it was done.
When I first played WoW, the gameplay mechanics carrot-on-a-stick gave me a deja vu from Diablo, the IP is different, but the core is Diablo which was a very popular game. It's not my goal preference on a MMORPG though.
GreenChaos:
You've got very nice theory of reasons why WoW is popular. And I completely agree with you that WoW is popular because of timing of its launch, and WoW is popular because it was a well recognized IP by well recognized company, and WoW is nowadays staying so popular so easily much because it's already so popular it's practically dominating the market.
But one thing you missed explaining, why do you think that no other reasons than those three had something to do with WoW's popularity? You listed 3 completely valid reasons, but didn't really mention your proof that those reasons would be the only reasons. Do you have some good proof that those 3 in themselves must be enough? Or do you have some kind of proof against every other usually listed reason of why WoW's so popular, thus leaving only those 3 reasons? Could I please see your proof?
I'm intrested in knowing because I always tought that low system requirements played a part in how WoW became so popular. I quess I must be wrong if you say so, but I'd still like to see your proof.
I wouldn't put too much faith in a name or IP. That only gets you in the door. It sells a box. It doesn't keep you playing. This isn't a CD or a DVD or a movie. Selling a box means so very little in a subscription based model. If name was important, SWG, Matrix and LOTR would be dominating the scene. Quality, quality, quality which all leads to fun. WOW had it. Other MMOs didn't. FUN is why people who never touched MMOs before tried WOW. Its not that WOW was the first MMO for many. Its how WOW was the 1st MMO actually worth trying for many. Give away WOW, EQ and UO free to 1 million people and how much of your life savings would you bet on WOW holding on to 999,999 of them?
As for the whole, millions played WOW first so thats all they know argument, I'll use that same one on everyone who started with UO and EQ. No one knew any better back then either. You played what was there. However, WOW didn't come out when there was nothing to play. You had EQ2, the biggest name in MMOs coming out a month before. WOW released right after the biggest juggernaught in the genre. Blizzard were NEWBS to this genre. You had UO, EQ, DAOC, AO and a bunch of others all there to play. Cheaper subscription fees too I beleive on most of them. They didn't require monster rigs to run either. If you could play WOW, you could play most MMOs that came out before WOW just fine...not including EQ2=) They had more content, more time to polish, good commuities to build on. But then people played WOW and realized those MMOs weren't polished. They weren't all that fun either. They didn't look all that great or sound great. Their UIs were kind of weak and they didnt' control all that responsively. For the average gamer, WOW felt like a finished MMO. NO OTHER MMO until WOW felt like a finished game on day 1. Of course it wasn't finished, but if you were there, you could see the difference instantly.
The big ANSWER all executives must know before making a MMO is make a quality, fun game that builds on all the good from the past and they will come. Impliment your ideas well and you'll have a succesful game.
MMO gamers aren't stupid and naive anymore and YOU ALL KNOW we were stupid and naive back when we logged into UO and EQ the first time. Stupid with childish glee at the thought of running around a big world with 1000s of other people. What the hell did we know about MMOs? We knew nothing. There was nothing or very little to compare anything too. We had no standards. We had no bar to raise to. The bar was on the floor and it had no where to go but up. Everything was "good" then, until more and more MMOs began coming out and we realized that maybe the original ways of doing things weren't all that great. Well, I knew at least. Others are still stuck in the 90s thinking people today still have the same low standards and are willing to put up with all the crap developers put us through. Developers can't get away with what they used to and every MMO since WOW has been paying BIG TIME thinking they could. Funcom tried. Mythic tried. They''re both very very dissapointed now.
You say it can't be because it's simpler because players that started with WoW didn't know it was simpler than another MMO they didn't know about.
This is wrong. They didn't like it because it was simpler. They liked it becasue it was "simple". And you don't need to compare it to anything else to know something is simple and acessible.
And quality. Lets not forget the main point in WoW. An extraordinary qualitiy in all fields, but most important in smoothnes and responsivenes and animations.. You immediatly feel at ease with your character. No other MMO has that.
You forgot advertising.
I can't remember numbers, but if I'm not mistaken, WoW/Blizzard spent massive ammounts on advertising, more on that than other MMO companies even spent on building their games.
At the time WoW came out, the internet connection to people in the western world overall had reached "workable" state. Almost all cities, villages and even smaller had gotten cable/DSL, and there's a computer in each home. And at this time, people read in papers, watched on tv, saw plastered on bus sides.... Advertising for WoW.
WoW came at the right place at the right time, and their advertising money put them on everyones lips because they were everywhere you looked. They advertised outside the gamer world, and it paid off.
In stark contrast to for example SWG, that barely advertised at release, heck in the Star Wars Magazine, there were full page adverts for EQ2, while SWG barely got a mention. Most Star Wars fans didn't know it existed. Wasn't until the NGE that they advertised it alot, and by then the game was a mess that scared away those that finally found out about the game due to finally being advertised.
You pretty much hit this one on the head. Well, for launch at least.
As for player retention... That's simple. People are playing it because their friends are playing. It's the whole you recruit two friends, then they recruit two friends scenario.
People are sheep, and they will do what you tell them if it makes them cool.
Other games had game cards long before WoW. EQOA. I got so many of those card it was rediculous
lol, you don't know how true that is, wow is successful because it is simple, its runs on virtually the crappiest machines, I wouldn't even classify it as average graphics, gameplay is average but smooth, everything is average, it doesn't excel in one area, it just gets by in all of them.
But generally the ppl I know that still play wow are extremely bored with it, and they don't want to start over, I felt the same way, when I first stopped playing the game, but after a week of not playing it, I didn't miss it one bit. I only played it because of friends, and my previous mmo's were falling apart.
Overall the game is a horrible grind, of dailies and AH trash. I'll never go back to wow, glad to be rid of it, but like previous guy said good luck getting the sheep to stop playing.
Some sheep play WoW, other sheep come to MMORPG.com and whine about it. WoW is a pretty easy target and so are its players.
The thing about WoW is it didn't just grab a large market share, it grew the market beyond anything that anyone really thought possible five years ago. That took more than just good timing, a brand name and popularity. Great marketing and its accessibilty were also huge factors. And at the heart of it all there was also a good product...although it is not to everyone's taste, WoW does what it does very well and engages a lot of people (or sheep if you prefer).
Few of WoW's subsequent competitors have even managed to come up with a finished product, let alone one which also offers anything that players cannot find in WoW. I think the first big question executives should ask is simply 'do we actually have the budget and patience to produce a decent MMO?'.