Want to leave WoW for Conan or Warhammer? Good luck!
by Christopher Grant 
{ Nov 5th 2008 at 9:26PM }
So, what's the takeaway from this tale? Like broadband internet, hardcore drugs, or those 24-hour wicker stores, World of Warcraft is tough to stay away from once you've gotten a taste. And with Blizzard on the cusp of rolling out its latest and greatest expansion in Wrath of the Lich King, we're pretty certain there are plenty of cold-turkeyers getting the shakes just thinking about it.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
FSK405K @ Nov 5th 2008 9:30PM
I'll bet any amount of money that those percentages of people returning will skyrocket once the Lich King is released.
Poltras @ Nov 5th 2008 10:33PM
I bet you some money that many people play both, as well. So coming back to WoW and leaving WAR, or just repaying its account?
eldee @ Nov 5th 2008 10:59PM
i'll bet you the sky is blue and grass is green.
honestly though, I don't know why people keep going back to the game. it's insanely repetitive and pretty boring. This coming from a guy who played it hardcore for 2 years, I can't imagine the people who are still grinding away since day 1.
Derek W. @ Nov 5th 2008 11:59PM
@ eldee
So, you played the game hardcore for TWO years, but are confused why people coming back?
That's like saying you were a crack addict and are confused why people get addicted to it.
Its easy to get into, has a good endgame, and everyone and their brother plays it. Thats why.
eldee @ Nov 6th 2008 2:29AM
how is that like saying i was a crack addict? one day i logged in and said "this is no longer fun" and then cancelled my account. by your measure, crack is a fairly easy drug to kick, we should tell the DEA about this revelation you've had.
in all seriousness- the little improvements they keep making to the game are minor and don't really extend the fun of the game (IMO anyway). Maybe it's just me, but even if they create a new instance once every 6 months it's still the same old game. I think the issue is a little deeper seated than that though.. once people get a little bit of gear they don't want to let go. it's like they're rats in a maze, constantly looking for the next piece of digital cheese.
I doubly don't understand the people who get tired of the game, quit, and then go back. if you got tired of it, what the hell is drawing you back in? is it the hannah barbera style graphics? social networking? hopping around in orgrimmar?
Metal Geario 360 @ Nov 6th 2008 6:22AM
Well ive been into WoW since the beginning, left a few time due to Real Life, nothing specific. Life, going out more, playing console games etc. Thats the beauty of your account being frozen but, your rested EXP building while away.
IMO WoW could lose a few million players and still carry on. I wouldnt mind. Its attracted so many LRN2players, its ridiculous. Thank goodness for ignore, mute and Roleplay.
player: "Hey"
avatar: "Aye sir?"
player(lvl 11): Can u hlp me kil thes guy? -Lvl21 Elite-
avatar: /boggle *walks away, ingoring whispers
Misfit Toy @ Nov 6th 2008 10:21AM
I've moved on to Lord of the Rings Online. It is a better game for being story-driven. Also feels less grindy. I do miss the music in WOW. That was its greatest hook for me. The art direction was nice, but the look of LOTRO on a higher end PC is hard to beat.
Plus the Mines of Moria expansion comes out in a couple weeks. I have my own content to keep me going...
Pedobear @ Nov 5th 2008 9:48PM
I've returned to WoW several times myself.
Obi-Habby @ Nov 5th 2008 9:49PM
For arguments sake. How many people that quit to play WAR or AOC actually marked that as the reason for leaving WOW? I myself have unsubbed from WOW more then once, and every time I do I choose a new excuse.
Pandar @ Nov 5th 2008 9:52PM
I am part of this statistic. I played warhammer, bought CE too and it just wasn't very polished or very fun. Came back to WoW after a month to check out WotLK.
Nadril @ Nov 5th 2008 9:54PM
I tried to go back to WoW because of the new patch, and I lasted all of 3 hours. The game is horribly boring and now they have managed to make raiding even easier, on top of a horrible PvP experience.
I would go back to Lineage II (Playing WAR atm) before I did WoW.
offday @ Nov 5th 2008 9:54PM
While I don't plan to stay away permanently from WoW, I think it's pretty safe to say that Gears of War 2 will be getting some love from me in the weeks and months to come.
