IMO, it's because it is easier compared to other MMO's, that you can log in and get something done in 30 mins-1 hour, almost any computer can play it, and the crazy ad campaign Blizzard had and is doing for it.
Which crazy ad campaign might that be? I'm trying to keep up with a lot of MMO marketing right now and at times I need a little direction. What's so particular about the advert that enables it to draw in a larger audience? Also this issue of the casual use of WoW compared to other MMOs could you maybe specify which ones you had in mind?
Thanks for the post! Cheers!
"I'm Mr. T. and I'm a Night Elf Mohawk" ring any bells?
Not to mention William Shatner and Vern "Mini-Me" Troyer.
Some people spoke about the fact: old blizzard games are still supported, while they don't make money now, and think it is beacuse Blizzard supports the playerbase. In fact the key problem is: if Blizzard wants to keep its fanbase and sell future titles it has to keep the servers running as an investment. When they spoke about WoW for first time they spoke about how they want to build up addiction.
Why? Because they learned a few things with Diablo and Warcraft (and starcraft), Diablo is played not because of its excellent gameplay (since its gameplay isn't excellent), or good story (you can summarize it quickly and it is nothing unusual), or great lore (compare it to other games) but because players want more and more items. They feel: reaching new goals is a success that made them better. And they are addicted to the success and the progress in these games.
World of Warcraft copies the same pattern, while at other games you have more fun, but in most cases the fun ends after a few months, you quit, and you might be replaced by another player. If you play World of Warcraft, you might have less fun, but you will stay addicted to the game and you will play for ages. And this is the key difference.
1) It had good marketing at the start, being a child of a companypopular for its previous games and as continuation of warcraft franchise.
2) There market for MMOs was small, it wasnt hard to make a proper entrance.
3) About the time WoW came out internet acess was far more common than in times of UO/EQ
4) It is accessible, both by the means of intuitive UI and simple gameplay
5) The graphics, while not outstanding, are pleasant to the eye and allow the game run on crappy PCs (i know that msyelf, played with 256MB ram till middle of TBC)
6) The game manages to keep balance between the variety of content avalible for players. You have lots of PvE possibilities ranging from simple questing/daily questing, through instances tailored for level ranges that you can do while leveling without need ofr high levels, raids.
You have PvP in form of open for all BGs and more focused arenas that create a semi-competetive pvp enviroment over mindless gankfest in lowbie zones.
You have simple, but usefull/enjoyable crafting system that doesnt require months to develop and doesnt force you to grind for single drops without end (even low drop materials are not that hard to get yoru hands on.)
7) The inability of other companies to pull out a product that would simply offer simillar/more futures, focusing to heavily on single aspects of game and even then making it look rushed out instead polished.
And no. Im not a wow fanboi. I stopped playing nearly 2years ago. I dont enjoy the game anymore, so dont bother trying to troll.
There are 6.7 billion people currently on the earth. This means that there are 6.7 billion different opinions on "what is fun".
Blizzard did the research and spent the money and developed a game that would appeal as "fun" to a very large audiance. This large audiance is also willing to shell out $15 a month to enjoy the "fun" that Blizzard designed. Blizzard is constantly tweaking and tuning so that it remains "fun" for this large audiance. I will grant you that they had an initial built-in audiance coming from the Warcraft games but the last one of those was released around seven years ago. Blizzard built a game that would draw new people in and then keep a lot of them playing for years.
Other games target different "fun" and therefore have a different audiance and different subscriber base. If a game wants a larger subscriber base, they need to design the game to attract a larger audiance. Just make the game "fun" for more people. If you want a game that will beat WoW, you just need to design and build a game that more people will see as "fun".
Since everyone has a different idea of what is fun, no one's fun is more (or less) right than anyone elses. If you like a game, pay the fee and play the game and enjoy your time spent. If you don't like a game, stay away from it and save your money. People will gravitate to their idea of fun. WoW currently has captured the idea of "fun" for more people than any other game. Like the old saying goes "If you want to catch more mice, build a better mouse trap". Blizzard has a REALLY good mouse trap.
There are 6.7 billion people currently on the earth. This means that there are 6.7 billion different opinions on "what is fun".
Blizzard did the research and spent the money and developed a game that would appeal as "fun" to a very large audiance. This large audiance is also willing to shell out $15 a month to enjoy the "fun" that Blizzard designed. Blizzard is constantly tweaking and tuning so that it remains "fun" for this large audiance. I will grant you that they had an initial built-in audiance coming from the Warcraft games but the last one of those was released around seven years ago. Blizzard built a game that would draw new people in and then keep a lot of them playing for years.
Other games target different "fun" and therefore have a different audiance and different subscriber base. If a game wants a larger subscriber base, they need to design the game to attract a larger audiance. Just make the game "fun" for more people. If you want a game that will beat WoW, you just need to design and build a game that more people will see as "fun".
