With several new realms going live recently, I decided one evening (after spending 15 minutes in queue to enter my normal server) to create a new character in one of these fresh, untainted worlds. I picked a roleplay server, as is my wont to do; the realm had been live perhaps 3 days at this point, give or take. I created my lowly level 1 priest, logged into the game, and within seconds, a sight caught my eye that made me do a spit-take: a level 48 Paladin rode by me on his warhorse.

Level 48? After three days? Sure, I suppose it's possible within the mechanics of the game, but for cryin' out loud, should it be? Is this fun in any way? I understand people enjoy the endgame, but will there be anyone else to enjoy it with after only three days? And on a roleplay server? I doubt much serious character development could have took place in that time. (and I don't begrudge anyone for not roleplaying, but for the love of Pete, if you don't want to, don't join a RP server; there are only 50 million others to join).

Which begs the real question: should this even be possible? RPG's of this genre have historically designed the endgame to be the domain of the elite powergamer only, and made the stepping stones to get there notoriously difficult; does WoW cheapen itself by making the highest levels so much easier to attain? Or does it actually enhance the game; allowing more casual players the chance to experience things that would classically have been out of their reach? We know the game was designed with the promise that it would be friendly to the casual gamer while still containing enough high-level content to appease powergamers...has the game lived up to this?

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion