No matter how much I like WoW, the game feels 'old'. There are a lot of things in the game I think Blizzard should go back to and revamp but I also realize that the payback for that probably is not there. I think WoW is in a 'mid-life cricis'. It is too old and too established to go and redo stuff from the start so it compensates by being more 'adventurous'. Some of the changes coming in the next patch are stuff I would never consider Blizzard would implement. There are some key focus changes in the way stuff is handled and it is upsetting a lot of the old-time players. Personally I find it kinda liberating as it cuts away at certain MMORPG 'norms' I do not like that much anymore.
In terms of subs, yeah, it might have reached its peak or will soon reach its peak. The quality of the game is improving, which is really ridiculous because the quality at the beginning was already far ahead of the competition.
While the community is still the best for any mmorpg, you can tell that the excitement is tending to wear off. And i dont mean wear off for just those people that played since vanilla, raided all the dungeons and got all the pvp titles. No im talking in general about the whole community. People are much more accepting of noobies now, are much less elitist, and tend to stick to their day to day in game routine rather then find unique and whacky things to do ingame.
People dont "hate" the alliance or horde anymore. Guild loyalty, which has never been very strong unless you are surrounded by friends, has really diminished. People no longer idolize the pvp super stars. And server firsts are met with a "grats" and nothing more.
WoW is a great success and brought many new players to the mmo genre, no doubt about that. However even the greatest product will finally come to its end/stagnation.
As reported the growth rate of subs is slowing down while market share is huge = the product has reached its CASH COW position and therefore Blizzard is doing the only thing reasonable for a profit oriented company - milking it with minimum investment. Even if we see new features, engines implemented, they use wow as a platform to test new things before implementing it in new products in big scale. Quite a text book situation here.
WoW is going to be toppled from it's #1 spot in the Western Market sooner or later. Right now, the only games on the horizon that I can see doing it is TOR and/or Blizzard's new MMO.
It's on its plateau right now, but it WOULD be on the DECLINE right now if there ever was a REALLY POLISHED, FUN fantasy MMORPG on the market (sorry LOTRO-AoC-whatever lovers, that isn't nearly as much quality entertainment).
Also, if not for really good development team who makes new, interesting patches and changes for the masses every couple of months or so.
I too feel it may have already started its decline. I canceled my 4 accounts about 3 months ago. Can’t promise that I will never return, just done with it for now. Actually going back to the 1st MMO I ever played (AC). Ah... the memories...
I think it's pretty close to leveling off. I mean you can only go up for so long. Bear in mind that just because it levels off, it's not going anywhere for a LONG time. If EQ can last as long as it has with nowhere near the sub numbers then Wow could be around for another 5-10 years before they finally pull the plug. I'm sure it will retain at least a million subs for quite a while. I think we are going to get one more big expansion and then Blizzard will hatch their plan for their next MMO project.
WoW has peaked, speaking from my experience with purely antecdotal evidence. My guild has lost interest down to the man. Our raids are not attended, we struggle to find PUGs and not one person has bothered with pvp in months. WotLK was a very thin expansion and had nowhere near the interesting and fun content of BC. I think WoW will slowly fall off as people move on (to what? Aion maybe?) and SWTOR will make a big dent in WoW. I think Blizzard is also positioning themselves to take a lot of their own players who get more interested in their big 2 games on the way, and this new MMO is going to be released at the end of Diablo3 and SC2 hype cycle to lure those players back into the subscription fold.
Indeed - WoW will die when Blizzard decides so, possibly because of their other MMO title, but I doubt it. Of course, they may also have another expansion ready for WoW so there's no idea when this will actually happen, but I don't think players are going to perform some massive exodus to other games and that WoW will fail because of that. No, I really think it's in Blizzard's hands.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
I was one of those players that originally played for the lore.. Yea, at the beginning this was all good, but sooner or later, Blizzard is going to run out of gods and bosses to kill. There's not many "new ideas" they can add to it, and while I've quit and gone back for major revisions to the game, shortly after hitting 80, full out gearing in less than 3 weeks, I lost interest and haven't looked back. I'll never say WoW is a BAD game, it is just not MY game. The play-style doesn't mesh well with me anymore, the game has become far too A.D.D.'ish for my tastes.
And that fact alone I think it'll start to decline slightly more, in favor of other new shiny things on the horizon. I think Aion will steal some thunder for a short while, simply because in my playing of that game (level 34 on CN server) it reminds me a lot of "old WoW" ... everybody is on the same path, very linear, (example) you're either a Pre-MC player, MC Raider, or BWL Raider. You fit into a very linear "classification" and "status". But, like old WoW, people will get tired of it quick.
I do think WoW has peaked. I think they'll get another "shot in the arm" come next expansion time, but it'll be a similar thing to now.. Enough people come back, tire of content quickly, then come to forums to bitch about it..
Ultimately, WoW will be around for a LONG LONG LONG LONG time. It's not going anywhere. (so no, it's not dying, it won't die any time in the foresable future.) But I don't think we'll ever see "WoW Hits the 13 Million Subscriber Mark" Especially since I think they just lost about 3+ million active accounts to the new Chinese Gold Farming Ban. (why would they continue to pay / play for no profits?!)
Hey TSW Players http://www.unfair.co/ for Mission guides, Lore Locations and stuff....
Comments
No matter how much I like WoW, the game feels 'old'. There are a lot of things in the game I think Blizzard should go back to and revamp but I also realize that the payback for that probably is not there. I think WoW is in a 'mid-life cricis'. It is too old and too established to go and redo stuff from the start so it compensates by being more 'adventurous'. Some of the changes coming in the next patch are stuff I would never consider Blizzard would implement. There are some key focus changes in the way stuff is handled and it is upsetting a lot of the old-time players. Personally I find it kinda liberating as it cuts away at certain MMORPG 'norms' I do not like that much anymore.