Since everyone has a different idea of what is fun, no one's fun is more (or less) right than anyone elses. If you like a game, pay the fee and play the game and enjoy your time spent. If you don't like a game, stay away from it and save your money. People will gravitate to their idea of fun. WoW currently has captured the idea of "fun" for more people than any other game. Like the old saying goes "If you want to catch more mice, build a better mouse trap". Blizzard has a REALLY good mouse trap.
There's a lot of truth in this actually. I won't argue about the subjectivity of player experiences, but certainly the more I research WoW the more it becomes obvious Blizzard worked hard to provide a game that ticked a lot of boxes. It had a huge community shift from the 2D Warcraft games, which meant it was implementing positive network effects almost immediately on release. If you check out Bruce Woodcock's figures at MMORPGCHART.COM (2008) you can see WoW stormed the market within six months. A pre-made community that rocketed its value, add the online technological advances of Web 2.0 and soon you find Metcalfe's Law applies, making this game a commercial and critical giant!
I actually played WoW for a week and have no idea where the "there's no grind" arguement comes from. There was way more grind than on any other MMO I've played.
I actually played WoW for a week and have no idea where the "there's no grind" arguement comes from. There was way more grind than on any other MMO I've played.
IMO, it's because it is easier compared to other MMO's, that you can log in and get something done in 30 mins-1 hour, almost any computer can play it, and the crazy ad campaign Blizzard had and is doing for it.
Which crazy ad campaign might that be? I'm trying to keep up with a lot of MMO marketing right now and at times I need a little direction. What's so particular about the advert that enables it to draw in a larger audience? Also this issue of the casual use of WoW compared to other MMOs could you maybe specify which ones you had in mind?
Thanks for the post! Cheers!
"I'm Mr. T. and I'm a Night Elf Mohawk" ring any bells?
Not to mention William Shatner and Vern "Mini-Me" Troyer.
Ah, I've just seen the Mr T ad here in the UK. Blizzard know how to push an item. You think of all the potential subscribers making their way to the WoW website for their free trail and discovering a full-screen advert for Starcraft 2 waiting for them also. Good work!
In 2008 Blizzard released a press statement announcing that, ‘its award-winning subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game, is now played by more than 11.5 million subscribers worldwide.’[1]
My question is: With over 350 MMORPGs in the marketplace (some of-which are free-to-play) why does WoW hold on so well to its subscription based players. It far exceeds anyone else, what's wrong with diversifying once in a while?
Its not that I dislike WoW I just find the ratings compared to other MMORPGs astonishing!
I actually played WoW for a week and have no idea where the "there's no grind" arguement comes from. There was way more grind than on any other MMO I've played.
If you played World of Warcraft for a single week and decided how you felt about it then you probably didn't give yourself enough time to judge the gameplay, just a note. World of Warcraft is still, after over eight years, the only game other than EQ that I could get from starting level to ending level purely by doing quests. I don't know if you know the definition of grind, but when most people refer to there being no grind in WoW they mean juxtapose to something like a free asian mmorpg because in those types of games you're spat out in a newbie zone with a few starter quests then you're stuck wandering the world for mobs that are slightly different colors for variety and you end up having to kill them over and over for hours.
Trust me, WoW is not like this.
I would have to say after so long of playing WoW there are a number of things that have kept me (as well as others) in.
+ The ability to "quest" with what some would consider a decent story line from start to finish.
+ Having oppurtunities to take part in both world (some would consider world WG even after we all know the days of Tarren Mill vs. Southshore was where it was at).
+ PvP having a system in which those who dedicate more time and "effort" are valued upon others and easily identifiable.
+ Big, fluffy, glowy armor and pretty elves.
I could go on about how Blizzard has done a better job of most companies when it comes to listening to their customers and implimenting as much change as possible at a steady pace as to give people enough time to get back to "end-game", that way Blizzard can just impliment more content so that it keeps us wanting more. Blizzard has captivated us with a game that is ever growing and somehow we still always want that new piece of gear, or there is always another achievement you can get.
If you played World of Warcraft for a single week and decided how you felt about it then you probably didn't give yourself enough time to judge the gameplay, just a note.
Having recently levelled up a new char, I've been wondering what the game feels like to a newcomer. It's not "grindy" as such, but there's definitely "something" about it, and I'm thinking it might be that it feels "unengaging" or "on rails". You pick up your quest(s), go to the clearly marked area on your map, steamroll the designated mobs - rinse and repeat. The game doesn't fight back anymore. It never forces you to think. XP requirements have been substantially lowered, so 1-70 just whizzes past now. And there's no need to team up, so it's perfectly possible to be a level 80 decked out in tier 9 and still don't know any other player on your realm - even by name (thank you, x-realm LFD tool).
All told, the entire levelling process can easily feel totally redundant - like an unnecessary "grind", for want of a better term...
