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The popular MMORPG expansion has now sold more than 3.5 million copies

Blizzard Entertainment announced that The Burning Crusade, the first expansion for the popular World of Warcraft game, has sold more than 3.5 million copies in a little bit more than a month, following the North America launch in January.  The game sold around 2.4 million copies the first 24 hours that it was available to gamers -- more copies sold in 24 hours compared to any PC game’s sales record spanning an entire month.

 "We're thrilled about the overwhelming response that we've received for The Burning Crusade," said Mike Morhaime, president of Blizzard Entertainment.

The WoW user base has reached 8.5 million users worldwide, with the game creeping up on being the world's first and only MMORPG that has 10 million users.

The sales numbers for the WoW expansion are large compared to even popular stand alone PC titles from other companies.  The sales numbers should continue to increase because Blizzard is now working on localizing content for mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan -- no official launch date has been set.  China remains the single largest market for WoW, so sales numbers should rapidly increase one the expansion is released.

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Wouldn't it be nice to work for blizzard right now?
By ninjit on 3/7/2007 1:17:54 PM , Rating: 2
They are just raking it in. I sure hope the employees are getting some of that profit as well in bonuses and such.

I bet sales of the games alone easily covered all their development costs. And then the subsequent monthly subscriptions are all profit (after taking out server-running costs) - I think someone posted before about blizzard themselves claiming that 50% of subscription fees was all profit.




By Scorpion on 3/7/2007 2:53:35 PM , Rating: 3
quote:
majority of blizzard's employee's are underpaid big time (8 - 12 bucks an hour)

Please, you have got to be kidding. Where did you get that from? That is barely minimum wage. There is no way they get paid that low, or they'd easily jump ship to another game studio, or another job entirely. I'm sure some of those companies would be happy to take Blizzard employees away from WoW.


By walk2k on 3/8/2007 1:02:42 PM , Rating: 2
Actually they probably make a lot less than min. wage since most of them are based in India.


By novacthall on 3/8/2007 5:08:02 PM , Rating: 2
They are? Where are you getting your information?


wow players
By krichmond on 3/7/2007 1:37:28 PM , Rating: 1
What a game to make you forget about the outside world and ruin any type of social interaction, i have watched many of my friends become so consumed with this game that they do not care about anything else other then the next purple thing they are going to get.. because if you had a girlfriend or were married or are married or you do have a girlfriens, you wont for too much longer..
Have fun wasting your life away ...




RE: wow players
By rushfan2006 on 3/7/2007 2:47:42 PM , Rating: 4
Your post, krichmond, is assinine.

Your logic is heavily flawed. First, why only apply such broad strokes to a particular title? So the folks that get obsessed with console gaming - don't apply to your logic? Or the folks who get taken in by EQ, etc.?

I play WoW, have for about 2 years now. I have no issues discerning a social life as well as playing the game. The guild I belong too has tons of married couples who play or folks with bf/gf deals going on. In fact we have a freakish amount of females in our guild as well come to think of it.

They are all good people - though I strongly disagree with their view points some times on various crap with talk about over Vent...

Some of them even have their kids playing. There's one couple they only play when each other is also on and playing - they are inseparable in-game.

Like all things its moderation...its a personal choice.

So...in short....to think everyone has no lives that play WoW or any game for that matter, just because of the famous "I know somoene who....blah blah" and one of my friends blah blah balh..

Well good for the people you know -- don't judge the many off the actions/reactions/effects of the few.

The people who paint with broad strokes and condemn a legal and fun hobby of others -- are really the ones wasting away IMHO.

Because after all if pushing others down is what rises you up -- I think ...hey..maybe YOU should get a hobby, you have too much time on your hand you are wasting. ;)


RE: wow players
By novacthall on 3/7/2007 5:05:58 PM , Rating: 2
And your post, rushfan, is dead on.

All things in moderation, nothing to excess. Sounds like krichmond needs friends with less addictive predispositions.


