11-05-2004, 03:37 PM
After reading all the posts about the WOW Beta and the patches, I'm wondering how Blizzard plans to handle the partly huge game patches for 56K-modem users. WOW is apparently playable over a 56K-modem, and the WOW package will probably read like this: "Minimum Requirement: 56K-Modem, Recommended: DSL-Modem". If WOW patches can be up to 500 MB large, then there's is obviously no chance for 56K-modem users to upgrade their (online-only!) game at all, or in a resaonable time.
So, what has Blizzard planned for 56K-users? Will there be Maintenance-CD's available for the larger patches, say for $5 each CD + shipping costs? Or can you subscribe to an Annual Maintenance via CD (for the large patches)? They obviously can't advertise 56K-Modem usability on the boxes if they can't assure correct maintenance for such folks, because it would be misleading and therefore nullify the sales contract. A DSL-modem minimum requirement, on the other hand, will certainly influence sales negatively.
"Man only plays when in the full meaning of the word he is a man, and he is only completely a man when he plays." -- Friedrich von Schiller