If you played World of Warcraft for a single week and decided how you felt about it then you probably didn't give yourself enough time to judge the gameplay, just a note.
Having recently levelled up a new char, I've been wondering what the game feels like to a newcomer. It's not "grindy" as such, but there's definitely "something" about it, and I'm thinking it might be that it feels "unengaging" or "on rails". You pick up your quest(s), go to the clearly marked area on your map, steamroll the designated mobs - rinse and repeat. The game doesn't fight back anymore. It never forces you to think. XP requirements have been substantially lowered, so 1-70 just whizzes past now. And there's no need to team up, so it's perfectly possible to be a level 80 decked out in tier 9 and still don't know any other player on your realm - even by name (thank you, x-realm LFD tool).
All told, the entire levelling process can easily feel totally redundant - like an unnecessary "grind", for want of a better term...
VERY good summary of at least why I, personally, have no interest in playing it anymore. Of course I could add another few specifics to that, but....overall....I'd say that's a great summary.
On topic:
WoW is popular for myriads of reasons. A few reasons offhand, I can think of (some have probably already been mentioned) are.....
Accessibility - you can almost play it on a calculator. No need for buying a new PC or doing much in the way of upgrades, provided your computer is reasonably funcional and 6 or less years old, basically.
Marketing - Everyone has heard of it. Even if you've never played an MMO before in you LIFE...you've probably heard of WoW. So when someone decides to TRY MMOs....of course WoW comes to mind.
The Horde Factor - and no...I don't mean Horde as in Thrall's buddies, I mean horde as in the size of the subscriber base. Most people assume that anything with that many people doing it...must be cool. For some, that is true, for others....not so much. Personally, I've never been one to gravitate to the "in" thing or to the "fad" clothing, etc. I generally try something on for size and either wear that style until I'm bored with it, or...I don't like the way it feels on me and I wear something else. Even if it IS Calvin Klein....if I don't LIKE it.....I don't feel obligated to wear it.
Easy MMO to start with if you've never played MMOs before - If you know NOTHING about MMOs....even I would suggest WoW as a first MMO, and I don't play it any more. It's just very simplistic to play (not as simple to "master", like if you're into min/maxing and whatnot, but still...simple to learn).
And there are many other "reasons" as well, I'm sure. WoW is, at the heart....FUN for some people. We play games to have fun (or MOST people do). Of course there are as many ideas of what fun really IS as there are people, so that is why I am grateful we have CHOICES and are not forced to play WoW or EVE or AoC, etc.
WoW is popular for myriads of reasons. A few reasons offhand, I can think of (some have probably already been mentioned) are.....
Accessibility - you can almost play it on a calculator. No need for buying a new PC or doing much in the way of upgrades, provided your computer is reasonably funcional and 6 or less years old, basically.
Marketing - Everyone has heard of it. Even if you've never played an MMO before in you LIFE...you've probably heard of WoW. So when someone decides to TRY MMOs....of course WoW comes to mind.
The Horde Factor - and no...I don't mean Horde as in Thrall's buddies, I mean horde as in the size of the subscriber base. Most people assume that anything with that many people doing it...must be cool. For some, that is true, for others....not so much. Personally, I've never been one to gravitate to the "in" thing or to the "fad" clothing, etc. I generally try something on for size and either wear that style until I'm bored with it, or...I don't like the way it feels on me and I wear something else. Even if it IS Calvin Klein....if I don't LIKE it.....I don't feel obligated to wear it.
Easy MMO to start with if you've never played MMOs before - If you know NOTHING about MMOs....even I would suggest WoW as a first MMO, and I don't play it any more. It's just very simplistic to play (not as simple to "master", like if you're into min/maxing and whatnot, but still...simple to learn).
And there are many other "reasons" as well, I'm sure. WoW is, at the heart....FUN for some people. We play games to have fun (or MOST people do). Of course there are as many ideas of what fun really IS as there are people, so that is why I am grateful we have CHOICES and are not forced to play WoW or EVE or AoC, etc.
Blizzard is not holding a gun to your head to pay 15 dollars a month...
Marketing a turd, the "Horde" factor, "easy entry" and running on low end machines are very secundairy reasons.
The only main reason that every month around 11.5 million players pay to play the game is simply : quality.
For 5.5 years long. The rest of the MMO bunch trails FAR and FAR behind.
Make up your own conclusions.
Want a real mmorpg? Play WOW with experience turned off mode and be Pve_Pvp King at any level without a rat race.
The ease with which predictions are made on these forums: Fratman: "I'm saying Spring 2012 at the earliest [for TOR release]. Anyone still clinging to 2011 is deluding themself at this point."
quality as little to do with it!people just go where people are thats it nothing else!
if sybian 69 was to have an incentive that would bring in 20 million player then you would see all the rest of gaming comunity follow.why there are so many gamer on facebook.because thats where people are
if microsoft or gmail was to invent a gaming system for their messenging system it would hit 100 million player in the first week!people just go where people are!
