The Lich King's casual decree: No geek left behind?
Most MMORPG subscribers fall into one of two camps: casual and hardcore. A big reason why World of Warcraft has experienced such monumental success is that it has constantly delivered a rich adventure experience for both player-types. Heck, even Jimmy Fallon is playing WoW these days. This design balancing act is extremely tricky and while many MMORPGs attempt it, very few succeed. According to an editorial piece at The Escapist, Blizzard has tipped the scales in favor of the casual crowd with its latest expansion (Wrath of the Lich King) and it may have produced unintended consequences for both casual and hardcore gamers alike.
Sean "Gamers with Jobs" Sands, a self-described casual gamer, claims that he and 10 million or so other casual gamers have achieved what competing MMORPGs have so far been unable to; they ruined World of Warcraft. He believes that Blizzard has adopted a "No Geek Left Behind" policy with WotLK, making WoW so easy that it has diminished any real sense of risk, reward, or adventure. The casuals are left without any sense of awe inspired by the unattainable and the hardcores will burn through the content so quickly Blizzard may find it difficult to keep up with them.
