I know Blizzard has succeeded by appealing to many different play styles. But the changes with Guilds, Heroic Dungeons, and Rated Battlegrounds feels like Blizzard is trying to FORCE players to get into long-term groups and play together as teams.

I’m ok with encouragement; a lot of content, that Blizzard spent a great deal of time and resources towards developing, is only available if you are playing with a team. On the other hand, I don’t like to be obligated to others in-game, and have them depend on me.

I’m paying the same monthly subscription as everyone else, but if I want to play Heroic Dungeons or Rated Battlegrounds, my game time is already limited by others’ schedules. It may not be what I want to do that evening, but I can’t depend on them not to bail if they can’t depend on me.

I love Aiden’s idea for Rated Battlegrounds, and hope Blizzard invests in making it a reality. But it sounds like the wonderfully open ideas behind Wrath’s LFD tool, which Blizzard apparently hated based on the limitations they’ve placed on its success with Cataclysm dungeon difficulty.

…so I’m leveling alts. I’ve got one doing battlegrounds, another running as a tank, and a third just enjoying the new PVE environment. Once they’re all at 85, if I still don’t want to play as a long-term team, I’ll see if SWTOR or Rift is willing to let me enjoy a game without depending on others. I’m paid to depend on others at work, and it’s not fun. They have to pay me to go there every day. When I come home, I want to relax by playing a game however I want to play it.

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