MMOs have forgotten their value on exploration

MMOs (Massively Multiplayer Online games) are an abundant machine. Since it’s been discovered that they have the potential to make exorbitant amounts of profit in both subscription based and free to play models, they’ve sprung up like the proverbial weed. Whether you’re into steampunk elven ninjas, elemental combat, or are just intrigued by the perpetual grind that comes bundled with it all, there’s something for everyone buried within the genre. Sure, one out of ten are of actual quality, but there’s a recurring theme I’ve found to be troubling in the contemporary MMO; they’ve lost their focus on exploration and are simply too fast.


The topic arose upon discussing a few of the most anticipated MMOs with a friend of mine. He declared that he was sick of being forced toward the end game. It wasn’t about eventually getting there; he just was perplexed as to why developers endorsed this bum-rush leveling attitude instead of taking the player through the world they’ve created. Could the content be that embarrassing and/or dated to warrant blasting through to get to the real meat of the game… at the end of it? Yeah, that makes sense.

MMOs and how change can wreak havoc

If you asked me if a game could be changed for the better by altering its core, I’d say certainly. If you said the game was already out, I’d point and laugh. Titles like Star Wars Galaxies and Gears of War 2 are prime examples of forced adjustments and indecision before and well after they shipped. Once a game is being played by the people, modifying the central experience can be detrimental to the longevity of any title, no matter how popular it is. Cataclysm isn’t doing this.


Star Wars Galaxies went wrong by changing mid-drift to try and reclaim much of the user base that abandoned it. Skills changed, Jedi status was easily attainable, and it basically ignored its faithful users. Gears of War 2 was broken out of the box and relied on constant patching to fix and the unfix changes to the multiplayer. After six patches, the experience still wasn’t up to par and the result was a very different game than the one that shipped during the holiday season. Blizzard is certainly guilty of altering talents and other small quirks incessantly, but with Cataclysm it looks as though they’re breathing new life into the game instead of vice-versa.