NoHitHair @ Nov 5th 2008 9:59PM
I dumped WoW permanently. I'm never coming back to that casual playhouse that masquerades as anything remotely gaming.
GreyFox @ Nov 5th 2008 10:25PM
High five bro! I also quit and am happy to stay the fuck out! Warhammer is damn good so it's not like I feel like going back anyway.
NoHitHair @ Nov 5th 2008 10:54PM
The only way I'd ever even think of playing another MMO is if I could have, in writing, a legally binding contract that ensures far more player-controlled improvements rather than watered down crap designed to draw in as many subscribers as possible.
Since that will never happen, it's unlikely I'll ever play another MMO. The chance that all that time I invested could be wasted is not worth it.
Vincent Avatar @ Nov 5th 2008 11:14PM
High five guys, we're the cool kids now because we don't follow trends.
Oh wait... I'm still a subscriber.
:(
dark_inchworm @ Nov 5th 2008 11:31PM
So, elitist snob, what do you play?
UltimateQ @ Nov 6th 2008 6:39AM
I quit WoW, because its a big shit bird of a game. I am an elitist snob, want to know what I play? Nothing. Pure and simple, I don't play any MMO's. Because all of the new MMOs are either tedious korean shit holes, or tedious WoW clones.
I'll admit I was addicted to WoW for a little bit, its not remotely as close to the addiction I experienced in Everquest; which I am also proud to say that I quit. Hell I even sold my accounts on EQ, to seal the deal.
I play an occasional first person shooter on my pc with some good friends, but I can count on 1 hand how many hours a week I play them.
Mr.Ironic @ Nov 6th 2008 10:23AM
Honestly, it's like you're talking about a woman.
John @ Nov 5th 2008 10:06PM
I quit and came back once, only to quit again in about a month. After I really examined time invested versus reward returned it was a no-brainer. Not that WoTLK hasn't tempted me. Damn you, Blizzard.
ajenteks @ Nov 5th 2008 10:13PM
Is anyone else even slightly disturbed that, not only does Blizzard keep a statistic for how many people leave for what reason, but then continue to track those accounts with that statistic in mind, and then brag about it when the numbers suit them?
Balius @ Nov 6th 2008 1:36AM
Why would a pretty basic use of customer service be alarming? They asked customers why they left for the purpose of using the information to change what needs changing. When customers return after leaving, it's good to know that too; why change your game to be more like one that people are turning away from?
ajenteks @ Nov 6th 2008 10:44AM
"They asked customers why they left for the purpose of using the information to change what needs changing. When customers return after leaving, it's good to know that too; why change your game to be more like one that people are turning away from?"
Blizzard asked so that they can make appropriate changes? So when people leave because of the imbalanced PvP, or terrible customer service, why doesn't Blizzard talk about how they've fixed those problems and then talk about the return rate?
Similarly, what kind of changes could Blizzard possibly make based upon people simply saying they are, for example, leaving WoW behind for WAR? If any such changes could be made, why isn't Blizzard acknowledging any kind of changes instead of just sneering and saying, "Of all the players who left us for WAR, 46% of them came crawling back to us for more :)"?
This isn't a constructive use of customer data by Blizzard on the part of the customers, it's pure PR fluff.
Paulish @ Nov 5th 2008 10:16PM
I left WoW in March 2007 after 5 months of constant playing and never went back. I've had the urge but won't give into it. Dropped it, cold turkey.
Misfit Toy @ Nov 6th 2008 7:34PM
+1 Will
??? @ Nov 5th 2008 10:17PM
What's a wicker store?
Sora @ Nov 5th 2008 10:25PM
The less you know, the better...
Markez @ Nov 5th 2008 10:44PM
They have Pier 1 Imports in WoW?
Sizer @ Nov 5th 2008 10:24PM
I actually came back for Lich King, but am a bit nonplussed at how goddamn boring the combat is after Age of Conan. On the other hand you can't really argue with the huge amount of content.
AoE @ Nov 5th 2008 10:32PM
yes you can, a boring game is a boring game, even if there happens to be A LOT of boring game there.
PhoenixSS @ Nov 5th 2008 10:28PM
I unsubed from WoW and picked up Warhammer. I'm really enjoying it and have no interest in picking up WotLK.
