Breakfast Topic: Blurring the boundaries between patches and expansions
by Lesley Smith 
Aug 5th 2009 at 8:00AM
Given Blizzard's shift in how they treat patches, now geared towards larger mini expansion style updates like patch 2.4 and patch 3.2, there's definitely something changing in the way we get new installments of the game. After all, there's as much hype about every mini expansion-like patch, from the new areas, class buffs/nerfs and weapons to the smaller changes involving the UI. Shiny expansion special editions aside, do you think it would ever be possible to have expansions become automatically downloaded massive patch updates over a standalone disc or download that you have to buy every two years? What do you think, readers?
Filed under: Patches, Blizzard, Breakfast Topics, Expansions
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
RetadinMan Aug 5th 2009 8:03AM
No. Patches deliver smallish morsels of goodness. Expansions deliver great feasts of goodness.
Jon Do Aug 5th 2009 8:27AM
Yes. And in this case, IMO, quite a small morsel.
There was nothing ‘new’ about patch 3.02 (maybe the author wasn't playing WoW back before the Burning Crusade?) Patch 3.02 was a repeat of the 2.x patch before the Burning Crusade dropped, with things like talent tree updates and a tantalizing grayed-out BE creation screen.
And no, patch 2.4 and 3.2 are not harbingers of free expansions. Path 2.4 was pretty big. But frankly, as a person who does not PvP, patch 3.2 strikes me as a very small patch, smaller than 3.1.
Bod Aug 5th 2009 9:28AM
Personally I'm preferring patches. I like that my gear isn't immediately useless. I have a horrible feeling that after doing the expansion gig twice so far (vanilla to bc and bc to wrath), my appetite for throwing away all my shinies is gonna be pretty low next time.
Zach Aug 5th 2009 9:41AM
@JonDo - You realize that the Isle of Conquest introduced in Patch 3.2 is going to OUTLAST every single dungeon and raid in Wrath of the Lich King? Unfortunately for you who doesn't PvP, you don't see that. It's a pretty hefty patch, all things considered.
Jon Do Aug 5th 2009 10:10AM
@Zach
Apples and oranges.
PvP BGs and Arena are incentivized at-level. That is the difference between PvE and PvP design. In PvP, new brackets are added, and the rewards are kept level-appropriate. That is how they got away with only 4 BGs in two+ years (WSG, AB, AV, EoS until Wrath).
When PvE was upgraded the content was popular again: Naxx. And what do you suppose will happen with those old heroics in 3.2 with Conquest emblems?
Why, if you took good ol’ SM and added a max-level heroic mode with the best emblems, and loot that upgraded in ilvl with every patch, I guarantee you that it would *always* be popular.
ashraith Aug 5th 2009 1:23PM
Given that Arthas was the hyped baddy of the Expansion and neither him nor his dwelling in Icecrown being in the game yet I'd call an Expansion a mere promise of gaming goodness which will only be delivered over the course of a year in small installments via patches.
Stabaa Aug 5th 2009 8:08AM
The new expansion is like a ritualistic event. Even though the partches are blurring the line and that it could be possible, it just wouldnt be the same as getting that 'shiny special edition'.
toxicrwk Aug 5th 2009 8:15AM
I like big content patches. I pay X amount of dollars every month so I can play, and I expect something for my money, so whenever I see a big content patch, i go "w00t". Ya'll should do the same :)
Rob Aug 5th 2009 8:51AM
This. I dont think I am entitled to the sun and the moon but I do expect some additions to the game as the years go on. From when I started I can honestly say I got my money's worth and more. Lets see, I started just when BC was released. Since then, we got:
Flying mounts.
Skyguard and Ogrila
Black Temple
Isle of QS and sunwell (And MgT)
All that badge gear
In Wraith:
Ulduar
Colosseum raid
Argent Tourny
New 5 man
Those are just the big things that were added 'for free'. Dont forget arena and the new battleground. We're fortunate to have an awesome company still producing great content, even with all the nerfs and ups and downs of class balance.
Robert M Aug 5th 2009 11:02AM
I’m with you on this. I hit the 2 year mark back in April, and in that time I have spent about $120 on the game and another $360 on subscriptions. That’s about 40 bucks a month over the 24 month span. Hardly a drop in the bucket compared to alternatives.
The better half and I easily spend $60-70 if we go out for dinner and a movie. Add accordingly if we decide we want to drink away from home. That’s one night! Some of us even get more of a value out of the game depending on the hourly breakdown.
Though I liked the TBC setup of end game a little more, it would have made sense to have ZA, then BT, then Sunwell, but it I would guess Blizzard was still mastering this whole patch thing.
Patches are free, or we at least get a lot more for our money now that they are so massive with content compared to patches I have seen prior to TBC. I know they aren’t actually free because the initial cost of the expansion is probably factored when the patches are mapped out before the expansion ever hits the shelves.
