I couldn’t agree more with what you’ve said. The current state of dungeons, especially with the “go, go, go” mentality, has really taken the fun out of what used to be one of the best parts of MMORPGs like World of Warcraft. I’ve shared my thoughts on this issue in another topic thread, The people happy about tank nerfs don’t understand, but I’ll summarize here.
The problem is deeper than just DPS pulling ahead of tanks or healers struggling to keep up—it’s a reflection of a broader cultural shift in the game. Years ago, MMORPGs were about taking your time, strategizing, and working together as a team. Players would carefully plan pulls, use crowd control, and sometimes even wipe and come back stronger, learning from their mistakes. Nowadays, the mentality has shifted to a relentless “go, go, go” pace, where any delay is met with frustration or hostility. This mindset is toxic to the community and undermines the very essence of what an MMORPG should be—playing with friends, exploring the world, and enjoying the journey, not just rushing to the finish line.
The experience you describe in follower dungeons is what many of us miss: the slower pace, the camaraderie, and the chance to actually enjoy the content without feeling pressured. I support the idea of expanding delves, but the gear rewards should cap at LFR item level.
An improvement I’d love to see is the ability to take your alts along on these runs, not just NPCs. Imagine being able to bring your other characters along, leveling them up together, or just enjoying the game at your own pace with the characters you’ve spent so much time building. It would add a whole new layer of personalization and enjoyment to the experience.
While this idea might not directly bring back guilds, it could certainly appeal to more old-school casual and midcore gamers who might be interested in joining like-minded guilds. I’m trying to bring back my own guild, and I need players who share this mindset—players who value camaraderie, a slower pace, and the enjoyment of the journey, not just the destination. I’m not against content for different playstyles, including solo players, but I believe Blizzard needs to add more for midcore/casual guilds and open-world content for these players. The shift in how people play today has led more to play solo, which is why it’s crucial to create content that encourages group play and supports the kind of community many of us miss.
I’m okay with not giving solo players gear for hardcore content, and here’s why. I never suggested rewarding people just for being in a guild or participating in specific content types. Everything I proposed involved new content that players would engage with and work towards, just like any other system in the game where you get a reward for completing it.
I would never advocate for removing rewards from PvP, raiding, or any other challenging content just because I don’t personally enjoy it. It’s perfectly fine for different content types to offer unique rewards—after all, variety is what makes the game enjoyable for different players. If someone doesn’t enjoy guild content, they don’t have to participate in it, just like I don’t have to engage in Hardcore PvP to get the mounts I might want.
This idea aligns with what I’ve been advocating for in my post, Revitalizing Guilds in World of Warcraft. I’m trying to bring back my guild, which was built on the foundation of old-school camaraderie and loyalty. To do that, I need like-minded players who appreciate the slower pace and social aspects of the game. While I support more content for solo players, I also strongly believe Blizzard needs to add more midcore/casual guild and open-world content for players who enjoy these aspects of the game. More people are playing solo because of the shift in how people play today, but that doesn’t mean we should forget about the community-driven experiences that made MMORPGs great in the first place.