Lord HowitHurtz @ Nov 5th 2008 10:41PM
i quit WOW a couple of weeks ago and i'm not planning on going back. Maybe if they had a PVE server i might reconsider signing back on. The only things i liked about the game were leveling up, fooling around with the tradeskils and exploring the areas.
Tonyplusplus @ Nov 6th 2008 2:17AM
Normal servers are PvE servers.
PvP servers are PvP servers.
Unless they've changed in the year since I last played.
If you're feeling really lame you could go to the role playing servers, where your make believe avatar can play make believe.
turkeybaster @ Nov 5th 2008 10:44PM
I used to be a hardcore WoW player (40 man raids...sigh), but then dumped it after my social life, grades, and ability to play other games went down the tubes. It's horribly addicting.
Misfit Toy @ Nov 6th 2008 7:37PM
That's what I like about LOTRO. Its less life-sucking and more soloable. I opted to not try Warhammer as it looked a little too dark for my liking. And I'm holding out for Age of Conan on the 360.
zombiejesus @ Nov 5th 2008 10:44PM
Hi my name is Josh. It's been 3 weeks since I last played WoW. I feel pretty good "shakes a little"
Marmoset @ Nov 5th 2008 10:48PM
Isn't there a circle of hell reserved for people that boast about that kind of thing?
Actually there already going there for making a character that looks like Sauron from the Lotr movies and is called a 'lich king'. Well, that and the whole 'genocide' thing they did back in '05. Is that public yet?
Balius @ Nov 6th 2008 1:40AM
Arthas' character design predates the LotR movies, which are based on a very loose description in the books. If you're going to throw around the idea of plagiarism, you'd almost have to say that the LotR movies stole the design from Blizzard.
Jakka @ Nov 6th 2008 6:59AM
Got any proof for that?
Because according to Mah Weekeepeediah, LotR1(First appearance of BOTH Sauron AND Nazgul/Witch King) came out in 2001 and W3: The Frozen Throne(First appearance of the Lich King as we know him.) came out in 2003.
Two years seems like enough time to be "inspired" by the character.
Durinthal @ Nov 6th 2008 7:17AM
Sauron makes an appearance in the first LotR movie, which came out in 2001, half a year before Warcraft 3 was released and 18 months before The Frozen Throne. I'm being nice and assuming that the similar art design was in the original game and not just the expansion.
So unless Blizzard was releasing character art of Arthas more than two years before Reign of Chaos was released (LotR filming began in late 1999), there's little chance that the LotR people were copying from them.
Durinthal @ Nov 6th 2008 7:18AM
And of course I'm beaten to the punch. I was doing more research into it because I didn't know specific dates.
Jakka @ Nov 6th 2008 8:26AM
Don't worry, this ALWAYS happens to me instead. Revenge is sweet hehe.
jynxycat @ Nov 5th 2008 10:50PM
Raided all of WoW up to whatever's in the upcoming expansion, and as I started to play the Beta content, it's basically more of the same.
Dungeons are shorter, gear is easier to get, and there are more complainers.
I'm currently subscribed to WAR, and having a great time with something new.
Titanium_Orchid @ Nov 5th 2008 10:56PM
I feel like I stepped into a 12 step help group
MBO @ Nov 5th 2008 11:02PM
World of Weed
Jouten @ Nov 5th 2008 11:16PM
I am playing EQ2 for the first time in a long time and I love it. I was playing WAR, but will wait a few more months at least before checking it out again. It's a diamond in the rough for sure.
tBanzai @ Nov 5th 2008 11:24PM
Is it just me or does Joystiq seem to endorse WoW more than half the time?
Mabui @ Nov 6th 2008 12:16AM
http://www.wowinsider.com/
I can't imagine why....
Animebop @ Nov 6th 2008 12:41AM
If they took the time to bother telling Blizzard why they left, they probably weren't all that unsatisfied with the game. I expect that among people who breezed through the survey without telling Blizzard why they're quitting, the keep away rate is much higher.
Balius @ Nov 6th 2008 1:43AM
If the exit-poll were in any way cumbersome, maybe. As it is, it's just a click of the mouse to tell them a reason, no harder than not providing one. I doubt satisfaction with the company plays any big part in whether or not the poll is answered.