No PvE servers are under populated
by Adam Holisky 
Jan 9th 2009 at 11:15AM
We've been paying pretty close attention the server issues lately. From the missing mail a few months ago, to instability in instances, to the creation of a new U.S. PvE server.Zarhym has come out and said there are no PvE realms under populated, and that's the reason why Blizzard has introduced a new PvE realm, and not a new PvP realm. He goes on to point out that while some PvE realms are not having queues, they are only a few hundred people away from having to suffer through them every evening.
And while there are PvP realms that have queues, there are "several PvP realms that are a little too under populated."
So what does this mean?
First, it is a very clear indicator that people prefer to level their characters and immerse themselves in the game in a PvE style.
Second, it means that the game is going strong enough still to warrant new server openings; unlike Age of Conan which just combined servers. While the PR on combining servers is terrible for a company, the actual effect of isn't usually too bad. If it weren't for all the bad press combining servers would get for Blizzard, I have to wonder if they'd combine a few low population PvP servers.
Finally, I think this helps illustrate a significant reason why PvE to PvP transfers were finally opened up a few months ago. PvP servers need more population, and PvE servers seem to be what the majority of people want. If you think about it, a good way to get people to go to PvP servers is to open up transfers, thereby increasing the PvP servers populations overall and alleviating the stress on the PvE servers. Now since Blizzard is still having to opening up new PvE servers, one has to wonder if the PvP server transfer option is a success in this regards. My personal opinion is that is has been, due to providing more options for the playerbase, but I'm sure others might disagree.
Nonetheless, it's quite interesting to know that the PvE realms reign supreme in the Blizzard universe.
Filed under: Realm News, Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, News items
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
Todd Jan 9th 2009 11:22AM
Heh, nice jab at Conan. ;)
vinniedcleaner Jan 9th 2009 8:10PM
The problem with PvP servers is there is no consequences for ganking. I propose that Blizzard implement a global KoS list with bounties placed on the heads of players who grief other players. This would play right into the RP aspect of the game (the cease fire agreed to by Jaina and Thrall) while allowing the kiddies to still inflate their epeens, just without the impunity that they enjoy now.
Todd Jan 10th 2009 1:24PM
Ultima Online initiated bounties, like you suggested, which was pretty nice. People could turn in the "heads" for the rewards.
Incidentally, though, your comment has nothing to do with my original post. Scab!
BM585 Jan 9th 2009 11:24AM
I don't think I could get anything done on a PVP realm.
superstone Jan 9th 2009 1:36PM
That's the initial reasoning that I had when I started playing WoW. I started on a PvE server and leveled two to 70 there, but then I saw some world PvP videos...
Since then I've rerolled onto a low/medium pop PvP server, Kalecgos, and I've liked the occasional surprise of world PvP.
Sure, there are times when it would be nice to not be ganked while leveling a toon but once you reach cap it adds a little more spice to the game. Mostly, because until cap you're a sitting duck, but once you reach 80 the chances for retribution make it exciting. :)
Shoal Jan 9th 2009 2:10PM
The way I figure it, an important part of an MMORPG is the "RPG" part of the game...
You roll Alliance, you play the ROLE of a hated enemy of the horde, you roll Horde, you play the ROLE of an enemy of the alliance...
If you can stroll past your hated enemy, wave, and just keep on picking flowers, then where did the "Role-playing" go?
If you can stroll through contested territory without any inkling of anxiety or fear, then what's the purpose of contested territory?
If you feel no difference between your "homeland," and a dangerous, foreign land, then I think that the RPG element is gone.
Worcester Jan 9th 2009 2:39PM
Sure you can get stuff done on a PvP realm. I think they just got a bad rep a while ago.
First, you can turn off PvP in your home territory, so there's no ganking in the homeland. Personally, I flag everyone... even my bank alts... at level 1. I just think that's fair.
Second, most high level characters don't really care to spend their time camping you, unless you started something first. Remember, as much as you might hate Death Knights, those players all have mains on the same realm (right now). Best to leave them alone unless you want some action.
Besides, how many times can you run the same quests without getting bored? Why not introduce a little chaos into the mix?
Leon Jan 9th 2009 3:13PM
that's why you'll always be a carebear
AyaJulia Jan 9th 2009 2:55PM
"You roll Alliance, you play the ROLE of a hated enemy of the horde, you roll Horde, you play the ROLE of an enemy of the alliance...
If you can stroll past your hated enemy, wave, and just keep on picking flowers, then where did the Role-playing' go? "
-----
I hear this one all the time from people who don't actually get the lore. There -is- a peace treaty. It's tenuous, which is the lore reason for us not being able to do things like talk to each other, and there's the occasional skirmish (quite well acted-out through quests). But there's a peace treaty. Jaina let her own father die at the hands of the Horde to preserve it. Our two factions have been working together against the Burning Legion and the Lich King for years now.
You know what -isn't- RP? Going along my merry way riding through somewhere to try to turn in a quest, getting stun-locked out of nowhere, and getting teabagged by a rogue.