With all that being said, after hopping ingame last night, I was a little disappointed in the new content. It was a little lacking compared to the oomph previous patches have brought to the game.
noelkytty Aug 5th 2009 3:54PM
Rob, that's a bit skewed to say those "big things" are free. To be honest, look at each expansion pack and what it boasts.
On the cover of each, we see a major boss.
TBC: Illidan Stormrage
Wrath: Arthas Menethil
At release of the expansion, are we able to fight those bosses? No! In fact, far from it! You have to wait for more incremental patches, small and large, that lead up to these events.
It's as if Expansion Packs buy you the ability to have 10 more levels, maybe a couple new races or professions, and some new instances. Your monthly subscription money is what buys you additional raid content.
beers Aug 5th 2009 8:12AM
At $39.99 retail, the answer is NO, blizzard will not be giving away expansions in the future.
What a stupid question.
Atdt1991 Aug 5th 2009 9:26AM
GIVE? He never said anything about GIVE. He said DOWNLOAD. You know, vs CD.
What a stupid answer.
EZ Aug 5th 2009 9:54AM
You already can download the expansion if you want to.
http://www.blizzard.com/store/details.xml?id=1100000265
(direct online upgrade option)
I'm a little confused about what this article is about tbh.
beers Aug 5th 2009 10:39AM
Maybe you don't know how to read.
"do you think it would ever be possible to have expansions become automatically downloaded massive patch updates over a standalone disc or download that you have to buy every two years? "
He's saying two choices. 1: automatically downloaded massive patches vs 2: standalone disc or download THAT YOU HAVE TO BUY EVERY TWO YEARS.
Free (like patches are, just bigger) vs not-free.
Learn how to read before you come here and beclown yourself.
EZ Aug 5th 2009 5:03PM
so basically option 1 is get free expansions every couple months vs. buying an expansion every couple of years? That's what I thought I read, but I guess what I should've said is that this doesn't make any sense.
Why would blizzard give away free expansions as a downloadable patch?
and
What player wouldn't choose option 1?
Maybe you should take some medication before you come to wow.com comments raging at me for asking a question about the article.
why would you ask "do you think xpacs can be downloaded as massive content patches instead of standalone discs?" since you ALREADY can download the xpacs (not as patches, but it's the same exact method, just different wording)
I stand by my statement that this article is weird and confusing.
sigh, i don't know why I bother commenting here.
EZ Aug 5th 2009 5:09PM
*edit*
Ok i see where it says "automatically download expansions"
So this essentially means you get expansions for free (like patches) automatically downloaded. So then they become big big patches.
or
It means that the xpac gets installed automatically and your credit card gets billed.
Either way, there is NO advantage to this method. The only advantage is getting the xpac every couple months instead of every couple years, and in that case the choice is obvious, but not at all realistic. So in this case, YES! sure give me an automatically downloaded expansion every 3 months instead of a patch! thanks. lol.
ugh...i spent far too much time thinking about this article.
davefls Aug 5th 2009 9:13AM
we tbh ,i really did like the big patches...like bc an wotlk ...
what i mean by that is not just cllass chamges but geographical change like you open up the map and "wow" look a new island ,,,thats what i liked ...the exploration part wondering am i the first to have this ...has any one else seen this ?
scarab2501 Aug 5th 2009 8:16AM
The patches create something more and new for players to look forward to. Yeah they cause plenty of hype and is more a cause of intense speculation. It a very good thing, in my opinion, that Blizzard keeps releasing more content for the WoW crowd. They only go wrong when they screw with a class so much people poo themselves and roll a hunter, and lets be honest, that's just not right! But I have to give props due to the fact they don't charge us for this additional content, at least no more than we all pay each month. Halo 3 players are not as lucky! New maps can cost you up to half the cost of the new game! Thanks Blizz for the content!!!
micgillam Aug 5th 2009 10:28AM
"But I have to give props due to the fact they don't charge us for this additional content"
But they charge us pretty heftily for expansions, their subscription price is a little higher than most, and all the character services - Realm Transfers, Recustomization, etc. are actually priced pretty high considering what they are.
WAR's "expansions" are bigger than most of WoW's content patches, smaller than WoW's expansions, but free to all players, and they still have regular patches that add content. They generally treat their players a lot better than Blizz does, it's just too bad the game itself doesn't measure up to WoW.
Of course they don't charge us for this additional content, we're already paying for it. I think new content being patched in at no added cost is a fair expectation at $15/mo on top of the one-time game/expansion costs. I mean, that's $180/yr (per account, at the monthly rate), granted there's overhead with paying support people and operating the servers, but still - outside the cost of the game itself, you're easily paying for a fair bit of new content right out of your subscription cost.
For people pushing endgame progression, they need these new content injections more frequently, otherwise things stagnate and people quit until the next expansion. So really, that's why we pay what we do. For the new content. It's not actually free, it's just not an additional cost. Unless it's a lot of new content bundled together, then it's basically another game....
I forget if I had a point I was trying to get to.