Guild Wars 2

I don’t at all hate the new season of the LW, and I actually like some of the game system changes that have taken place lately, but the pace of content releases is still egregiously slow and that is certainly one of the biggest reasons this game has hemorrhaged players.

In 2 years there has been 0 new weapon types, 0 new classes, 0 new races, 0 new game modes (unless you count SAB), very few new skills, 1.5ish zone maps, 1 large dungeon, a bunch of paid cosmetics, and some temp content.

I know there’s been a lot of miscellaneous stuff, mostly minor and bundled with the LW, but still – that’s pathetic. That’s significantly less new content than most totally free MMOs that are less successful than GW2 see in the same time period.

What is going on here, exactly? The #1 way you attract and retain players is by generating hype. The #1 way to generate hype is to talk about your plans in advance, and to release major content updates frequently. Most people don’t care as much about story as they do about having new stuff to play around with. This game desperately needs an expansion or to have much bigger content patches than it has been getting, pronto. The 2nd most desperate thing it needs is more consistent interaction between designers and players.

Who else is super excited about the LW format updates?

- Bridging the disconnect between the PS and the LW has been one of the most badly needed polish-pieces since the LW began last year. Goodbye immersion breaking cognitive dissonance!

- It’s a smart business model. It’s totally optional, but even if you miss it and want it it’s a meager $2.50, which is low enough that you’re not paying it grudgingly but substantial enough to provide Anet with more revenue for more new content. Plus, it incentivizes players to log on while content is current to get it for free.

- More story telling UI in the game for a more immersive gaming experience in general.

- The level 80 requirement is awesome. Anet can now focus on designing content around end-game appropriate levels of challenge. Plus, it helps conceptually line up the PS and the LW in a way that makes sense (i.e. the chronology is clear).

- Goodbye soul-destroying achievement grinds, hello fun goodies.

- PERMANENCE! Too much temporary content makes it too easy for people to lose interest in the game when they inevitably get behind in the story and miss things. It also makes it feel like the world isn’t properly growing, which is something every MMO needs.

Yeah, I’m happier than I’ve been regarding the direction of this game in quite some time.

Actually I agree with Guhracie, the level/scaling mechanics in GW2 are one of the top innovations in the game and possibly the best in the whole industry.

To myopically boost short term profits at the expense of long term sustainability- a very typical corporate blunder.

Seriously, though, it’s pretty much the worst idea ever in a game like GW2. Not only is it a massive and pointless vacuum for development resources, but it just discourages players from coming back when they get tired of trying to keep up and fall behind. They need to focus on permanent growth and expansion of the game world to actually keep players engaged and motivate lapsed players to return to the game.