Mist of Pandara? Really?

[rockworld3113]

So I was thinking of getting back into WoW, then I found out this Kung fu panda expansion wasn't a joke but real. Wtf? I remember a friend sending me a link to the promo for it from blizzcon a while back, but I seriously dismissed it as a joke. Maybe I'm just a bit too old for pandas, and my generation wasn't as fascinated by Asian culture, but is this hot for the kids out there? I would think that most players over the age of 20 even would be extremely turned off by this.

So that brings me to Titan. Is it because all their "quality" team is working on Titan that this is happening? Or is Blizzard possibly genius enough to know they have to kill WoW if they want people to play Titan? I wouldn't put it past them.

Just kind of a rant. Am I alone on this? Or are people actually excited to be a panda?

 

[hang-the-9]

It's an odd pick for sure, but kittens doing funny stuff is the #1 thing on the internet these days, so a Panda in WoW is just a natural extension of that.

I'd like to see better graphics myself, something like what Turbine does.

 

[udg]

I bought wow no more than a week after it came out, Ive spent countless hours playing it then about 6 months ago I got bored of it, to many kids playing who answer every question you ask with some joke about your mum and the fact you don't really need to do anything as there will be a Mod that does it for you.

I started my account a month ago re-rolled on another server but after 2 weeks I realised why I stopped playing.

I like Blizzard games so if Titan is any good they can kill WOW for all I care.

 

[mercer95]

i used to play wow and stopped after the burning crusade and i will never go back, it’s all about guild wars 2 now, IMO guild wars 2 looks much better and you don’t have to pay £9 a month.

 

[casualcolors]

So I was thinking of getting back into WoW, then I found out this Kung fu panda expansion wasn't a joke but real. Wtf? I remember a friend sending me a link to the promo for it from blizzcon a while back, but I seriously dismissed it as a joke. Maybe I'm just a bit too old for pandas, and my generation wasn't as fascinated by Asian culture, but is this hot for the kids out there? I would think that most players over the age of 20 even would be extremely turned off by this.

So that brings me to Titan. Is it because all their "quality" team is working on Titan that this is happening? Or is Blizzard possibly genius enough to know they have to kill WoW if they want people to play Titan? I wouldn't put it past them.

Just kind of a rant. Am I alone on this? Or are people actually excited to be a panda?

With regard to Titan, I think Blizzard's extreme forays into the most subtly genre-destroying means of procuring alternative revenue show that Titan is going to be as social as possible with as many different ways to invest your money as possible. The number one thing that buoys WoW's subscription base is the number of people that play the game simply because a friend(s) of theirs does. The combination of marketing mounts and non-combat pets as purchasable with real currency, as well as Diablo 3's real money auction house (of which Blizzard is skimming a percentage for themselves off of every sale) are likely proving to be as effective or more effective than actual subscription requirements. However, I have a hard time seeing Blizzard forego an opportunity for subscriptions. It's one of the best things about their WoW business model. Once the first of the month rolls around, it's irrelevant to them whether or not you actually play the game at all (and better for them if you don't) so long as you keep letting that subscription ride. These are just my observations after having been a Blizzard customer since the 90's, and recently abandoning them completely as an outwardly abusive developer and publishing house. Quite frankly, if it wasn't for Starcraft's austerity, you'd likely be paying for custom maps and unit skins in that game. As it is, the image of Starcraft is part of what solidifies Blizzard's legitimacy in the competitive gaming market, which they have no intention of sacrificing without due cause.

So to summarize: Titan expect to see facsimiles of cosmetic DLC/purchasable unlocks, real money being a valid option for buying and selling gear with Blizzard cutting a percentage for themselves from every transaction under the justification that their product facilitates the seller and buyer's transaction (much in the same way that the Mob takes a percentage from small businesses for enabling them to establish a store without having it burnt to the ground), and as many other subtle ways to bleed customers of money in very small increments, in addition to a monthly subscription. Expect big presentation and shallow game play as these have been proven a huge recipe for financial success in MMO's and specifically WoW, and expect as many ways to leverage subscription continuity through peer pressure. That is literally what I expect this title to look like, and why it will simultaneously be balked at while smashing sales records for the company in every case short of it being a completely unplayable game.

Edit: My summary's as long as the first paragraph. I'm pretty awful at summarizing apparently.

 

[vehlor]

I hate the idea of being a Panda........... But a Polar Bear would be so COOL.....

I got bored of WOW in one year. And I want to get back but I know I'll be bored again in a week and I'm not spending $15 for a week. I just hope GW2 is as good as I expect.

 

[AntiZig]

as far as I recall panda bears have been in the lore of Warcraft (since 3 I believe), so the fact that WoW will now have a deeper take on it is not entirely surprising.

As far as turn off for 20 year olds... bud, you're talking about a fantasy video game with trolls, goblins and similar...

 

[casualcolors]

as far as I recall panda bears have been in the lore of Warcraft (since 3 I believe), so the fact that WoW will now have a deeper take on it is not entirely surprising.

As far as turn off for 20 year olds... bud, you're talking about a fantasy video game with trolls, goblins and similar...

+1 Plenty of reasons to dislike Blizzard without accusing them of a lack of maturity haha.

 

[niknovacain]

Pandaren Brewmaster was so awesome to play in WC3. I don't know. I don't see the problem. They are drunk fighting pandas. That is kind of hard to dislike. At least for me.

 

[alexisd9025]

The pandarens to be completley honest arent exactly my cup of tee, i remember when they did that april's fool joke and everyone was hectic and look at where we are now >.> Hehe I for once started playing when i was barely 12 WoW and since then have come and go constantly by every expansion they have manage to catch me back, but must say Blizzard you are lacking this time. You will need more than cuddly pandarens. So far the only thing thats bringing my attention is the Org siege, specially the dethronement of Garrosh....
PS: Please bring back Thrall AKA- GREEN Jeezuz

 

[tjosborne]

this expansion is meant to cater to china, which is over half their player base. so this one is really dedicated to all the gold farmers out there in china

 

[rpg_poser]

I played WoW for five years and enjoyed every expansion that was released, up to cataclysm. Probably would have enjoyed cataclysm, too. Is it fun? Can you play with friends? That's what makes WoW popular. Don't take it seriously, especially the "lore". LOL.

 

[Goldengoose]

as far as I recall panda bears have been in the lore of Warcraft (since 3 I believe), so the fact that WoW will now have a deeper take on it is not entirely surprising.

As far as turn off for 20 year olds... bud, you're talking about a fantasy video game with trolls, goblins and similar...

The brewmaster was in WC3 but but wasn't actually part of the lore. It was announced during TBC that panda's would be the next playable race but it was an april fools. Looks like they followed through with it.

 

[casualcolors]

I played WoW for five years and enjoyed every expansion that was released, up to cataclysm. Probably would have enjoyed cataclysm, too. Is it fun? Can you play with friends? That's what makes WoW popular. Don't take it seriously, especially the "lore". LOL.

Thou shalt not question the canon of Stormwind.

Real talk though you hit the nail squarely on the head with this. The only redeeming quality of WoW is in its social aspect. The story and written lore is beyond god awful by any metric.