PF is dying a slow death on the vine and it is the end. The end is sooner than many believe because patchfinder has been used as a backend retention mechanic truthfully for many expansions post WoD. But what has that done? Split the player base and it is obvious that that split hurt guilds, friends and family. And many of those players never came back and peeled away to Final Fantasy. That is why Final Fantasy was able to pull away and be on top compared to WoW retail early in BFA and beyond really.
We are seeing a reverse situation now unfolding with early access where the player base is split once more and that is only on a shorter time table of less than a week. Imagine splitting the player base in half by keeping TBC normal flying locked away for nearly 12 months ore more. If this was any other typical job it would cause an immediate job loss with such a decision that hurts business income and cash flow. Keep in mind that cash flow from shop sales, subs and services is what funds future projects.
Nearly 50% reduction in up front box sales at the start of the expansion, lost sub money for 12 months or more. Also leads to less shop and services in the store. Why do you need a character transfer if you are not even subbed? And if you are not subbed why even buy from the shop? And if you are subbed you are not in a hurry to buy a service as some are just going to play the older expansions.
Also keep in mind that Legion expansion was in development during MoP alongside with WoD. That is why WoD was the filler expansion and Legion expansion development ramped up during early WoD beta. But Legion was the last full fledged expansion.
The no fly ever decision and subsequent disasterous pathfinder decision that splits the player base really impacted how BFA was developed. BFA was really a shell of Legion expansion in many respects. And we see the same with Systemlands and to an exten to DF. In other words the player base was eroded badly by three major points: Trying to remove and gate TBC normal flying, mass pruning of Legion and rental system shenanigans.
Which is no coincidence that classic era of WoW is so popular witih players. DF expansion was supposed to be an olive branch offering to undo those three main points. But in reality they haven’t followed through with unpruning, and fixing the mess of rental system shenanigans which causes hollow class design to be left behind. That void left behind has to be filled in with actual class design (eg Demon Hunter).
But the worst is PF because it really hinders new players to WoW and has been acting like major road block for new players to engage with WoW content out in the world. But devs that do not play WoW would not understand the plight of new players or how during leveling they are missing too many class tools.
This is why feedback is important to pushback against decisions that impact the unabled, disabled, new or returning players. Patchfinder was a failed experiment of using it as a backend retention mechanic to prop up the tail end of expansions. At the same time now it is pushed forward at the start of the expansion but still gating exists.
We all know the truth and the truth is the ego and pettiness does not make good business sense. In business speed to adapt to customer needs and be agile is what makes you money and customers happy. Waiting ten years later to have PF unlocked with just starting expansion quest chains is a little too late. Delayed justice is no justice as the young ones say. And that is why PF must be removed so WoW can move onto a brighter, new future. A clean slate as we turn the page to a new era.
All the decisions that split the player base are avoidable with a flip of a switch. As long as ego is put aside by the devs.
But that is why we as players provide feedback!
Thanks for your time!
<3