RE: wow players
By cnimativ on 3/7/2007 2:56:54 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
What a game to make you forget about the outside world and ruin any type of social interaction, i have watched many of my friends become so consumed with this game that they do not care about anything else other then the next purple thing they are going to get.. because if you had a girlfriend or were married or are married or you do have a girlfriens, you wont for too much longer..
Have fun wasting your life away ...


Anything is good as long as you can have fun while wasting your life, legally, be it working or preaching.


lol
By whalenapp81 on 3/7/07, Rating: 0
RE: lol
By FITCamaro on 3/7/07, Rating: 0
RE: lol
By Aikouka on 3/7/2007 2:05:03 PM , Rating: 2
Blizzard has been banning gold harvesting accounts as of late. There is a story in World of Warcraft, but sometimes it's hard to see the story within all of the side stories (i.e. there is a main plot).

The one thing I can give Vanguard devs is they seem to be pushing out patches like crazy when it comes to fixing their game. Although, I don't know how well they test these fixes, so I don't want to applaud their efforts if they also end up also being detrimental.


RE: lol
By rushfan2006 on 3/7/2007 2:39:48 PM , Rating: 3
I tried Vanguard and I prefer WoW actually...

As far as the "preteen mentality"....I don't know how fair it is to blame that on Blizzard...they are a business, like any business they want good paying customers. As long as they play the game with legal copies and pay their accounts each month, Blizzard has no cause to ban these players.

Your logic in thinking Vanguard is immune from this is flawed at best-- you are are comparing a game that's been out nearly 2.5 years to one that's been out since when ? The last few months?

This is Apple (WoW) meet Orange (Vanguard)....not really a honest comparison.

Finally -- where is this idea of a buggy WoW? Its no more buggy than any of a thousand games I've played -- the main issue I have with WoW is how they bow down to the whiners on the boards to nerf everything freaking thing the first time they lose in a PVP match....its never about how someone just sucks or is undergeared or plays stupidity its just about "nerf that class -- they beat me"...and THAT is what most drives me crazy...its a nerf fest.


RE: lol
By TheBaker on 3/7/2007 9:31:25 PM , Rating: 2
Maybe he meant staple. As in "WoW is the staple of many gamers' online diets." That's teh way I took it, at least. makes sense both ways.


Completely Uninformed
By redstation on 3/7/2007 4:21:11 PM , Rating: 2
Some of the opinions spewing here that are very far off base.

WOW is one of the most limiting games ever made. The player has absolutely NO ability to do whatever he wants. There is 1 simple purpose to WoW. It is a timesink. Travel takes forever. End game is useless, it is PURELY instance grinding the same instances over and over again for the same equipment that everyone else has. Every toon is the same, or they suck. You cant interact with the other side. That is not PVP. That is called grinding for PVP rewards.

Vanguard is a much better foundation. I know it is buggy and wasnt really ready for release, im not defending that. What it offers is players choices to do what they feel like doing. Be what they want. Anyone slagging it and praising wow just simply doesnt know the differences. They look at it from the casual gamer point of view. Hardcore gamers need a more adult world with more freedom. If you are content being exactly the same as 2 million other players, then my points are not valid for you. If you want real choices and consequences for your actions, in a beautiful but harsh world, Vanguard, in the future, is the game.




RE: Completely Uninformed
By edge929 on 3/7/2007 5:28:00 PM , Rating: 2
The graphics between Vanguard and EQ2 are nearly identical. I wonder why? Oh that's right, made by the same company, most likely the same design team. Can you say "rip-off cash-cow". Pretty soon, SOE will come out with yet another EQ2 ripoff called "Bend Over More".

I've played WoW for about 6 months now, EQ2 since it's launch and played Vanguard for about a month now. Not impressed with Vanguard, it's WoW interface meets EQ2 with tons of bugs. WoW is faster-paced than all, probably the most fun soloing. EQ2 is the most time-consuming from the three of them. I thought it took a long time to get around in WoW but EQ2 takes the cake hands-down. The highest mount is +50% speed as opposed to +100% speed in WoW.

Granted EQ2 was buggy as hell when it launched, it is now vastly better. Can't comment on WoW since I've only played it 6 months. I do agree that WoW is very much a PvP grind game, same gear, everyone looks alike.