I think a lot of people just play for the social aspect. That's where a lot of mmorpgs are heading now unfortunately, with rumors of Blizzard's new mmo being F2P it makes sense. It will allow people to be able to play forever and still maintain contact with friends, the facebook of videogames. Free Realms seems like the same thing, even though I have no idea what the hell it is, last I heard it has 9 million players. So pretty much game quaility is going down in order to make it more accessible to *everyone*, which seems to be happening in console gaming as well.
Flexible difficulty levels, easy to return to or sign up, large population on most realms. SWTOR and other upcoming MMOs should be worried if they cannot match or offer that. Guild Wars 2 might be the only serious competitor in the future but WoW will still be featuring what I wrote at the beginning of the post so even when GW2 is up and running I can't perceive it making a dent on the pop of WoW, simply because other MMO's haven't either .
WoW is popular for myriads of reasons. A few reasons offhand, I can think of (some have probably already been mentioned) are.....
Accessibility - you can almost play it on a calculator. No need for buying a new PC or doing much in the way of upgrades, provided your computer is reasonably funcional and 6 or less years old, basically.
Marketing - Everyone has heard of it. Even if you've never played an MMO before in you LIFE...you've probably heard of WoW. So when someone decides to TRY MMOs....of course WoW comes to mind.
The Horde Factor - and no...I don't mean Horde as in Thrall's buddies, I mean horde as in the size of the subscriber base. Most people assume that anything with that many people doing it...must be cool. For some, that is true, for others....not so much. Personally, I've never been one to gravitate to the "in" thing or to the "fad" clothing, etc. I generally try something on for size and either wear that style until I'm bored with it, or...I don't like the way it feels on me and I wear something else. Even if it IS Calvin Klein....if I don't LIKE it.....I don't feel obligated to wear it.
Easy MMO to start with if you've never played MMOs before - If you know NOTHING about MMOs....even I would suggest WoW as a first MMO, and I don't play it any more. It's just very simplistic to play (not as simple to "master", like if you're into min/maxing and whatnot, but still...simple to learn).
And there are many other "reasons" as well, I'm sure. WoW is, at the heart....FUN for some people. We play games to have fun (or MOST people do). Of course there are as many ideas of what fun really IS as there are people, so that is why I am grateful we have CHOICES and are not forced to play WoW or EVE or AoC, etc.
Blizzard is not holding a gun to your head to pay 15 dollars a month...
Marketing a turd, the "Horde" factor, "easy entry" and running on low end machines are very secundairy reasons.
The only main reason that every month around 11.5 million players pay to play the game is simply : quality.
For 5.5 years long. The rest of the MMO bunch trails FAR and FAR behind.
Make up your own conclusions.
Wow, you've been away a while. Busy riding around Azeroth on that new sparklie pony, or grinding all your factions to exalted for another useful achievement? But anyway.....welcome back.
"QUALITY", as you put it, is a very subjective term when it comes to something as personalized to individuals as what they each ENJOY. I can see that WoW has some great quality in it. It's very slick and smooth. But the "qualities" it has....aren't well suited for EVERYONE's enjoyment. Some people don't care for cartoons, regardless of how "smooth" they are. It's a matter of personal taste. To me...there are other games that have more of the QUALITIES....that I want in an MMO. That doesn't mean WoW doesn't have some qualities TOO.
I know people that think that Nightmare on Elm Street is a "quality" horror flick. As a matter of fact, both it, and Friday the 13th, and assorted OTHER cult flicks, have HUGE followings. Some people will pay to watch every single new movie in those series. Those movies collectively have made billions and billions of dollars, because....to SOME people....they are FUN. THOSE people consider those "films" to be "quality horror films." The quality they have....is that they ENTERTAIN those folks.
To ME....a "quality" film....is The Blind Side. I see so much more quality in THAT than in Friday the 13th....to ME, it's not even a contest. But to the horror cult flick fans....they probably think The Blind Side is emo bullshit.
Besides....I wouldn't argue that WoW isn't a AAA quality MMO. I WOULD argue, however, that it is FUN for every gamer. You just simply cannot argue that WoW is the "best" MMO out there. I know, camp....YOU do it all the time, but....you cannot decide for OTHER people what the best MMO is. Just because 11 million people MIGHT agree with you, doesn't mean that makes something a FACT.
How many people voted for George Bush because he would be the best president? How many people believe Jesus is going to crash through the little round opening in roof of the RLDS Auditorium in Independence, Missouri when he comes back to start his kingdom on Earth? How many people believed the world....was FLAT? People BELIEVE all kinds of odd things, that over time, may or may not prove to be TRUTH. Just because millions believe something....doesn't make it true.
