The race for the First Kills in World of Warcraft is a win for Method – as they have attention and viewers, whether they are the first or not.
Even if World of Warcraft is currently struggling with its content and many players, at least temporarily, are turning to alternatives, the race for the “First Kills” is always a spectacle. This is evidenced not only by the high view numbers of our news surrounding the race on Mein-MMO.de but also clearly by the Twitch numbers of the various games.
Great interest on Twitch: During the hot phase of the “World First Mythic Jaina” race, WoW is almost constantly in the top 3 games with the most viewers on Twitch. This means WoW is even far ahead of the perennial favorites Fortnite and Dota 2, while it continuously competes with League of Legends. For a game that is almost 15 years old, this is impressive. The interest is therefore high.
Pros want attention: Professional guilds have been demanding for over a decade that Blizzard better market the race for the First Kills, perhaps by offering prize money or giving the topic more attention. The general interest in competitive PvE in World of Warcraft was not least shown by last year’s “Mythic Dungeon Invitational”.
Method takes it into their own hands: Like no other guild, Method has taken the marketing of the race into their own hands. They have not only secured sponsors but also offer viewers something substantial. At the time of writing, the main stream has 50,000 viewers and thousands more on the “smaller” streams of individual raiders.
In addition to over a dozen streams from the perspectives of various players, there are also dedicated commentators who bravely comment, explain, and summarize almost every one of the now over 300 kill attempts. This includes well-known WoW YouTubers like Preach, creating an even greater draw for players. Blizzard’s hotfixes are immediately discussed live by players and commentators.
Fans are excited: Anyone who looks for even a moment into the various chats of the streams can feel the excitement and passion of the fans. With every attempt that goes into the (possibly) final phase of the battle, emotions run high and the tension is palpable.
It is already clear: No matter how the race turns out, Method has perfectly utilized it and ensured that the race will also be of great relevance in future raids. The fact that the pros also benefit from the revenues and advertising deals ensures that they can concentrate on the game without bad thoughts.
Method is definitely the winner when it comes to the “World First race” – no matter if they make the decisive kill or not.
Why isn’t Blizzard doing anything? It is surprising that Blizzard itself does not take advantage of the races for the World First Kills. Because as the Twitch numbers show, it’s a true crowd puller and could give WoW a little boost each time. Anyone who experiences the tension and excitement of these races could very well return to Azeroth.
Do you think Blizzard should “professionalize” the race for the World First Kills and host an event with potential prize money? Or is it good that the pros take it into their own hands with their own sponsors?
Update: In the meantime, Method has even managed to secure the First Kill!
