It’s 10.0, in a genre that struggles for a successful 1.2 before subs begun plummeting. With the exception of legion, this is about par for all xpacs we’ve had. Legion is the only one that threw a massive new system and PVE outdoor area at us and was lauded for it. That was new and fresh but BFA and SL were just realigns of that same mathy system.
It’s a return to roots. It’s taking classic feedback to heart. It’s then realizing finally that people play games for enjoyment and not just achievement. What made the game make it to 10.0. What did we do right, why did we change, and can we go back with corrections?
The shrinking staff, HR problems, pandemic impact (don’t forget they’re housed in a state that had a much different tolerance than some others), and shareholder focus are also underpinning a lot of what we see too. It’s all carrying degrees.
The kicker is, if they don’t deliver a fun balanced game we’ll continue to look elsewhere with sub money over time. Life will take us away, and sometimes bring us back, to wow as well.
WSJ recently posted about the slide in 1st quarter earnings and pinned it almost entirely on CoD numbers. Wow isn’t the whale we think it is, it’s more of a dolphin on the balance sheet.
Comparing it to studios who literally survive off an mmos success is just silly. It’s not supposed to be that anymore. If it was they would have been bringing in staff and rolling content out sooner to stem sub loss. Obviously that’s not what we’re paying for because we’re still here with our sub money.