By CascadingDarkness on 3/7/2007 5:40:18 PM , Rating: 2
Played EQ2, I must express my displeasure with SOE not getting away from the idea of making endless expansions you must pay for. This only leads to hundreds of empty zones no one goes to because people find the best one to grind in. (thinking EQ1, 250+ zones 200 have no one in them)

I want MMOs to come up with a better way. Increase level cap when you clear up bugs and add a couple extra zones for this high level content, and do it all for free. No buying expansions. Don't get me wrong I'll pay $15+ a month for quality bug fixes, and Real extra added content. Sure you don't have to buy the expansions, but you sure will be jealous/bored if you don't. Just sick of them adding 10 levels, crapping in a box, and getting you to buy it.


Game review
By ted61 on 3/7/2007 2:37:54 PM , Rating: 2
Michael Hoffman reviewed this game before it was released to the public. Knowing that I am a Blizzard fan, he told me to leave that game alone. It is too addicting for an avid gamer like myself.

I listened to him and I am glad I did. I see the WOW people are work totally consumed by the game.




RE: Game review
By AssMonkey76 on 3/7/2007 7:05:07 PM , Rating: 2
You are so true! I was introduced to WoW in November...its all i think about now..lol. Granted, i am on a 1 year remote tour without my family, so i have no life until i go back home. I will stop playing WoW then but until then, GAME ON!


I wonder
By akyp on 3/8/2007 4:08:50 AM , Rating: 2
I wonder what's the % of US/Oceanic subscribers who have NOT purchased the expansion. I know a number of people who decided to quit before the expansion (myself included). Some even cancelled their preorder when they've learned enough about the expansion.

The original WoW was good. Too bad they really f***ed up the game in almost every aspect.




RE: I wonder
By Iroh on 3/8/2007 10:16:39 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
I wonder what's the % of US/Oceanic subscribers who have NOT purchased the expansion. I know a number of people who decided to quit before the expansion (myself included). Some even cancelled their preorder when they've learned enough about the expansion.


I'm one of those people. I didn't buy the expansion. I've heard details about it from talking to a couple of friends who still play.

There was nothing about the expansion I had a problem with (other than the fact that I have to pay $40 dollars to get it). The cost itself wasn't the issue either, but it was a good excuse to question myself on why I should continue.

Without having seen the expansion first hand, I don't have any "burning" desire to try it out.

I had been tired of playing my 60's for a while. My fiance and I leveled up a pair of 60's together. Making gold was way too easy at 60 and useless after a certain point. While she enjoyed more high end raiding before she got bored, for fun, I started leveling up 2 other classes, but that wasn't as fun as when I did it the first 2 times...

My last challenge (if you can call it that) was seeing how fast I could level up my new characters while only playing the characters when they had rest bonus. I lost interest, and found myself logging in less and less.

The launch of the expansion was a good time to get out. I was starting a new project at work. Though I've quit many times since the game's original launch (for usually 1-3 months at a time), this time I feel like I have seen everything I wanted to see from the original game.

It was fun, but it's hard to justify the time it takes to progress.

Anyway, I still have an itch to game. We've been playing cards and board games usually once a week with family. San Juan is a fun card game.

Also, I've got back into playing Warlords II deluxe (a blast from the past) using DosBox (a free Dos emulator). I end up playing not more than 2 hours a week though, compared to 14+ hours a week of WoW.

I'm looking forward for Spore to be released (sometime at the end of this year). I think it will be right up my alley. Plus by then I plan to have completed my revised list of short term goals and be ready to delve into a new gaming experience.


Best expansion I've ever seen
By EODetroit on 3/8/2007 10:11:46 AM , Rating: 2
Ok... to start off with, my first MMO was EQ1, which I played before its first expansion in 1999. I stuck with that game the whole time until WoW open beta, played in a family guild, then a hard-core raid guild the last couple years. In that time they released something like 6 or 7 expansions. The best of which imo was the Velious expansion, for its innovative factions and lots of content for soloers, casuals, and hard core raiders.

