WoW - Why I'm Still Playing the MMO

Gamegrin editor Ashyko has written a new article where he wrote why he is still playing World of Warcraft. I know a few members have played the game on our site also.

World of Warcraft’s fifth expansion, Warlords of Draenor, will likely be released sometime in December of 2014 (just in time for the holidays). With the upcoming expansion of the top selling massively multiplayer online game, many conversations about the declining player base and the direction the game has taken have begun anew. As a somewhat veteran player (I’ve been playing for four years now), I debated on whether to spend the $60 on pre-purchasing the expansion (with the special pre-order mount and pet). After much soul searching, the burning desire to accumulate more achievements won out, and my digital purchase was made. There are lots of reasons to play World of Warcraft (WoW), but the ultimate reason remains the same as always, WoW has one of the most exciting and dynamic storylines in all of gaming. Warlords of Draenor will take that story one step further.

While there is plenty of room to debate over the coming stats squish, the removal of some of the secondary stats, the changing of glyphs (what will be the point of inscription now?), and the removal of “extra” abilities, the coming expansion will also bring a new and dynamic twist to the storyline. We will have new ways to engage with the story through garrisons and the recruiting of NPCs to our cause. Rather than feeling the rush to level to end game content as fast as possible, I’m excited to let myself be immersed in the world that gave birth to the race that is the heart of the conflict in the story of the world I love, Azeroth.

More information.

Originally Posted by Ashyko
There are lots of reasons to play World of Warcraft (WoW), but the ultimate reason remains the same as always, WoW has one of the most exciting and dynamic storylines in all of gaming.

I'll bet that's the same reason he gives for watching porn.

Originally Posted by SirJames
I'll bet that's the same reason he gives for watching porn.

Thank you Sir, you you just made my day. I think there are extremely few people who play WoW because of the story, if we asked ten random WoW players what the story even is nine would probably just shrug.

As far as I'm a aware of, you play most MMO's for the social aspect, the competition, the desire to reach the next level and phat loot. I tend to avoid them myself so I might be wrong…

Originally Posted by tomasp3n
As far as I'm a aware of, you play most MMO's for the social aspect, the competition, the desire to reach the next level and phat loot. I tend to avoid them myself so I might be wrong…

This is one the main reason why I play MMO over single player games!

Originally Posted by tomasp3n
Thank you Sir, you you just made my day. I think there are extremely few people who play WoW because of the story, if we asked ten random WoW players what the story even is nine would probably just shrug.

As far as I'm a aware of, you play most MMO's for the social aspect, the competition, the desire to reach the next level and phat loot. I tend to avoid them myself so I might be wrong…

For the longest time I never wanted to play MMOs. I saw the releases of UO (which I played briefly after its horrible, horrible release), Everquest, Meridian 59 and vowed I would never play them. I had played Warcraft 2 & enjoyed it, and for some reason the thought of playing a CRPG that greatly expanded the setting of an existing RTS intrigued me (though I think WoW came after Warcraft 3 which I didn't care for, interestingly).

I've been playing since about 2 weeks after its initial release with intermittent break of a few months as raid groups disband before the newest expansions come out. I must admit I know the basic story line, but not in great detail. This is a product of racing to start the end game raids. At one point I just start accepting quests and note only the requirements so I can get to the max level. The nice thing about WoW is you can enjoy it with many different play styles.

There are players that embrace the lore. I did when Vanilla came out so long ago and shunned the idea of raiding. But the raiding is what keeps me coming back nowadays. I enjoy playing with the same 10 people every week and working together for a common goal— which is a shameless quest for loot that will make it easier to continue getting loot. Playing an MMO is much easier than organizing game night with friends for boardgaming or PnP RPGs. Plus I don't enjoy PnP RPGs the way I did in high school and college.

While WoW is the only game I have consistently played since the IE titles, I am interested to see how the resurgence of classic single player RPGs will affect things (e.g. Wasteland 2, PoE, et al).

I fell in love with MMOs when EQ1 and UO hit the scene. We used to call them MMORPGS back then. At it's roots, for me, it was the technology that was so interesting - that 1000s of people share the same game space. It was gaming on crack. I was captured, hook line and sinker.

Eventually I made my way to WoW and played it for about 6 years fairly nonstop. During that time, I married and along came my two boys. But I quit WoW back in August 2011 and never looked back - to WoW or any other MMORPG.

I think it has more to do with my age and that a number of people in my universe have passed on. A 'perfect storm' of circumstance that eventually everyone has to wrestle with if you're lucky enough to live that long. Most refer to it as mid-life crisis - though I find that term unnecessarily hyper-dramatic

For me, MMOs just aren't anywhere interesting enough for the amount of time they require to achieve anything meaningful within the context of the game. To make another horrible analogy of which I'm famous for in my circle of friends - I like chocolate chip ice cream. But if I had to spend 15 hours to enjoy a serving, I'd pass. And not just 15 hours, but 15 contiguous hours. The time requirement would be way in excess of the enjoyment. That's how I view MMOs now.

Also, as I created a family, the natural contiguous time requirements, especially at end-game, are totally incompatible with family life, at least in my circumstance. And quite frankly, there is also the realization that all those 'virtual assets' in the form of raid gear or whatever, they can easily take on a level of importance that is hugely exaggerated and from a real-world perspective, 100% irrelevant.

These days I'm back to my 'first love' - single player RPGs. Games that have a beginning and an end. With stories where I am the central 'hero.' And most importantly, I can stop on a moments notice by hitting F5 and getting up out of my chair. It's a magical experience after the years of sometimes wanting to stop playing but if you do you're a dick because other people need you around for whatever they need you for at the moment.

Lastly, I don't think badly on the MMO industry. It's a form of entertainment and everyone is free to like it or not. I liked it when I did. Now not so much. To each their own.

I enjoyed WoW for a few years, with breaks for a few months here and there.

The "but it's not meaningful" argument is ridiculous. As long as you're having fun and you arent hurting anyone it's all good. It's not a game i would recommend to anyone who's living a social life though. It's not a game worth losing friends or perhaps even a partner over, no game is, obviously..

Had a friend who followed the story and lore closely, he said it was really great. I must say i skipped most of it..