You know, a lot of the people that play WoW....have never played another MMO in their lives. How do you judge quality when there is nothing to compare something to? To know the quality of Egyptian cotton sheets....don't you really have to feel them side by side with regular sheets? Otherwise....how could you tell? Unless, that is, you're willing to just take someone else's word for it. And who's to say what someone ELSE finds "better"....is actually going to be better for YOU?
No one is insulting your precious game here, camp. We were all just having a discussion about WHY WoW is so popular. And the answers to that....are as varied as snowflakes. I don't think you, or anyone else, can come up with ALL the reasons why WoW is popular. I DO think, that everyone collectively....has probably done a pretty good job of it. And yes...quality....is ONE reason that SOME play WoW....their OWN perception of what quality is. MY perception of quality, however....differs. Doesn't mean I think WoW is a "turd" (your words, not mine). I think WoW is a fine game. It's just not a fine game for ME any more. And all of the people that are playing other pay to play games exclusively....EVE, AoC, Aion, EQ2, LotRO, DAoC, Warhammer, etc, etc, that have PLAYED WoW....also, apparently, don't think WoW is the best quality in some department or another, or....they'd be playing it right along with the other 11 million people who play it. The difference from them and some of the people PLAYING WoW...is that they have played other games BESIDES WoW, which, imo....allows them a broader perspective on "quality," as you put it.
WoW is a popular game....that can't be argued.
WHY WoW is popular....is the question presented in this thread. And to THAT....there are as many answers as there are people.
I think a lot of people just play for the social aspect. That's where a lot of mmorpgs are heading now unfortunately, with rumors of Blizzard's new mmo being F2P it makes sense. It will allow people to be able to play forever and still maintain contact with friends, the facebook of videogames. Free Realms seems like the same thing, even though I have no idea what the hell it is, last I heard it has 9 million players. So pretty much game quaility is going down in order to make it more accessible to *everyone*, which seems to be happening in console gaming as well.
freerealm is one of the top multiplayer game aimed directly at casual player!i dont consider it a mmo but it is the best mo
that exist today and it can be played on your browser!so basicly its almost gaming anywhere anytime.and the fact it is family friendly makes it a huge success!(not my cup of tea but i had to give credit where its due,it is a brilliant title from the eq gangbanger!
Jumping in dalaran, thats what I did most when I was 80 because I could raid two ICC's/week, didn't feel like grinding achievements nor doing the easier raids. Ohh yeah, and jumping on dalaran was actually more fun than daily random hc.
(I got bored to instances VERY fast because I was tank and leveled 70-80 through instances, so I was bored them already on 80, however I had to get the badges for t9 gear to start raiding..)
Comments
"I'm Mr. T. and I'm a Night Elf Mohawk" ring any bells?
Not to mention William Shatner and Vern "Mini-Me" Troyer.
Some people spoke about the fact: old blizzard games are still supported, while they don't make money now, and think it is beacuse Blizzard supports the playerbase. In fact the key problem is: if Blizzard wants to keep its fanbase and sell future titles it has to keep the servers running as an investment. When they spoke about WoW for first time they spoke about how they want to build up addiction.
Why? Because they learned a few things with Diablo and Warcraft (and starcraft), Diablo is played not because of its excellent gameplay (since its gameplay isn't excellent), or good story (you can summarize it quickly and it is nothing unusual), or great lore (compare it to other games) but because players want more and more items. They feel: reaching new goals is a success that made them better. And they are addicted to the success and the progress in these games.
And with this Diablo and Diablo II are one of the most influental games, since they changed many other games as well.
World of Warcraft copies the same pattern, while at other games you have more fun, but in most cases the fun ends after a few months, you quit, and you might be replaced by another player. If you play World of Warcraft, you might have less fun, but you will stay addicted to the game and you will play for ages. And this is the key difference.
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it costed them a total of around 300 million to earn giga amount so blizzard couldnt care less if some game dont make money
it buys them cheap publicity and word of mouth was their biggest success contributor til bc was lunched!
1) It had good marketing at the start, being a child of a companypopular for its previous games and as continuation of warcraft franchise.
2) There market for MMOs was small, it wasnt hard to make a proper entrance.
3) About the time WoW came out internet acess was far more common than in times of UO/EQ
4) It is accessible, both by the means of intuitive UI and simple gameplay
5) The graphics, while not outstanding, are pleasant to the eye and allow the game run on crappy PCs (i know that msyelf, played with 256MB ram till middle of TBC)
6) The game manages to keep balance between the variety of content avalible for players. You have lots of PvE possibilities ranging from simple questing/daily questing, through instances tailored for level ranges that you can do while leveling without need ofr high levels, raids.
You have PvP in form of open for all BGs and more focused arenas that create a semi-competetive pvp enviroment over mindless gankfest in lowbie zones.
