Nothing about The War Within looks fun or appealing to me. This is the first expansion since this game was released that I have no positive feelings for. I want WoW to succeed but I feel like there is just an overwhelming lack of any innovation around this game and it’s sad.
The expansion presents like a patch to me with nothing really noteworthy going on.
I was hoping to see things like revamped questing system and new game modes and challenge modes to make exploration fun.
I just don’t personally see the value of purchasing this expansion.
That’s understandable, OP. WoW is going with the “this seems to work and it’s quicker, so we’ll do it” for most of the content, while they focus on account wide stuff, Delves and Midnight. At least, that’s my take on it.
If that’s not appealing to you, that’s okay! Take breaks, check out other games and communities. It’s always nice to see things from a different perspective.
I’d really like to know what you’re waiting for in the end, the content is the same as the old expansions, not to mention that we don’t even have access to the alpha or beta yet to know exactly what the real changes.
Why innovate when it works? Questing, they got it. Dungeons, they got it. Raiding, they got it. Transportation, they got it.
I’m psyched for delves. I’m mainly a solo player, and it’s awesome that they’re actually catering to my ilk more. They certainly stepped out the amount of solo outdoor content in DF, which has been overall great. And now having and actual system of progression and seasonal stuff for us loners. Well that’s just swell!
I think they’ve just become scared/cold feet with regards to “taking risks” since the sub numbers ain’t what they used to be. Having another Shadowlands-style subs decline would be a disaster at this point with subs already way down from the 2010 peak
By playing it “safe”…
standard 3-4 new zone maps
standard 8 dungeons
standard “milktoast” storyline that’s mid… not too extreme, not too basic, just “okay”
no “huge” player-requested features like Player Housing that could possibly flop or get bungled by them
…they probably feel they can keep the game in maintenance mode, with low risk of losing a bunch of subs
But playing it safe is also kinda risky itself given how the game is coming up on 20 years old now, at some point they need to sprinkle on some innovation/risky stuff since other MMOs already have a bunch of features that still don’t exist in WoW in 2024
There’s some value in Blizzard not just regurgitating the same formula over and over and over and over and over. Things get stale.
But what exactly are you looking for?
MoP had scenarios and they were lazy garbage until 3/4 through the expansion when they made them harder and more story relevant.
BfA had Warfronts and Island Expeditions and people hated both.
Shadowlands had Torghast and people hated it.
Legion’s Mage Tower was received well, but it wasn’t part of the launch experience and it’s a one-off challenge rather than content that has a reason to exist after you complete it.
Are these the kind of “new game modes” you want to see? Because historically they haven’t gotten Blizzard much praise.
I admit I’d be down for questing revamps / challenge modes regarding leveling though. But I wasn’t expecting it.