06-24-2004, 08:02 PM
Well, as it stands, I've seen Blizzard be very responsive to gamer concerns over the development of the game. Power gamers are in the minority, although they are by far the most vocal. To be honest, I don't think Blizzard is looking to cater to a 100% power gamer crowd. That crown is already rather tightly secured by EverQuest 1 & 2. The PvPers are largely concentrated in DAoC (and likely Guild Wars). I believe that Blizzard is trying to find the middle ground between *all* types of play, so that they appeal to as many gamers as possible. Whether they succeed in that balancing act remains to be seen.
Power gamers and PvPers who are absolutely unwilling to bend are probably going to realize rather quickly that WoW is not the game for them.
Is this wise? I'm not sure. Hardcore PvPers, for example, are disruptive to the entire community; if they account for 20% of subscriptions but also 50% of cancellations, then the game is probably better off without them. But I would like to see a game that softcore PvPers, level grinders, and casuals can all find to their taste. It will be interesting to see if they can pull it off, but I think their eagerness to listen to the community is promising.
I must honestly say that if quality decisions are made that piss off the top 10% of extreme level grinders, forcing them into another game, I won't be sad. Social games become less fun the more nasty people there are about. But that's just me, and I expect my opinion to carry the same weight as anyone else's, so if I'm outweighed, I'll live with it.
Power gamers and PvPers who are absolutely unwilling to bend are probably going to realize rather quickly that WoW is not the game for them.
Is this wise? I'm not sure. Hardcore PvPers, for example, are disruptive to the entire community; if they account for 20% of subscriptions but also 50% of cancellations, then the game is probably better off without them. But I would like to see a game that softcore PvPers, level grinders, and casuals can all find to their taste. It will be interesting to see if they can pull it off, but I think their eagerness to listen to the community is promising.
I must honestly say that if quality decisions are made that piss off the top 10% of extreme level grinders, forcing them into another game, I won't be sad. Social games become less fun the more nasty people there are about. But that's just me, and I expect my opinion to carry the same weight as anyone else's, so if I'm outweighed, I'll live with it.