I’m extremely skeptical.
I’ve said in another thread that I think the “good expansion, bad expansion” cycle is a result of Acti-Blizz chasing profits, pumping $$$ into the game one expansion to bring up revenue, then cutting costs the next expansion only to see revenue fall corresponding to the drop in investment. This cycle goes on and on because profit-pushers aren’t happy with acknowledging that WoW must take in X amount of investment to generate Y amount of revenue, they’re always trying to chase that ever-increasing profit margin even if it is to their doom.
However, the idea that they’d intentionally destroy the golden goose for a quick buck seems like nonsense to me. Stock value is not only immediate revenue generated but also long-term projected value of assets. There’s not any realistic amount of money that would be worth shooting their cash cow in the head. It just doesn’t make sense.
Maybe stop confusing your own strawmen for what people actually believe? Maybe then you won’t be so confused.