But the new WoW expansion is easily better than any of the EQ expansions. So much more to do, it was well worth the $40 or whatever it cost. I have so many options on what I want to do next at level 70 that I cannot forsee anything close to the end. And its all fun, not grind-ish at all.

In EQ1, each time a new expansion was released, most people stayed in the OLD content grinding on the easiest mobs to give XP/hour, staying there for days until they hit the new level cap, only THEN experiencing the new content.

This WoW expansion is nothing like that. The fastest way to level is to do every quest, which takes you to all the new zones, and happens to give you three times as much gold as is needed for a flying mount along the way. (It seemed like a flying mount would be impossible to get except by grinding for gold, but as it turned out, just do quests and you'll have more than enough coin for it before you hit level 70).

Finally... I was expecting a LOT more bugs. Every EQ1 expansion de-stabilized the entire game for a week or three, and various bugs would remain in the game for a long time afterward. In this WoW expansion... there are I think 3 bugs that I encountered. Two bugged quests and 1 bug in an instance. That's it. Most bug-free expansion, ever!

Oh and one more thing a little off-topic compared to the rest of my post. Anyone who thinks travel "takes forever" in WoW is an idiot, hasn't played other games, or places no value on immersion whatsoever. Its supposed to feel like an entire world out there, not a walk around the block. Travel _should_ take some time, the ability to be anywhere instantly is one of the things that made EQ1 worse, not better.

When you had to actually run from West Karana to Freeport in EQ1, when you got there, you felt like you actually accomplished something, even if you got no XP. When I look back at EQ1, making the run at low levels, especially when I didn't know where I was going or what I'd see next was one of the funner things I ever did in the game. After that, you didn't make that trip again unless you had a reason or had true wanderlust, you simply found things to do that were close. Later on, if you could make the trip quickly, you felt powerful. When they made it a joke to go from place to place, all that was ruined and the game became more bland.




RE: Best expansion I've ever seen
By Iroh on 3/8/2007 10:52:27 AM , Rating: 2
That was a good memory ... the first time traversing the karana's and other zones to get to Freeport or going from the elven or gnome starting area to the boat and on to Freeport for the first time.

That game still holds a place in my heart. It was big and mysterious and dangerous. It was the first time I saw rain in a game and was the first game I thought was the first step toward virtual reality. The less cartoony graphics actually did the game justice. I think WoW graphics would have taken away from the feel.

I liked the Kunark zones more than the Velious ones, but I still liked Velious.

If a new game could somehow capture/recreate that feeling again, it would be golden. WoW ignited a similar feeling when I first started too. But WoW was less scary, less gritty. The game-play in WoW was definately more fun, while the exploration factor in EQ1 was more fun.

I had a lot more time on my hands back then though. I don't have the patience or the time to play EQ1 if it were released now even if it had the same smoothness (no zone loading times, no bugs) as WoW. In EQ1 the death penalty often got frustrating. It was also too easy to grief someone by causing a train or taking their pulls, etc.

In a way the extra challenge and frustration seemed to make success feel better, but in hindsight it wasn't worth the frustration required to accomplish certain goals. Not to mention the waiting for rare respawns and then waiting/hoping that rare spawn drops the exact item you need for either a quest or an item upgrade. This waiting/camping did seem to create a bond between players, but once I was done with the game, I realized how hollow that really was. How wasteful it really was. How "not worth it", it really was.

I felt more like a free spirit in WoW, more relaxed. More happy. If I could chart those feelings in EQ1, I would the line would be low and then spike up high when I accomplished a goal, when I got a little taste of that carrot dangling in front of me, then the line would drop back down for periods of time until I got the next one.

Charting my happiness in WoW, the line would be high nearly the entire time and spike to the top when doing something new, getting new gear, or being in a fun group. It would drop low only if having a bad pvp experience, which to remedy I would either log out or leave that area.


By Master Kenobi (blog) on 3/7/2007 1:43:15 PM , Rating: 2
WoW is what you make of it. You can be a PVP Fanatic, a Raid Monger, duking it out with NPC's all the time. A Gold Farmer, an AH Troll selling and making mad cash.... Plenty of ways to play WoW and it seems to be enough for nearly 9 Million people to keep playing.