In terms of subs, yeah, it might have reached its peak or will soon reach its peak. The quality of the game is improving, which is really ridiculous because the quality at the beginning was already far ahead of the competition.
While the community is still the best for any mmorpg, you can tell that the excitement is tending to wear off. And i dont mean wear off for just those people that played since vanilla, raided all the dungeons and got all the pvp titles. No im talking in general about the whole community. People are much more accepting of noobies now, are much less elitist, and tend to stick to their day to day in game routine rather then find unique and whacky things to do ingame.
People dont "hate" the alliance or horde anymore. Guild loyalty, which has never been very strong unless you are surrounded by friends, has really diminished. People no longer idolize the pvp super stars. And server firsts are met with a "grats" and nothing more.
I guess people are just getting burnt out.
WoW is a great success and brought many new players to the mmo genre, no doubt about that. However even the greatest product will finally come to its end/stagnation.
As reported the growth rate of subs is slowing down while market share is huge = the product has reached its CASH COW position and therefore Blizzard is doing the only thing reasonable for a profit oriented company - milking it with minimum investment. Even if we see new features, engines implemented, they use wow as a platform to test new things before implementing it in new products in big scale. Quite a text book situation here.
I just had two of my friends sign up for WoW. Dunno if they'll turn hardcore but the game is definitely still drawing up fresh players.
Better to be crazy, provided you know what sane is...
WoW is going to be toppled from it's #1 spot in the Western Market sooner or later. Right now, the only games on the horizon that I can see doing it is TOR and/or Blizzard's new MMO.
It's on its plateau right now, but it WOULD be on the DECLINE right now if there ever was a REALLY POLISHED, FUN fantasy MMORPG on the market (sorry LOTRO-AoC-whatever lovers, that isn't nearly as much quality entertainment).
Also, if not for really good development team who makes new, interesting patches and changes for the masses every couple of months or so.
NEW IDEAS that can refresh the STALE state of MMORPGs
For you its not, for others it is.
To OP:
I too feel it may have already started its decline. I canceled my 4 accounts about 3 months ago. Can’t promise that I will never return, just done with it for now. Actually going back to the 1st MMO I ever played (AC). Ah... the memories...
Same as eq. After they update the Character models And ruin the game with New story cause they have used up all the old stuff.
.
Same here i quit for the second time and vowed to not quit a third, lol.
Tried: EvE, DnD Online, LotRO, WAR, AoC,
Played: UO, SWG(pre-cu), GuildWars, FFXI, WoW
Liked: UO, SWG, GuildWars
Disliked: WoW, FFXI
I think it's pretty close to leveling off. I mean you can only go up for so long. Bear in mind that just because it levels off, it's not going anywhere for a LONG time. If EQ can last as long as it has with nowhere near the sub numbers then Wow could be around for another 5-10 years before they finally pull the plug. I'm sure it will retain at least a million subs for quite a while. I think we are going to get one more big expansion and then Blizzard will hatch their plan for their next MMO project.
WoW has peaked, speaking from my experience with purely antecdotal evidence. My guild has lost interest down to the man. Our raids are not attended, we struggle to find PUGs and not one person has bothered with pvp in months. WotLK was a very thin expansion and had nowhere near the interesting and fun content of BC. I think WoW will slowly fall off as people move on (to what? Aion maybe?) and SWTOR will make a big dent in WoW. I think Blizzard is also positioning themselves to take a lot of their own players who get more interested in their big 2 games on the way, and this new MMO is going to be released at the end of Diablo3 and SC2 hype cycle to lure those players back into the subscription fold.
Indeed - WoW will die when Blizzard decides so, possibly because of their other MMO title, but I doubt it. Of course, they may also have another expansion ready for WoW so there's no idea when this will actually happen, but I don't think players are going to perform some massive exodus to other games and that WoW will fail because of that. No, I really think it's in Blizzard's hands.
I think it's kind of hit that mark already.
I was one of those players that originally played for the lore.. Yea, at the beginning this was all good, but sooner or later, Blizzard is going to run out of gods and bosses to kill. There's not many "new ideas" they can add to it, and while I've quit and gone back for major revisions to the game, shortly after hitting 80, full out gearing in less than 3 weeks, I lost interest and haven't looked back. I'll never say WoW is a BAD game, it is just not MY game. The play-style doesn't mesh well with me anymore, the game has become far too A.D.D.'ish for my tastes.
And that fact alone I think it'll start to decline slightly more, in favor of other new shiny things on the horizon. I think Aion will steal some thunder for a short while, simply because in my playing of that game (level 34 on CN server) it reminds me a lot of "old WoW" ... everybody is on the same path, very linear, (example) you're either a Pre-MC player, MC Raider, or BWL Raider. You fit into a very linear "classification" and "status". But, like old WoW, people will get tired of it quick.
I do think WoW has peaked. I think they'll get another "shot in the arm" come next expansion time, but it'll be a similar thing to now.. Enough people come back, tire of content quickly, then come to forums to bitch about it..
Ultimately, WoW will be around for a LONG LONG LONG LONG time. It's not going anywhere. (so no, it's not dying, it won't die any time in the foresable future.) But I don't think we'll ever see "WoW Hits the 13 Million Subscriber Mark" Especially since I think they just lost about 3+ million active accounts to the new Chinese Gold Farming Ban. (why would they continue to pay / play for no profits?!)
Hey TSW Players http://www.unfair.co/ for Mission guides, Lore Locations and stuff....