You have simple, but usefull/enjoyable crafting system that doesnt require months to develop and doesnt force you to grind for single drops without end (even low drop materials are not that hard to get yoru hands on.)
7) The inability of other companies to pull out a product that would simply offer simillar/more futures, focusing to heavily on single aspects of game and even then making it look rushed out instead polished.
And no. Im not a wow fanboi. I stopped playing nearly 2years ago. I dont enjoy the game anymore, so dont bother trying to troll.
There are 6.7 billion people currently on the earth. This means that there are 6.7 billion different opinions on "what is fun".
Blizzard did the research and spent the money and developed a game that would appeal as "fun" to a very large audiance. This large audiance is also willing to shell out $15 a month to enjoy the "fun" that Blizzard designed. Blizzard is constantly tweaking and tuning so that it remains "fun" for this large audiance. I will grant you that they had an initial built-in audiance coming from the Warcraft games but the last one of those was released around seven years ago. Blizzard built a game that would draw new people in and then keep a lot of them playing for years.
Other games target different "fun" and therefore have a different audiance and different subscriber base. If a game wants a larger subscriber base, they need to design the game to attract a larger audiance. Just make the game "fun" for more people. If you want a game that will beat WoW, you just need to design and build a game that more people will see as "fun".
Since everyone has a different idea of what is fun, no one's fun is more (or less) right than anyone elses. If you like a game, pay the fee and play the game and enjoy your time spent. If you don't like a game, stay away from it and save your money. People will gravitate to their idea of fun. WoW currently has captured the idea of "fun" for more people than any other game. Like the old saying goes "If you want to catch more mice, build a better mouse trap". Blizzard has a REALLY good mouse trap.
Agreed, Dawnhagen. Well stated.
There's a lot of truth in this actually. I won't argue about the subjectivity of player experiences, but certainly the more I research WoW the more it becomes obvious Blizzard worked hard to provide a game that ticked a lot of boxes. It had a huge community shift from the 2D Warcraft games, which meant it was implementing positive network effects almost immediately on release. If you check out Bruce Woodcock's figures at MMORPGCHART.COM (2008) you can see WoW stormed the market within six months. A pre-made community that rocketed its value, add the online technological advances of Web 2.0 and soon you find Metcalfe's Law applies, making this game a commercial and critical giant!
Check out the figures here: http://www.mmogchart.com/Chart1.html
Matt Harris
really? give Lineage 2 or Aion a try
http://www.speedtest.net/result/7300033012
Those are both PvP-based games, so I'll pass.
Ah, I've just seen the Mr T ad here in the UK. Blizzard know how to push an item. You think of all the potential subscribers making their way to the WoW website for their free trail and discovering a full-screen advert for Starcraft 2 waiting for them also. Good work!
Matt Harris
My opinion....
2005 there was a few MMORPG out there, EQ2, Lineage , etc etc .
Wow made there game in the exakt right time, with the exakt right things in there game for the time beeing,
And its a bit of a fly, all play it, i rather to effect.
And Blizzard are know for qulity of there games, they havent made one singel bad game so far,
* 1992 - The Lost Vikings "Great Game For the Time"
* 1993 - Rock & Roll Racing "Dident play"
* 1994 - Blackthorne "Good "From the side game" "mario like"
* 1994 - Warcraft: Orcs and Humans "First real game" This game made was the Blizzards triumph card to live on until today"
* 1995 - The Lost Vikings II "Dident play"
* 1995 - Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness "Grreeat Game"
* 1996 - Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal "Expatntion"
* 1996 - Diablo " Diablo is what blizzard are to me, this is the best game they ever made"
* 1998 - StarCraft " Great Game"
* 1998 - StarCraft: Brood War Great expantion"
* 2000 - Diablo II "Worlds top selling game at the time"
* 2001 - Diablo II: Lord of Destruction " Can only say Itelebaahl004"
* 2002 - Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos "Not so geat to me"
* 2003 - Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne "Not so geat to me"
* 2004 - World of Warcraft "Great game"
* 2007 - World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade "nothing to say"
* 2008 - World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King "nothing to say"
* Under Dev - World of Warcraft: Cataclysm "Will probably be there best Expantion to the WOW era"
* Under Dev - StarCraft II "Great Followup""
* Under Dev - Diablo III "Who can wait on this candy"
"They are living on there great reprutaion they have worked up during the last 20 years of Game Dev"
System Specc
Intel I7 4770K 3,5 ghz
16Gb RAM 1600 mhz
Nvidia GTX 780
If you played World of Warcraft for a single week and decided how you felt about it then you probably didn't give yourself enough time to judge the gameplay, just a note. World of Warcraft is still, after over eight years, the only game other than EQ that I could get from starting level to ending level purely by doing quests. I don't know if you know the definition of grind, but when most people refer to there being no grind in WoW they mean juxtapose to something like a free asian mmorpg because in those types of games you're spat out in a newbie zone with a few starter quests then you're stuck wandering the world for mobs that are slightly different colors for variety and you end up having to kill them over and over for hours.