I myself play only a few hours a week but I spend a lot of time running a Webserver for Wow Guilds and a Vent server to support their raids and whatnot. Plenty of things to do in WoW, just because it's not your cup of tea, doesn't mean it isn't someone elses.




about...
By Sungpooz on 3/7/2007 3:22:23 PM , Rating: 2
every game has it's own strong and weak features. It just happens WoW captures the majority (the average gamers).

Here's what i think of some of the bigger MMO's out...

WoW = World of Watercolor (ridiculously bad graphics + engine for the MMO powerhouses in my opinion). But it's pretty dam fun and easy to play (which some gamers despise considering skill determines a limited amount of success). Seamless world is a big plus (due to minimal system requirements). I blame some of the success from the RTS, which probably helped ignite the whole epidemic. Limited character customization.

EQ2 = A bit more Realism + some nice graphics (lot more dynamic effects etc.). More for the serious, sophisticated gamer- doesn't always appeal to younger audiences. Must load every zone. Rewarding world-PvP However. Highest level of character customization I have ever seen in an MMO (similar to EQ1). Very heavy system requirements (which probably threw off the initial sales along with the fact it came out after WoW). We didn't have SLi 8800GTX's back when it was released. (and even those dip below 45 FPS when in raids + highest settings)

Vanguard = Better environmental graphics (texture-wise) than most games. Game engine type is old (somewhat grid-locked + no impressive physics engine) - UI resembles WoW a bit!! quite the copycat in my opinion. Seems also grind-based. I don't see success for this one, honestly :(

Granada Espada = more final-fantasy based (you get a party of 3). Very nice textures and art-design make up for little-to-none dynamic graphics. Still in beta but also holds very old-version physics (point and click and character goes there- also grid-locked). Grind-based, though quests are somewhat implemented. Monsters are a super-spawn fest, very similar to Ragnarok Online.

D&D online - horrible game unless u have a few friends to paly with. It's basically a multiplayer game online :/. As a D&D fan, I'm sorely depressed and disappointed. NWN2 ftw.

EQ2 and WoW seem to win the sword + spell MMO's because they're very much unique and often don't have anythign in common with the dozens of wanna be mmo's running around out there. The engines often make or break the game. I played Vanguard and Granada Espada for a few minutes but the fun soured when it became a mass-clicking and grinding thing- brings back nightmares of grind MMO's. They felt more like RTS's rather than the in-depth controls of WoW and EQ2 + quest implementations.




Anarchy Online
By Holytrinity on 3/7/2007 8:12:38 PM , Rating: 2
Try Anarchy Online. Sure, the game is dated (released 2001), but an old game isn't necessarily a bad game (eg, Super Metroid). I've been playing since 2002 and have tried most of the new major MMO's (including WoW) and AO STILL has the most skill depth and customization of any of them.

The basic game (ie, no expansions) is free to play nowdays so give it a shot.




err..
By yangyoning on 3/7/2007 11:20:00 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
so sales numbers should rapidly increase one the expansion is released.


I think it should be once..




Bored
By danskmacabre on 3/8/2007 5:31:32 AM , Rating: 2
I played Wow for a while a year or so ago.

I thoroughly enjoyed it until I hit about lvl 47 and then got swiftly bored with it.

Then went onto Guild wars, thoroughly enjoyed it, finished the "camapign" and got bored with that.
Tried the expansions for Guild wars and got bored with them quickly.

Both games are really good, but I guess my tastes are changing and I can't be bothered with MMORPGs anymore.




who didn't buy it then?
By walk2k on 3/8/2007 12:59:58 PM , Rating: 2
Don't they boast something like 6 million subscribers?

So.. 2.5 million people did NOT buy the expansion??

What are they doing? Goldfarming? Lol...

Personally I quit that shit years ago. It's a great game until you hit the level cap, then all you can do is joing a "uber" guild of 50 other anonymous people you don't know and farm the same dungeons over and over and.... BOR-RING!




