I think you are probably right. Although, I think the "death of WoW" discussion is more relevant now than in the past. I am speculating here, but I think there is some circumstantial evidence to back this up somewhat. First, I think Blizz is in panic mode over the rate at which they are hemorrhaging subscribers. I think we should expect the upcoming conference call to include an annoucement that they've lost another 500k - 1M subscribers in 4Q 2011. This is why they are making sloppy moves like nerfing content that is only 2 months old, and I think they are going to accelerate MoP to launch much sooner than they intended - I am thinking summer, rather than end-of year, which would have been consistent with prior expansions. They are trapped in this mindset that the only way they can keep subscribers is to release new content faster, rather than releasing really GOOD and challenging content that will hold the playerbase's attention longer. This is going to snowball into lower-than-usual game quality, which will only make the problem worse.

Blizzard shot an arrow into Warcraft's knee by dumbing the content down to make raiding accessible to anyone with a password. No more attunements, no more gear checks, stupidly easy fights and small raid instances combined with watered down, homogenized class abilities and an emphasis on 10-man raids results in raid content that remains relevant for weeks, when it used to be relevant for months (think of how long Ulduar lasted - and people would have continued to work on it if Blizzard hadn't dumped that moronic ToC raid on us). Now raiding is an entitlement, something to be consumed, where it used to be something that you had to work toward. There is no going back, and - sadly - a once epic game is going to slowly collapse in on itself like a hot-air balloon.

Thank you Greg Street. May you diaf.

@Aran

Like how you wax poetic with the wall of text then have the balls to tell Street to, "diaf". Gotta save that time!

@ Val

I'm not sure he can read, so I had to put the comment up there, at the end, in a language he would understand. It wasn't as much about brevity as, I don't actually want him to "diaf", so I was reluctant to type out the words for it. I do, however, want to adequately express my deep, soul-felt contempt for him and everything he's done to effectively ruin the game.

@Aran

Woosh.

@Aranyszin

Ok. I'll bite at the troll bait...

" and I think they are going to accelerate MoP to launch much sooner than they intended - I am thinking summer, rather than end-of year, which would have been consistent with prior expansions. "
No one, I mean NO ONE had the tiniest doubt that MoP is going to be released before fall, this has nothing to do with how much Blizz is failing rather on how much of the expansion was already created when it was announced at BlizzCon. It was made very clear that they were/are way ahead compared with other expansion releases.

"They are trapped in this mindset that the only way they can keep subscribers is to release new content faster"
In theory...this is true for every MMO. It IS the basic concept of business, not the 'blizz way'. Why you think SWTOR had to release new crap already? Cause they know "like everyone else" that new content=players happy.


"Blizzard shot an arrow into Warcraft's knee by dumbing the content down to make raiding accessible to anyone with a password. No more attunements, no more gear checks, stupidly easy fights and small raid instances....."
Im sorry...I played since Vanilla...NO ONE LIKES ATTUNEMENTS. Find me 10 people who really, honestly prefer the endless wait and chaos of organizing and getting a 40-man raid done. I dare you!

"(think of how long Ulduar lasted - and people would have continued to work on it if Blizzard hadn't dumped that moronic ToC raid on us)"
Yeah...Ulduar lasted so long for only one reason....Dual-Spec was dropping next patch and needed extra tuning.

So on, so forth, etc.etc. in the end...don't like it, don't play it bro'.