What Exactly Is Wrong With World Of Warcraft?

[Thyunda]

I did check the search bar a few times to find something like this, and it failed. So, here goes.

I just want to ask you Escapists, what exactly is wrong with World Of Warcraft?
Before you answer, there are a few rules I have to lay down.
'It's overrated' or 'It's a waste of time' are not legitimate arguments. I want to know what's wrong with the game itself, not the consequences of, or the hype surrounding, it.

See, now I play on a private server, so I get only a helpful community, and of course can avoid the irritating children and the gold farmers. This does not mean, however, the server is without its idiots. I will admit there are a few people I simply do not get on with. This does not take away from the game, in my opinion.
What good is a virtual alter ego, so to speak, if he doesn't have any enemies? Dealing with people we can't tolerate is part of our everyday lives, so why should our online lives be exempt from that? If we lack that fundamental part of our being, we start losing the ability to communicate altogether.
So long as you aren't filtering out all the bad people and the naughty men with opposing views, WoW doesn't actually detract from social skills. At all.
As for time wasting - that can be said about anything. I would say going to church was a waste of time, but a lot of people find it a rewarding experience. The argument genuinely goes for anything at all.

So I repeat my question. What exactly makes this MMO so hated?


EDIT: When I say THIS MMO, I mean this one in particular. Not the traits of all MMOs, just why everyone shouts about how bad WoW is compared to, say, Aion or Flyff.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

I hate it because I never see my buddy anymore since he got it.

It is deliberately designed to be addictive and exploitative of peoples' obsessive, compulsive nature and it sucks peoples souls out through their eyeballs in a way no other game/MMO does.

 

[Davrel]

It can easily take over your life unless you exercise some self-discipline.

The fact that its so damn easy now means that there simply isn't enough end-game content - there is, technically a lot, BUT you can zoom through most of it now with little effort.

Also, Deathknights.

 

[DefunctTheory]

Grinding like no ones business (Good for some, bad for me).
Unbalanced PvP.
Classes in constant flux.

That's the big three downers for me.

 

[NotAPie]

I don't hate it, I'll just never try it because I know how easy it is for me to get addicted to something.
Besides I've never been one for MMORPG's

 

[FinalDream]

For me, its dull. I really like my RPGs and don't mind the odd fetch/grind session but not for years on end! Then again I only did play the free trial a while ago, maybe its improved? Also what happened to the RTS?

Generally though I think WoW just has a really, really bad rep, based upon a few extremes and generally does not represent the average player.

 

[Nothankyou]

Well I don't hate it, I just never want to play it! I'm very susceptible to addictive things, especially games and I'm in my final year of compulsory school so I know that I should stay away from it.
I don't have a problem with people that play it as long as they don't disappear for months on end from my life due to it.

 

[almostgold]

I have two main gripes that caused me to stop playing:
1)To much grind

2) People cared WAY to much about it, to the point where for most people I knew in my servers, it stopped being a game

 

[pantsoffdanceoff]

It's repetitive, very repetitive. I can only kill so many recolors before I get bored.

 

[Thyunda]

Alright, clearly this is a sensitive point for some people. I'm talking more about aspects of the game that single it out from other MMOs. Could we not say that Fallen Earth is just as bad? Or is it not popular enough yet?
Personally, I don't see anything wrong with the game itself. Get some friends to play with you, it can be a lot of fun.
I think its popularity is what hammered the nails into the coffin. MMOs have stopped appealing to me, and WoW is the only one I play now, simply because it's casual. Perhaps, if it was still so complicated, I'd have quit by now.

I don't tend to be addicted to anything, and I do have a fair amount of self control and discipline, so perhaps I'm seeing the game from a completely different point of view.

I hate it because I never see my buddy anymore since he got it.

It is deliberately designed to be addictive and exploitative of peoples' obsessive, compulsive nature and it sucks peoples souls out through their eyeballs in a way no other game/MMO does.

If you can give me evidence that Blizzard designed the game purposefully to do so, and this isn't just a side effect of entirely innocent gameplay mechanics, then you will have earned the Decepticon you grace your name with.

 

[Yoshemo]

#3: too expensive
#2: I found it very very boring.. even when I was plowing through stuff
#1: My best friend can never hang out anymore because he always has raids to do

 

[Phase_9]

I don't like repetetive grind, and I really don't have time for it. I don't hate it or anything, I just don't play it.

 

[Thyunda]

#3: too expensive
#2: I found it very very boring.. even when I was plowing through stuff
#1: My best friend can never hang out anymore because he always has raids to do

#3: That doesn't make the game any worse, just less accessible.
#2: That's the same with all MMOs, surely?
#1: Once again, personal reaction.

 

[Thyunda]

I don't like repetetive grind, and I really don't have time for it. I don't hate it or anything, I just don't play it.

If you don't like that sort of thing, that's fine. My question was more aimed at the people that curse the name of WoW, and to try to avoid it as though it's the plague. I can understand it not being your cup of tea, but I can't understand how it can repulse people the way it seems to do.

 

[Tharwen]

It's boring. The people you play with aren't.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

I hate it because I never see my buddy anymore since he got it.

It is deliberately designed to be addictive and exploitative of peoples' obsessive, compulsive nature and it sucks peoples souls out through their eyeballs in a way no other game/MMO does.

If you can give me evidence that Blizzard designed the game purposefully to do so, and this isn't just a side effect of entirely innocent gameplay mechanics, then you will have earned the Decepticon you grace your name with.

My friend, I do not have to earn my avatar from anyone.

 

[Romblen]

I don't really hate it, but after playing it for awhile, it got very monotonous.

Go here, kill x amount of this, return for reward, repeat.
To the game's credit, the community was usually very helpful.

 

[Tharwen]

Why does my phone make these double posts all the time?