Forget WoW
By FITCamaro on 3/7/07, Rating: -1
RE: Forget WoW
By zeroslugfm on 3/7/2007 1:56:36 PM , Rating: 4
once they fix the game that is...


RE: Forget WoW
By PWNettle on 3/7/2007 2:49:27 PM , Rating: 3
"Come to Vanguard and play a good game."

Yeah, forget playing a game that's designed to be fun - instead play a game with punishing gameplay, an out-dated design, that was intentionally released early in a broken and buggy state, and that won't be in any kind of decent shape for at least 6 months.

Genius.

There's a reason WoW has 8.5 million subs. It's an incredibly fun game.

There's a reason VSOH will be lucky if it ever breaks 250,000 subs - because the game is NOT designed around having fun (unless you're a masochist and have a wierd sense of what "fun" is).

The games aren't that different - since all MMORPGs are basically the same. The only major difference is design philosophy - WoW removes the unnecessarily tedious aspects of typical MMORPG design and emphasizes players having lots of choices and lots of fun. VSOH emphasizes the tedious elements of MMORPG design, forces you to play certain ways, and removes player choices.

Your average gamer, and average MMORPG player, want to have fun, not get virtually slapped around and be forced to work harder in a game than they do in their daily job.

Tedium does not equate to difficulty level. VSOH does not deliver superior AI, or superior scripting, or more truly challenging content - it just adds or emphasizes the tedious elements of MMORPG. Nothing new here...you could get the same thing out of EQLive, FF, or DAoC.


RE: Forget WoW
By rdeegvainl on 3/8/2007 8:57:44 AM , Rating: 3
I play both WoW and Vanguard. When I read your post I felt my soul cringe. But then I realized that I am just being over protective of my Game. I call it my game cause it is the first that I have picked up before 3 million others.
Anyways, in repects to your comments and viewpoints, Vanguard is very fun, i haven't noticed any sort of tedium. in fact that is due to it being new. There is no rush to get to the level cap. Just to play and try to experience as much of the game as possible. With WoW i have noticed that the game doesn't really even start until you are almost level 60. With such a large player base you just about have to be at the max level and have so many kills in pvp to get the best gear and all insane amounts of money to buy anything. It is just crazy now. The main reason WoW is so popular wouldn't neccessarily be fun, because that is subjective to the individual. The reason would be how easy it is. I find that game very easy. I don't have to worry about dying. just a little more on my repair bill, but nothing else. I also can solo and not have to really concentrate or focus. Which is all good... if that is what you are looking for. But when I play Vanguard it is for more of a challenge. Knowing that when I die I have a real penalty makes me respect the world. I see things as threats. I see my avatar, as someone who needs to be carefull to accomplish things. But it isn't so outrageous that it takes away from the enjoyment I get. So maybe it won't hit the numbers that WoW does. But that doesn't mean it is any worse of a game. They say quality of quantity. And I will take the quality of the Vanguard players I have played with over the WoW players I have dealt with. Play the game that is best for you, and allow others to do so also.


RE: Forget WoW
By crimson117 on 3/8/2007 10:53:58 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
WoW removes the unnecessarily tedious aspects of typical MMORPG design and emphasizes players having lots of choices and lots of fun.
Well, it sort of does, but there's still some. Before you hit the level cap, it's a smooth and easy progression. Even if you're no good in instances, you can always go 'kill boars' all day long, and eventually you'll level up and move on. And there are even quests to make killing 10 boars more rewarding.

Then you hit the level cap, and you can do some without any prereqs. There are many to choose from. Other dungeons have challenging prereqs, but reasonable ones - for Karazhan you need to do a bunch of other instances to get parts of the key, but if you're good you just need to complete the ques t- no grinding is involved.

