Guilds in World of Warcraft are dying. It has been a gradual and often unnoticed death, but they are dying just the same. Much like the frog tossed into water that is being slowly heated, the death of the guild has been happening all around us for some time and we haven't even noticed. Little changes, seemingly harmless, have all added up to spell doom for something that was once considered a necessity in game. With guilds on a clear downward spirial, we can't help but wonder...how did we get to this point and what can we do to stop it?

A Glorious Past

In the beginning, guilds were the be all end of the game experience. With raiding at the pinnacle of end game, you needed to be in a guild to get anywhere. These were the days of 40-man raids with guilds that had membership numbers in the hundreds. Organizing and planning raids should have been considered a feat of strength and woe the player who didn't have the security of a guild behind them.

Guilds in this time period were the place you went to progress, where you met your friends, and the place you called home. Due to their importance in every aspect of the game, guilds thrived and could be found in abundance. If you were not in a guild, for whatever reason, you were probably actively trying to join one. However, this glorious existence was not to last.

The Decay of the Guild

After the first expansion to World of Warcraft, big changes came to guilds. The days of 40 man raids and massive guilds were numbered. Smaller raids were introduced, followed by a slew of other changes making raiding easier and more accessible to more players. Which change began the decline in guilds is hard to say but here are some of the big culprits that most attribute to the decay of guilds:

Smaller Raid Groups

With the introduction of smaller raid groups, many guilds found themselves at a loss. Bigger guilds broke apart, unable to sustain their large numbers or offer them raid spots. Then raid groups were trimmed again into 20 man and then 10 mans, suddenly these smaller guilds found that even running two groups, they still had benched players. Nothing equals dissatisfied players like being benched. Some of these players went on to find new guilds, but many stagnated, becoming satisfied with being alone or quitting the game totally.

LFR/LFG

The current LFR format is pretty good. In fact, at this point in the game is is an essential structure. However, this doesn't mean that it hasn't done a bit of damage to guilds. With LFR in place, players have no real reason to join a guild. Why commit to certain times and other rules when you can do what you want when you want?

Not to mention the fact that it does very little to bring out any talent in players. Its need for simplicity does not allow players to grow in skill or learn what more difficult raids are like. This leaves players stuck in an endless loop of LFR, very few venturing into harder raiding difficulties and thus stunting the recruitment of guilds.

Guild Perks

Guild perks, especially Cash Flow, were major problems for the life cycle of the guild. While many enjoyed the benefits, Guild Perks directly discouraged the formation of new guilds. It also hurt smaller guilds who couldn't obtain many of the perks, thus causing them to fall apart or be unable to grow.

It also encouraged the spamming of guild invites to low level or new players. This either was an annoyance, turning these players away from guilds, or pulling them into a guild with no support. These players found themselves in a guild with no friends, no interaction, and a general sense of unhappiness. Of course, these perks have been heavily changed, but the damage has already been done and will take some time to recover from.

Guilds in Legion and Beyond

All these reasons and more have lead to the steady decline of guilds. While some players have spoken out about this trend, it seems that it will inescapably continue in Legion. While we know that Class Halls, Artifact Weapons, and a new PvP system will make their debut in this new expansion, very little has been said about guilds. This leads us to believe that the same status quo will continue on into the future.

If this trend continues the death of the guild will eventually be complete. It may take months or even years, but without some drastic changes, guilds will most certainly go the way of the dinosaur. This would be a tragedy. In a game where the player base feels disconnected from other players, the reemergence of guilds could provide that bond. The days of big guilds and big raids are done, but the idea of friendship, close bonds, and exaltation of working as a team to defeat a tough foe are not. Guilds could easily fill this niche again, if only the time was taken to stop their demise.