Trust me, WoW is not like this.
I would have to say after so long of playing WoW there are a number of things that have kept me (as well as others) in.
+ The ability to "quest" with what some would consider a decent story line from start to finish.
+ Having oppurtunities to take part in both world (some would consider world WG even after we all know the days of Tarren Mill vs. Southshore was where it was at).
+ PvP having a system in which those who dedicate more time and "effort" are valued upon others and easily identifiable.
+ Big, fluffy, glowy armor and pretty elves.
I could go on about how Blizzard has done a better job of most companies when it comes to listening to their customers and implimenting as much change as possible at a steady pace as to give people enough time to get back to "end-game", that way Blizzard can just impliment more content so that it keeps us wanting more. Blizzard has captivated us with a game that is ever growing and somehow we still always want that new piece of gear, or there is always another achievement you can get.
Having recently levelled up a new char, I've been wondering what the game feels like to a newcomer. It's not "grindy" as such, but there's definitely "something" about it, and I'm thinking it might be that it feels "unengaging" or "on rails". You pick up your quest(s), go to the clearly marked area on your map, steamroll the designated mobs - rinse and repeat. The game doesn't fight back anymore. It never forces you to think. XP requirements have been substantially lowered, so 1-70 just whizzes past now. And there's no need to team up, so it's perfectly possible to be a level 80 decked out in tier 9 and still don't know any other player on your realm - even by name (thank you, x-realm LFD tool).
All told, the entire levelling process can easily feel totally redundant - like an unnecessary "grind", for want of a better term...
VERY good summary of at least why I, personally, have no interest in playing it anymore. Of course I could add another few specifics to that, but....overall....I'd say that's a great summary.
On topic:
WoW is popular for myriads of reasons. A few reasons offhand, I can think of (some have probably already been mentioned) are.....
Accessibility - you can almost play it on a calculator. No need for buying a new PC or doing much in the way of upgrades, provided your computer is reasonably funcional and 6 or less years old, basically.
Marketing - Everyone has heard of it. Even if you've never played an MMO before in you LIFE...you've probably heard of WoW. So when someone decides to TRY MMOs....of course WoW comes to mind.
The Horde Factor - and no...I don't mean Horde as in Thrall's buddies, I mean horde as in the size of the subscriber base. Most people assume that anything with that many people doing it...must be cool. For some, that is true, for others....not so much. Personally, I've never been one to gravitate to the "in" thing or to the "fad" clothing, etc. I generally try something on for size and either wear that style until I'm bored with it, or...I don't like the way it feels on me and I wear something else. Even if it IS Calvin Klein....if I don't LIKE it.....I don't feel obligated to wear it.
Easy MMO to start with if you've never played MMOs before - If you know NOTHING about MMOs....even I would suggest WoW as a first MMO, and I don't play it any more. It's just very simplistic to play (not as simple to "master", like if you're into min/maxing and whatnot, but still...simple to learn).
And there are many other "reasons" as well, I'm sure. WoW is, at the heart....FUN for some people. We play games to have fun (or MOST people do). Of course there are as many ideas of what fun really IS as there are people, so that is why I am grateful we have CHOICES and are not forced to play WoW or EVE or AoC, etc.
President of The Marvelously Meowhead Fan Club
Yeah..... what she said..
Blizzard is not holding a gun to your head to pay 15 dollars a month...
Marketing a turd, the "Horde" factor, "easy entry" and running on low end machines are very secundairy reasons.
The only main reason that every month around 11.5 million players pay to play the game is simply : quality.
For 5.5 years long. The rest of the MMO bunch trails FAR and FAR behind.
Make up your own conclusions.
Want a real mmorpg? Play WOW with experience turned off mode and be Pve_Pvp King at any level without a rat race.
Oh god, he's back again. Discussions had been so much better this last month...
The ACTUAL size of MMORPG worlds: a comparison list between MMO's
The ease with which predictions are made on these forums:
Fratman: "I'm saying Spring 2012 at the earliest [for TOR release]. Anyone still clinging to 2011 is deluding themself at this point."
quality as little to do with it!people just go where people are thats it nothing else!
if sybian 69 was to have an incentive that would bring in 20 million player then you would see all the rest of gaming comunity follow.why there are so many gamer on facebook.because thats where people are
if microsoft or gmail was to invent a gaming system for their messenging system it would hit 100 million player in the first week!people just go where people are!
I think a lot of people just play for the social aspect. That's where a lot of mmorpgs are heading now unfortunately, with rumors of Blizzard's new mmo being F2P it makes sense. It will allow people to be able to play forever and still maintain contact with friends, the facebook of videogames. Free Realms seems like the same thing, even though I have no idea what the hell it is, last I heard it has 9 million players. So pretty much game quaility is going down in order to make it more accessible to *everyone*, which seems to be happening in console gaming as well.
