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Pushing the limits of the World of Warcraft
I've been thinking a lot lately about the World of Warcraft and in what ways the game can move forward. It's a gigantic ship now, there's so much content and moving pieces in it that any drastic change is unlikely to happen. For instance, WoW isn't likely to just up and throw away leveling in favor of an EVE Online or Elder Scrolls type system. However that doesn't mean that large change isn't possible. Raiding is one of the favorites to change over time, with new social structures being put in place around the end-game every couple of expansions it seems like. Other major changes are possible in the side games that WoW has, like professions and the recently introduced pet battles. These types of changes are big in their own regard, but at the same time only impact a segment of the game -- one that not everyone takes part in. So where can the limits of WoW be tested? Where can the next great innovation take place, one that would move the game forward in a way that's unique and attention grabbing? There's three areas that WoW can push into.
Guest Post: Into the future with user-created content
This article has been brought to you by Seed, the Aol guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages. One wonders how long World of Warcraft will remain viable. It is quite possible that my warlock will still be going strong decades down the line. Of one thing, however, I am certain: I will be playing some sort of MMORPG for as long as I'm able to tweak my spec. But will that game be WoW? My friends and I muse about what it would take to switch to another game. That game would have to build upon WoW's legacy and offer something new and amazing to boot. Speaking of boots, I'd wager my Prelate's Snowshoes that the new game will be some incarnation of WoW itself, as Blizzard has proven so willing and able to adapt and grow with its fan base. What makes WoW so popular and enduring? For starters, the game is so accommodating, with plenty to offer noobs and leets alike. Players can feel a sense of accomplishment from merely questing, while others can savor the challenge of working through multiple levels of high-end raid content. I can feel the delight of one-shotting a low-health rogue sneaking around the lumber mill or experience the soul-destroying chaos of getting quickly roasted in arena. And those of us with creaking, overworked CPUs are able to take part in the fun.