You keep roleplaying your teabag-laden war. I'll keep roleplaying my lore-backed peace treaty. :)
Aaron A. Jan 9th 2009 3:39PM
@AyaJulia:
That's one thing that bugs me about world PvP. I don't want to talk in Common all the time, but I've played RPG's long enough to believe that my characters should have a backstory, and should behave consistently with their race, class, and motivations. My first character was a Dwarven warrior, and when I think of dwarves, the first profession that I thought of was Mining, so I made him a Miner. My druid and shaman are Skinner/Herbalists, because it makes sense to me that those classes should live off of the land.
However, in regards to random PvP, Blizzard is, as Don Vito might say, asking me to kill a man I do not know. If I'm going to do that, I'll need a valid reason, and WoW doesn't seem to have one. The Alliance is not at war with the Horde. In fact, both are tenuously aligned together against the Legion. They cause occasional border skirmishes and stolen supply shipments, but nothing that justifies my randomly killing an Orc who's just going about his business in Zangarmarsh and not threatening me in any meaningful way.
If anything, such unprovoked attacks would simply aggravate the current tensions and possibly throw Azeroth into another war. As I recall from the Caverns of Time storyline, cooperation between the Allies and Horde was the only reason the Burning Legion couldn't take Azeroth; why would I want to start another war at a time like this, when the Scourge is rebuilding its armies?
Random PvP is much more justifiable in Warhammer, where the bad guys truly are evil, and the sides are actually at war with each other.
Konchu Jan 9th 2009 4:03PM
On the whole if you not at war you not roleplaying thing I agree AyaJulia mostly but I think alot of people miss the point of RP. I could hate the horde and want them dead cause the stole 5 gold off me at the bar in tanaris or they killed my dog. Or I could simply be a agent of evil that has no greater joy than cause suffering and for the moment is "allied" to one side out of convienence.
I play a druid and my RP point of view is I am ok with the Taurens in general but will kill them if forced to not fond of the the undead at all orcs are alright but I don't really trust trolls I think the are decieving the Orcs for a place to stay cause they got their butts kicked by some other trolls. On my rouge I played more a willy craftly type that likes to screw with people not neccessarily camp them but I might through a distract when they were near death just to let them know I could kill them. And generally like to see other people starting unfair fights and leveling the playing field.
Really the King of stormwind would most Certainly agree with Shoal while Jaina Proudmoore would side with AyaJulia . So even in game lore is shows this as a fragile alliance and that is due to the fact there are still people in both factions that want the other side dead but there are peace keeper that keep it from happening.
Aaron A. Jan 9th 2009 5:13PM
@Konchu:
"On the whole if you [are] not at war you [are] not roleplaying"
I'd disagree that we need to be "at war," because there has been no declaration of war. However, I can and will defend my faction's cities and camps if they're under attack. Even if I'm level 30 and Ironforge is swarming with 80's, I'll go /pvp and contribute whatever I can before somebody one-shots me, because that's what a soldier does. I claim Spirit Towers and fight for control of Wintergrasp, because that's part of my service to the Alliance. However, I still don't see any reason to attack somebody who poses no threat to me, particularly lowbies and AFK's.
armi0022 Jan 9th 2009 11:26AM
If it wasn't for my decision to reroll on a PVP server (after playing on a PVE server for 2 years), I would have quit the game a year ago.
Curse you PVP servers!
Marc Sadowski Jan 9th 2009 12:08PM
And if it wasn't for my horse, I would have never gone to college.
Corazu Jan 9th 2009 12:49PM
Oh Mark, that was beautiful.
For everyone else, it's a reference to a Lewis Black joke.
Quickshiv Jan 10th 2009 12:08AM
My brain just exploded.
Tieria Jan 9th 2009 11:31AM
I've played on a PvP server (US Nathrezim) for the last 2.. nearly 3 years. During the whole time I've played there, my server has never had a queue. Even during the Burning Crusade & Wrath release week. But over the last week, we've started getting queue's every night, usually ranging to a 30-40 minute wait. We've gone from a Middle population realm for years to one that is Locked practically overnight. We've also had no mass transfers (to my knowledge) so who knows why our population suddenly skyrocketed. =/ Really frustrating.
Maiku Jan 9th 2009 11:37AM
I know what you mean. We've always been listed as Medium population...now suddenly we have a 500 long queue to get in. It sucks
Thander Jan 9th 2009 11:38AM
I have the same experience but on a PvE server. The initial launch of the realm saw queues for a few weeks. After that, we never had queues ever. Then Wrath came out, we've been having queues off and on. Sometimes have to wait up to an hour but usually just a few minutes.
Your problem is probably due to a bunch of people deciding to switch to PvP to spice up their game.
Salacia Jan 9th 2009 11:45AM
Same here! I play on Firetree, which is also US PVP and has typically been medium population. Since WOTLK without fail there's a queue of a good half hour and not just in evening server-time. Things weren't this bad even when BC launched. Pretty incredible.