Everything a for-profit business does is for more profit. Literally every single decision is to maximize profits. Welcome to how it works.
Of course they are taking credit, it’s their product. You didn’t make the changes, Blizzard did. It’s telling that you think they shouldn’t take credit and responsibility over their own product.
Which is exactly why it’s worth questioning why we’re even putting up with it as paying subscribers. How are we even able to tolerate this kind of cycle? How is it not obvious that the developers aren’t listening to their players and are, instead, only developing the game in the way they want to play it?
This was all writing on the wall before Warlords released. That anniversary video they made with all of the developers giving a retrospective, one of them even admitted that they were more concerned with building a game that they would love to play.
I’m honestly getting tired of the apologists over the borrowed power systems and the atrocious character-focused writing, especially when it was mishandled so heavily as it has been.
That’s not really the problem.
The “elite” weren’t predominantly complaining about elite problems. The complaint was about the fundamentals of SL systems. Basically, something that literally everyone who plays shadowlands will experience.
What was unfortunate were the plethora of casuals who didn’t understand why gating power behind covenants was an issue, yet argued for it all the same. I’m not saying every casual, I’m just saying those who didn’t have an issue with it were likely extremely casual.
The most common argument I saw from casual players was “it’s your choice. you don’t have to pick the stronger covenant at the cost of identity if you don’t want to”.
You do, though. You really do.
I never understood why people made this argument. They were going to choose the covenant they wanted for identity, not power. So, if player power wouldn’t affect their playstyle in any meaningful way, why impose the burden on people who do care about player power?
Of course people are just gonna cling to their opinions cause Internet. But those casual players were fairly large in number, and really hurt the conversation that was intended to make the game better.
More experienced players have a greater understanding of the cascading effects of bad systems. They’re performing analyses that are much more meaningful than a player who just wants to experience the content and not push beyond a certain level. That’s why you need those types of players testing your game. Meaningful analyses leads to meaningful feedback.
If you’re going to take an opposing stance, you need to have an understanding of the arguments made by the “whining players”. Currently, you do not.
Hard nope. My opinions are mine. None of the streamers pay for my sub.
I’ve often thought that this type of game development generates a big spike of income really fast at the expense of leaving a lot of potential value on the table.
One thing about SL is that they made me feel like I’m not welcome. If they can make 10.0 so it isn’t another Systemlands Special with an extra serving of Currencies and a sidedish of Timegating, maybe then I’ll stick around.
This is a cycle of punishing players.
I know how business works, don’t try to f*cking patronize me. And they’re only making the changes because they’re bleeding customers. They were told none of this would work over a year ago. They don’t deserve the credit. All the people that worked hard testing the beta and the players that had to endure the mess deserve the credit. The people that created this mess in the first place deserve to get demoted or fired for causing a huge hemorrhage, most likely leading to a loss in profit. But, keep deluding yourself in thinking that the devs deserve a pat on the back.
I think some of us were just hoping that somehow Blizzard would be able to balance things out well enough to where the choices didn’t matter as much. Or be smart enough to make the covenants themed around certain types of roles and classes in some kind of big brain way.
In the end, it seems we were probably better off without the covenant systems separated at all but just a few big trees we all spec into for dps/healing/tanking with one powerful ability instead of many. I wouldn’t want to covenant swap every single time I wanted that just sounds too cluttered development wise.
I’m just not a fan of any of these systems in this expansion at all though. Nothing seems fun just a boring cluttered mess.
I think the relationship would be a lot better if they communicated better (not ghosting us for months on end), and responded to feedback in a timely manner. They care too much about how making a change mid-patch is going to disrupt their Race to world first or something.
Come on blizzard lol, the esports thing isn’t working out…it’s painfully obvious at this point.
I’m just exasperated at the breathtaking arrogance of the Blizzard development staff. Why are programmers and developers so amazingly arrogant and think they’re so much smarter and better than the rest of us? It’s stupefyingly amazing. “We always know better than the player because we’re programmers and developers.” I mean, seriously, Blizzard, just stop it, ok? It’s not about you and your superior smartness, it’s about the players and their enjoyment. The sooner you learn that, the quicker you’ll recover from the sad state you find yourselves in.
“Whom the gods would destroy, first they make proud.”
Always take proper care of your feet.
Stretches feet in the air and wiggles toes
Lolololol, the “we hear you” patch, hahahaha! I am soooo going to steal that!
yeah, it’s all underhanded hypocritical farcical permeated nonsense.
Before it goes live everything should have been fixed. When will the cycle end.
The reason Beta even exists is undermined.
There is ONE big difference compared to then and now …the old guard is no longer at the helm. Both Mike Ybarra and Jen Onel show promise with Jen Oneal being credited as the one who turned the Tony Hawks Pro Skater franchise around and Mike Ybarra not only is an avid WoW player but reportedly played some FFXIV so he knows what the players want.
He is a M+ player. That’s it. Same Problem as with Ion.
I belive good things only when I see it in the next expansion. If they change at all and if it will hold up.
I don’t think they are willing to change.
And I think 5.9.1 is a good start.
Also you completely ignored Jen Oneal …do not count her out.
No it’s not. That’s naive.
It’s the same b.s they did in WoD, Legion, BfA etc.
They are trying to trick you. Whales are so terrible for the aqtual game play and customization.
Sorry to burst the bubble, but it’s been going on longer than that, hah.
Part of the issue is a lack of consistency; Blizzard doesn’t carry features forward, they scrap them in favor of new, untested things because that grabs headlines.
Island Expeditions, War Fronts, Artifact Weapons, Garrisons, Archaeology, etc.
Instead of improving upon these things and making them integral, well flashed out parts of the game - they leave them behind as relics of previous expansions.
I know some players like the “SHINY! NEW THINGS! LOOK!” mentality, where every expansion they get new races, classes, systems, w/e, but I’d really like depth, not breadth. When there is an abundance of really boring, poorly designed, likely to be discontinued or unfinished things, I lose interest.
I’d rather have a few core systems that never change, are well oiled, and highly regarded by players.
Give me an expansion where the company focuses on telling a genuinely well fleshed out narrative that doesn’t trash characters for the sake of rushing a contrived plot along. Put all the resources into producing tons of raids and dungeons and revamp the old world. Overhaul professions to be immersive and engaging and RELEVANT even in the old world. Create an artifact weapon/item system that we can upgrade over the course of future expansions.
Find ways to fix what is there already instead of throwing out new half baked crap.
If you want to look at patterns remember the Steller Legion x pack was preceded by the end of WoD where it looked like Blizzard was getting back on track
Also as I said you forget about Jen Oneal. The Tony Hawks Pro Skater games were in a similar state that WoW is in currently but with one remaster she turned that around.
This is not a mobile game sir …and even AAA starting to realize the truth I mean look at Dice then went from the Lootbox Ridden Battlefront 2 to Battlefield 2021 which looks to be completely focused on good gameplay.
What are you on about? WoD was trash in every regard.
They also ignored every feedback for Legion. Did you forget Azerithe armor?
No I don’t. I am simply not naive. She has experience with very different Games. The incompetnt systems devs are still in control.
Only if they really change I will see something positive. So far there was no change, nothing positive.
I don’t See why the esports obsessed people like Ion would be rained in. There are no sind for that so far.
I hope they will change, but don’t be naive and praise them in advance for nothing. Wait until at least 10.0
Lol ok sure. 
I stand by it. Whales accept anything and therefore change is not needed with them.