Blizzard has experienced many highs and lows with World of Warcraft by now, both in the MMORPG and (unfortunately) outside the game. Nevertheless, MeinMMO author Jakob Gerden was entertained by WoW up to the expansion Legion. However, with the release of Battle for Azeroth, he eventually started looking for other MMORPGs. He reveals why he is playing WoW again here.
At the release of World of Warcraft, I was still playing the MMORPG Everquest 2. I liked leveling up my character there and improving it, and I swore my loyalty to both that and the game at the time. Unfortunately, I had not counted on my guild and friends.
One after the other started to drop out. While hundreds of thousands flocked to WoW, I found myself on a server with only about 3,000 people left. Naturally, I was also drawn to the world of the Warcraft games, which I have actively followed since Warcraft II.
When I finally looked at WoW with a friend of mine, specifically the side of the Horde, I found the world and characters, the entire look, simply coherent. Thus began my personal adventure in World of Warcraft.
Check out the most important features of the Dragonflight expansion here.
The departure from WoW was a gradual process
This point was rather a gradual process, which became so pronounced by the release of the Battle for Azeroth expansion that I started looking for other MMORPGs.
I’ve always loved exploring the world of WoW, especially playing the story with its quests, which then led to dungeons. These could be entered together with other players, but first you had to form a group on site.
It was always a great experience to run the dungeons for others and their progress. This offered a unique sense of community to this day. But unfortunately, for me, the dungeon finder – a tool that I now find useful but back then ruined everything.
It became nothing special to travel to a dungeon. It also took away – admittedly, sometimes it was tedious – the need to cobble together a group. Now it was just a matter of choosing one’s role and off you went.
The chat was reduced to a minimum. It started with a Hi
, but over time, the chat was used only for flames when the tank, for example, made mistakes in the dungeon.
Especially in the Battle for Azeroth expansion, the spectacle really picked up speed, where watching cutscenes during raids was ruthlessly punished by groups. In the end, it was all about how quickly one could get through the content.
At some point, Battle for Azeroth felt like work
It simply felt like work. The flat story in my opinion did its part. The island expeditions and the grind for Azerite for a few more traits didn’t appeal to me anymore.
In the end, it was all about random loot, which, it is rumored, had increasingly gained traction to balance new and old players. However, the grind became excessive for me, similar to Black Desert Online. Plus, I didn’t like having to complete raids often at fixed times.
Therefore, I decided to turn my back on Blizzard.
Through Dragon Riding in WoW, I experienced open world anew
As the Shadowlands expansion also fell short of my expectations and the Shadowlands did not really convince me, I followed WoW from a distance.
The announcement of the Dragonflight expansion caught my attention. A new, colorful world, with the urge to explore it and ride dragons? Also a new story and many changes, including to the crafting and talent systems? Sounds like a radical cure – it seemed too good to be true.
Besides the new content, such as additional dungeons or the Dragonflight Expedition faction, I found the revamped crafting and new talent system, especially the dragon riding, particularly interesting. This now offers a specialization and a general talent tree in which points can be diligently invested.
Above all, I was fascinated by the open design of the Dragon Isles. Where mountain ranges previously enclosed and limited zones, they now appear, especially through the deliberate use of flying dragons, as beautiful additions and not annoying obstacles.
The Dragon Isles feel much more open to me, like a real open world, than any other zone I explored before my departure from WoW. Sure – everyone defines their ideal MMORPG differently.
However, the label of open world is for me what makes a good MMORPG. The freedom to do everything, whenever and wherever I want. That’s why I tried my hand for a long time at sandbox MMORPGs like ArcheAge or Black Desert Online.
Blizzard has succeeded in making me spend another €50 for the Dragonflight expansion again.
First steps in a new world
Excited, I climbed the tower before the gates of Orgrimmar to travel to the Dragon Isles with my freshly baked level 60 warlock. I almost missed the zeppelin and could only reach it in time with my flying mount.
Once there, the visuals immediately caught my eye. A world characterized by extremes unfolded before my eyes. First, there were the lands, crisscrossed by lava, including the camp of bloodthirsty monsters. On the other side, however, lush green revealed itself to me, dotted with ruins and mountains.
However, the mountains are no longer a problem due to the ability to fly in the Dragon Isles. It’s also a huge fun to take paths with your dragon. Adjusting the scaly mount is a nice little bonus as well.
Finally, I had something to do. Besides the side and main quests, other tasks presented themselves to me that I could fulfill, for instance, by defeating opponents, like the hearts in Guild Wars 2, which I could directly fill. First rewards beckoned.
Since then, I continue my journey in Dragonflight and look forward to the tasks of the Dragonflight Expedition and the new dungeons. I have already installed suitable add-ons like Hekili and others for this endeavor.
What is your opinion on the Dragonflight expansion? What aspects do you like, and which do you dislike? Is there anyone who has also re-entered with Dragonflight or has tried WoW for the first time? Please write in our comments.
If you want to know what else is going on in World of Warcraft, you shouldn’t miss the following article: WoW: Patch 10.1.5 is huge, brings mega-dungeon, new summoner specialization, and mage rework
