Yes, I realise that most of you think that I have gone mental, (or more mental), but the fact remains that this is a perfectly understandable move by Blizzard with WoW in the current state that it is. In case you’ve missed the news, Blizzard has come out with a future feature where players will be able to bring in ReadID friends from different servers into the same heroic dungeon group that they are in. Oh yes, and it’s a premium service that will cost you an extra. Of course this has set off a chain of anguish throughout the blogging and forum world, with fists being shaken and thunder rumbling from the mountain tops. The common argument against this new plan is that it will punish, (ie make them pay more), the very players who care enough and are actually able to make friends in WoW. As Spinks says;
“… Since people who actually form their own groups are likely to be the more social players anyway, Blizzard effectively will be going the opposite way from Valve and charging the people who most want and are able to build social networks for their friends …”
Now this is a noble sentiment, but the problem with it is that it fails to take into account the actual state of the WoW community at present. If I were to say that the WoW community is, oh I don’t know, … a toxic waste-pit, or bereft of any redeeming features, or even non existent, I don’t think that I would find many players who would stand up and defend it against my remarks. Blizzard knows this. It knows that it has created a horrible two headed green monster. But part of keeping that green monster going, (because it makes them lots of cash), is keeping the LFG tool going so the monster can continue to get its instant gaming gratification. So it can’t put in a standard feature that would remove many of the good players from the great unwashed.
But Blizzard knows that the better players are leaving in droves, and even though comparatively those numbers are small, it still cares enough about that money to want to do something. But this has to be a feature for players that really, and I mean really want it, for it to work. Which means segregation. And the only way to segregate in this way is cash. The great unwashed are not going to pay for a premium account. But the old school gamers who want their game back are not going to get it without some sacrifice. Which means stumping up the cash.
There is the other bugbear in the room, which is Real ID lurking in the background. Well, if this is what it takes, then so be it. Honestly everyone, what more do you want? The community cannot be rebuilt with the state of the current player base. The only option is segregation, and the only way to effectively do it is to stick a price tag on it. Hopefully the price won’t be too high.
May 19, 2011 at 2:10 pm
One thing I just realized was that how many people are still running 5 mans or Heroics often enough to need or want this feature? I typically run one or two Heroics a week and that’s just for attempted Bear runs with guildies before a raid. I don’t schedule them. I’m fine if I don’t do them. But that’s all I have a real interest in. I don’t have any alts that I want to gear up or run through those places. I certainly don’t need anything on my main. The motivation isn’t there and I know there are others like me that are burned out of Heroics and have no real reason to do them.
Were I running them that often, then yes this feature would be a great option for me. At this stage in the game, I just wonder who really is clamoring for this or how much they would even really make from this feature. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not one of those that’s against it being a premium feature. I just don’t see how much demand there is for this service, really.
May 21, 2011 at 11:36 am
Just because you do not find a feature useful does not mean many people have not been asking for it. After some quick searches I originally found that I was not the only one waiting for a feature like this. I recently transferred realm and over and above the players from my original realm I would love to be able to run dungeons with, there is another buddy that has been unable to run heroics due to his guild being disbanded pre cata, and the general state of your average pug player (not all of them.) Ever since hearing about realID I have been waiting for this feature to be added. of course I am slightly disheartened by the fact that it’s a premium service, but I am still awaiting it eagerly.
May 19, 2011 at 2:12 pm
It’s just another way for Blizzard to bleed even more money out of their customers. They’ll take any opportunity to make cash, that’s all they care about.
May 19, 2011 at 5:23 pm
I think the WoW player community is great compared to most other online communities.
And as for RealID dungeons, a paid service is better than no service.
May 19, 2011 at 6:23 pm
Are there that many people with friends not on there server? I mean I have a few, but not enough for me to shell out cash for them.
May 19, 2011 at 9:39 pm
If I can have a x-server friends list that is NOT RealID and allows me to form groups x-server, that would be a service I’m willing to pay extra for.
May 20, 2011 at 3:41 am
I like your take on this. The idea that this feature would work as a segregation tool makes a bit too much sense to think that Blizzard didn’t have this it in mind when it was being discussed.
I for one will definitely be purchasing this feature once it comes out. Or even better, perhaps it will be rolled into the $3 extra I already pay per month for WoW Remote.
I think some people get far too upset about the existance of day-one DLC, expansion content and “premium” features which clearly would have been included in the main game had the ability to charge extra for them not been feasable. Yeah, it’s lame, but it’s a value proposition like any other game purchase.
Though when it comes to the Premium features we’ve seen in WoW so far, I am fairly confident that if the ability to charge extra for them didn’t exist, they just wouldn’t develop the feature. Players aren’t losing anything here.
May 20, 2011 at 7:18 am
“..many players have been asking for a way to group up with real-life friends..” Really ? Did I miss that post then ? Is there a forum which I don’t read where Blizzard ask for ideas ?
I assume that people are making new RL friends all the time who suddenly reveal that they play WoW but on a different server ?