But a big part of moving past these initial level 70 dungeons and getting epic gear is done only by gaining reputation with one of many factions, which can only be described as a tedious process. You'll have to repeat dungeons which you've long since mastered, and long since gotten all the loot from, again and again to raise your reputation by killing the bosses inside. This kind of grind I'm quite disappointed in. There's no sensible reason to say "you must do Hellire Citadel 100x times before you can access the heroic mode" other than to act as a time sink.

quote:
i have noticed that the game doesn't really even start until you are almost level 60
That depends on your attitude. I've played since day 1 and had a great time exploring all the content from 1-59 (over about 6-9 months). Then I hit 60 and started doing strat, brd, etc. Then I finally got into raiding and had fun with that, as well. Just because you've seen all the 1-59 content before, doesn't mean the game starts at 60.

(the expansion raised this to 70, but the expansion has a ton of great content from 58-70, too)


RE: Forget WoW
By rushfan2006 on 3/7/2007 2:50:32 PM , Rating: 3
Vanguard's sell point sucked me in and the graphics awed me , but the game itself -- if you think that's more polished that WoW ....than man we totally have different standards of polished.

Vanguard I didn't like.


RE: Forget WoW
By DarkIntegral on 3/9/2007 1:09:16 AM , Rating: 2
Vangaurd was released early due to pressure from sony to begin collecting revenue. So your right it was not polished at release, and even was particularly bad for bugs. Every mmo is, wow had a lot of problems at release, many were fixed in a few short months and the game has evolved over the last 2 years. Give Vanguard 3 months (to simulate when it should have been released) and 1-2 extra months that all mmo's take to polish a little and it will be in just as good or better state than a few months after wow's release.

Even since January the game has taken big steps in improving performance, adding unfinished content and balancing most aspects of the game. I don't believe the game will ever have 10 million players but i think it is unfair to compared a - for all intensive purposes - still "beta" game with multi year evolving title.


RE: Forget WoW
By CascadingDarkness on 3/7/2007 5:03:32 PM , Rating: 2
When are they going to have an open trial?

I've played plenty of MMOs on and off. I found WoW didn't have enough depth for me . Heard same for others who disliked raiding.

Most annoying about Vanguard (wanted to try it out) is only way to get trial is by having a buddy that owns it give you one of 10 trial keys you get with purchase. Well I don't know anyone with it, and I'm not going to post some where asking for one to emailed to me like a jackass.

It's rather pointless to argue about each other's preference in MMOs though. The only reason multiple of them exist is because of different play styles. I'm live let live type. You guys can keep your WoW, just not for me.


RE: Forget WoW
By kelmon on 3/8/2007 3:27:45 AM , Rating: 3
No Mac client so Vanguard can sod off. Frankly, I'm having a lot of fun playing WoW so I see no reason to switch anyway. If Blizzard is going to show me the love then I'll be reciprocating. As bad as that sounds...


RE: Forget WoW
By Mithan on 3/8/2007 8:28:01 AM , Rating: 2
I've put many hours into Vanguard, ultimatly, it just isn't fun for me, the world is a bit "bleh" and I don't care much for the game's actual engine (ui, crispness, etc type stuff). Maybe in 6 - 9 months after a few dozen patches it will be ok. Either way, Vanguard will never be a huge smashing success.


RE: Forget WoW
By FITCamaro on 3/8/2007 2:05:25 PM , Rating: 2
Thats fine with me if it doesn't draw the idiots to it that WoW does. My dad could play WoW. You actually have to think to play Vanguard. They don't hold your hand and treat you like a special needs child.

WoW also has the crappiest crafting system I've ever seen. Gather mats, click Go, sit back and wait. Hows that difficult or an accomplishment to say "I have max level crafting"?

People like WoW because its easy. You're not challenged to accomplish goals. The only thing the slightest bit hard is the high level RAIDs. Obviously instant gratification is what people want. Me. I prefer a game that challenges me a little. Otherwise I get bored and move on to another game. That took 3 months in WoW. And the only reason I jumped into it in the first place was to play with two friends. Now I've got one on Vanguard and the other I'm working on.

In a way an MMO is supposed to be like a job. You're supposed to work towards something. Not be handed everything. I've quit jobs because they're boring and the same crap over and over. I do the same with MMOs. I don't want an MMO to be akin to working at McDonalds every day.


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