Flexible difficulty levels, easy to return to or sign up, large population on most realms. SWTOR and other upcoming MMOs should be worried if they cannot match or offer that. Guild Wars 2 might be the only serious competitor in the future but WoW will still be featuring what I wrote at the beginning of the post so even when GW2 is up and running I can't perceive it making a dent on the pop of WoW, simply because other MMO's haven't either .
Plus Mr T does cool adverts.
Wow, you've been away a while. Busy riding around Azeroth on that new sparklie pony, or grinding all your factions to exalted for another useful achievement? But anyway.....welcome back.
"QUALITY", as you put it, is a very subjective term when it comes to something as personalized to individuals as what they each ENJOY. I can see that WoW has some great quality in it. It's very slick and smooth. But the "qualities" it has....aren't well suited for EVERYONE's enjoyment. Some people don't care for cartoons, regardless of how "smooth" they are. It's a matter of personal taste. To me...there are other games that have more of the QUALITIES....that I want in an MMO. That doesn't mean WoW doesn't have some qualities TOO.
I know people that think that Nightmare on Elm Street is a "quality" horror flick. As a matter of fact, both it, and Friday the 13th, and assorted OTHER cult flicks, have HUGE followings. Some people will pay to watch every single new movie in those series. Those movies collectively have made billions and billions of dollars, because....to SOME people....they are FUN. THOSE people consider those "films" to be "quality horror films." The quality they have....is that they ENTERTAIN those folks.
To ME....a "quality" film....is The Blind Side. I see so much more quality in THAT than in Friday the 13th....to ME, it's not even a contest. But to the horror cult flick fans....they probably think The Blind Side is emo bullshit.
Besides....I wouldn't argue that WoW isn't a AAA quality MMO. I WOULD argue, however, that it is FUN for every gamer. You just simply cannot argue that WoW is the "best" MMO out there. I know, camp....YOU do it all the time, but....you cannot decide for OTHER people what the best MMO is. Just because 11 million people MIGHT agree with you, doesn't mean that makes something a FACT.
How many people voted for George Bush because he would be the best president? How many people believe Jesus is going to crash through the little round opening in roof of the RLDS Auditorium in Independence, Missouri when he comes back to start his kingdom on Earth? How many people believed the world....was FLAT? People BELIEVE all kinds of odd things, that over time, may or may not prove to be TRUTH. Just because millions believe something....doesn't make it true.
You know, a lot of the people that play WoW....have never played another MMO in their lives. How do you judge quality when there is nothing to compare something to? To know the quality of Egyptian cotton sheets....don't you really have to feel them side by side with regular sheets? Otherwise....how could you tell? Unless, that is, you're willing to just take someone else's word for it. And who's to say what someone ELSE finds "better"....is actually going to be better for YOU?
No one is insulting your precious game here, camp. We were all just having a discussion about WHY WoW is so popular. And the answers to that....are as varied as snowflakes. I don't think you, or anyone else, can come up with ALL the reasons why WoW is popular. I DO think, that everyone collectively....has probably done a pretty good job of it. And yes...quality....is ONE reason that SOME play WoW....their OWN perception of what quality is. MY perception of quality, however....differs. Doesn't mean I think WoW is a "turd" (your words, not mine). I think WoW is a fine game. It's just not a fine game for ME any more. And all of the people that are playing other pay to play games exclusively....EVE, AoC, Aion, EQ2, LotRO, DAoC, Warhammer, etc, etc, that have PLAYED WoW....also, apparently, don't think WoW is the best quality in some department or another, or....they'd be playing it right along with the other 11 million people who play it. The difference from them and some of the people PLAYING WoW...is that they have played other games BESIDES WoW, which, imo....allows them a broader perspective on "quality," as you put it.
WoW is a popular game....that can't be argued.
WHY WoW is popular....is the question presented in this thread. And to THAT....there are as many answers as there are people.
President of The Marvelously Meowhead Fan Club
freerealm is one of the top multiplayer game aimed directly at casual player!i dont consider it a mmo but it is the best mo
that exist today and it can be played on your browser!so basicly its almost gaming anywhere anytime.and the fact it is family friendly makes it a huge success!(not my cup of tea but i had to give credit where its due,it is a brilliant title from the eq gangbanger!
Jumping in dalaran, thats what I did most when I was 80 because I could raid two ICC's/week, didn't feel like grinding achievements nor doing the easier raids. Ohh yeah, and jumping on dalaran was actually more fun than daily random hc.
(I got bored to instances VERY fast because I was tank and leveled 70-80 through instances, so I was bored them already on 80, however I had to get the badges for t9 gear to start raiding..)
I enjoyed leveling most btw..
Asking why WOW is so popular is like asking why do your balls' sweat?
because they can!(balls)