Maybe because I’m older this doesn’t happen to me and so this just doesn’t sit right, doesn’t feel like the real reason, so if I’m right what is the real reason ?
Could it be that Blizzard are attempting to piggy back on other social networks and encourage “friends” from there to join up in WoW ? At a price of course.
May 20, 2011 at 9:22 am
I think this is much more likely.
Blizzard segregating players just doesn’t seem very plausible to me. Not when they put so much effort into ‘forcing’ good players to run the same heroics, over and over again, with the not so good players.
On the other hand, reading interviews of Bobby Kotick its pretty obvious they have big plans for RealID involving integration into other social platforms like facebook. This is the perfect way of allowing all those new friends who start playing, but just picked whatever server, to play together. And what better way to make it even better for Blizzard than to charge people to play together. So why not test the waters with charging for stuff like this now, while there’s not likely to be too many people interested, and less resistance.
I think the only future of WoW is a lot more premium services and a lot more integration into social networking. But whatever, every time I start getting a little bit tempted to resubscribe, they announce something like this and I just think I’m glad I’m not playing any more.
May 20, 2011 at 11:38 pm
This is a great post! Came across your blog from the WoW Insider link today and I’m glad I did. Keep up the intelligent and entertaining writing!
May 21, 2011 at 6:10 am
So…people with friends on other realms are automatically “the better players” and “old school gamers”? That’s nonsense.
This debate has nothing to do with separating the wheat from the chaff. The service doesn’t even do that. You might be able to make that case as more “premium services” come to light, but I doubt it.
May 21, 2011 at 6:22 am
People with money can be as asshole-ish as people without money. This is not about making the gaming community nicer, or if it is, they’re going about it the wrong way. (The right way would be to have an unlimited ignore list for accounts.)
May 22, 2011 at 10:56 pm
It seems to me that no matter what move Blizzard makes, there is always some group of people waiting in the shadows to pop out and proclaim the evils of such a power-hungry, heartless corporation.
This is a game folks, and moreover it is a business. The frank fact of the matter is that this is a feature that has an extreme niche group of players who could glean some benefit from its existance.
Would you rather be paying higher subscription fees for a feature you may not use, or let the feature be premium and thus only cost those who will be using it on a regular basis? Its a no brainer on the part of Blizzard.
Im sure many people have been faced in the past with discovering a new/old friend or group of friends plays together on a completely different server than their own. In order to play with these people in the past you would have had to start a brand new toon or pay one of Blizzards transfer fees of either 25, 30, or 55 dollars. (server transfer, faction change, or both; respectively)
Thats a hefty sum of money to pay considering the multitude of things that could change in short order thanks to the ever-changing adventure we call life.
Friends stop playing? Whoops, there goes that transfer fee. Everyone wants to up and move to a new server after you transfer? Best whip out that pocket book if you wanna play together.
Anyone who faces these dilemmas may very well be willing to shell out the comparatively cheap fee attatched to the premium service. Its genius.
In closing, if you dislike the game and its “two-headed monster” community then might I suggest you find better ways to spend your time than playing and writing about said game? I hear Rift is “awesome”.
May 22, 2011 at 11:14 pm
So you spend 20 odd lines agreeing with me and then tell me at the end that I should stop playing and writing about the game. Okaaaaaayyy …
May 22, 2011 at 11:53 pm
“…the WoW community is, oh I don’t know, … a toxic waste-pit, or bereft of any redeeming features, or even non existent, I don’t think that I would find many players who would stand up and defend it against my remarks. Blizzard knows this. It knows that it has created a horrible two headed green monster. But part of keeping that green monster going, (because it makes them lots of cash)….”
I just can’t see where the hatred of a community that you are actively a part of is coming from. The contempt that seeps out of your post is the reason for the suggestion that perhaps you take some time off.
If the comment came out with some attitude its because I simply can’t figure out why so many paying customers openly badmouth a company that has produced a game they still(?) enjoy.
What gives?
If this game is the terrible, abhorrent creature that Vanilla Vets would have you believe it is, why stick around and bemoan its existence to players who are really enjoying themselves?
WoW is going to continue to be WoW for several expansions. If you are burned out from 4-5 years of rep grinds, dungeon grinds, raiding, questing, etc; Get Out Now.
With 11+ million players, the diversity on each server coupled with cross server LFD assures you plenty of face time with all sorts of personalities. The only thing the tool has changed is the relative convenience and speed(except dps queues of course) at which you meet those personalities.
TL;DR Sounds like you don’t enjoy this game anymore and that sucks to hear. Maybe a different game would be better. Also, people can be assholes and LFD = more assholes at a faster rate. Awesomesauce.
May 25, 2011 at 1:26 pm
You know, I’ve been wanting this service for a while. I meet people IRL and realize they play WoW later on, but on another server. We want to play together, but if I transfered every time I wanted to play with a new friend I wouldn’t be able to afford my car.
I hate they will charge but I guess it’s better than nothing at all at this point. I’ll be waiting to see what it costs before jumping in with a big Yay.