Eh not necessarily but just throwing out a possibility. Yes it’s possible that there is some money saving element involved but I find that less likely.
Why is it so difficult to explain or answer detailed questions about removing this feature though? They have generally added and not subtracted from each release (SoM is a different matter as it was meant as a deviation) of Classic thus far. The Community Council doesn’t appear to have supported the move (please don’t laugh but Blizz is supposed to have cited their input) so what happened? A high-ranking employee’s kid witnessed some kind of abbarant behavior?
Obviously I’m being silly with that sort of reason but with the removal of a tool that really wasn’t the cause of the destruction of the social fabric in game (as you indicated it can be some people’s misuse of it), it would be nice to hear some concrete facts from the company explaining their process so that we can see if there isn’t some adjustment that could help. Excluding it in total seems excessive and so compromise could be attempted.
I know emotions are running high for many and as always I appreciate your addressing the issue and staying level headed, Corpse.
I tend to disagree about the actual meaning of removing LFD. I believe it is 100% motive to make the boost buying look very convenient. Blizzard observes that everyone has 10 alts a piece on tbc, more accounts etc. selling the boost to altaholics will bring in big money, and if you implement LFD it makes it too easy to dungeon spam your alts and avoid the boost.
Blizzard is not our friends nor do they care about our immersion in game. This is why they sold that fugly mount when tbc came out when it didn’t even exist in tbc. Why did they do that? Money
Edit: one more thing to add. They went as far as to create a new cinematic trailer for the games re release. It is quite obvious they are expecting a very large influx of people to play wrath. Both tbc players retail players and possibly new players
That too edges into tinfoil hat territory but I understand that a successful business is continually looking to maximize profit. However the balance is a bit more delicate with an entertainment focused company. Got to give (or at least the illusion of) some amount of bending to give customers what they want (or believe they want).
Blizzard has had issues with communication of a level that customers desire for some time. Taking away a feature that was originally on offer in an expansion that people reasonably expected to see in the re-release is unexpected and should have been discussed in more depth. I also believe if there is push back as there has been, they should be open to compromise.
Yeah I mean I agree. I wouldn’t have thought what I stated at first, but what gave their hand away was when they said they made this decision off of “player feedback” which they did none of. Asked no one, sent no surveys and no one saw this coming. In the past, blizzard has used the term “player feedback” to implement further monetization of their game. I believe they will implement some sort of grouping system, but I am 100% certain LFD will not come as it once was for my stated observation
This is just my far out theory but I think its (at least partially) because its not really needed. Not that it wouldnt be used, obviously it would be, but that its really not necessary - like at all - for getting through 5 man Wrath content.
There’s always exceptions but if there’s one thing the Classics have taught us is that most of the challenges really aren’t all that challenging or not nearly as challenging as they once were - and its not close. So perhaps after observing this they concluded there’s really no point in making it any easier so they can just leave off with it and tell players its because they listened to their feedback about how unpopular LFD became in hindsight.
That would prove my point that the “majority rule” about world buffs would be fake as well, seeing how it was “majority rule” yet som pop doesn’t fit the survey outcome. That would in turn make this the same situation. Do you picture me wearing a large tin foil hat yet?
I’ll still play because I’ve been looking forward to this expansion for a long time, but with the removal of dungeon finder, it won’t be very long. I’m tired of them dictating how I play.
For a sizable number of people it is true.
But so much for that supposed new leaf at the company regarding inclusivity as low pop server folk, off-hours folk, limited gaming time folk and others that this tool helps are not going to be provided something they had the reasonable expectation of being there for their enjoyment.
A few more words on the subject from them or willingness to entertain a compromise would go a long way. People are quitting. Only time will tell if it’s enough to get the message through.
