THIS x1,000

The argument may have been articulated poorly, but the implied point stands. A fraction of the player base was seeing the endgame content and Blizzard changed that in WotLK. Based on reader comments that I see here and at MMO Champion, this is a bad thing because it means the raiders have to find new ways to make themselves feel superior to the remaining playerbase. Mounts and achievements are Blizzard's answers to that complaint.

Your article points out, and rightly so, that this has changed raiding and not necessarily for the better. Still, it is unreasonable to think that Blizzard should spend much of their time designing content no one will see.

The fact is this: The company that can successfully address the desires and needs of both hardcore and and casual players is well on their way to having a successful MMORPG. Hardcore raiders, despite their negative opinions of more casual players, can not be allowed to dictate game direction. Devoting a disproportionate amount of resources towards content very few people will see is a waste. The mentality that it is all about the raiders all the time is gone for those companies who wish to appeal to a large audience.