by Tiffany Bechdel on Oct 19, 2015
World of Warcraft is dead. This simple sentence has been typed out more times than one can possibly count on more forums than you can imagine. Used by fans and adversaries alike, World of Warcraft is dead has become a mantra that has picked up momentum as the game has continued to age. However, despite the assurances every year, every patch, every expansion, that the game is most definitely dead; World of Warcraft is still up and running.
Let's face it, this old dog might not be as glamorous as it once was, but it still has some bite behind the bark. With over 5 million subscribes, this game probably still has some life left into it, despite the frequent claims to the contrary. So, while WoW might not be dead yet, we can't help but wonder; how will we know when this behemoth game is finally ready to roll over and die? Below you will find five telltale signs that the end of World of Warcraft has come,
At the end of days, WoW subscription numbers will plummet. While numbers have dipped from time to time and we are currently sitting at an all time low; this currently isn't a problem. Five million subscribers is nothing to thumb your nose at. In fact, it is more than many other MMOs can lay claim to, past, present, or future.
The end of WoW will mean a significant subscription loss, one the likes of which we have yet to see. Think in the terms of subscription numbers 1 million or less, numbers we haven't seen since the days of vanilla. Not only will a subscription loss this major mean a significant portion of the community has lost interest in the game, but it will also mean that Blizzard is no longer able to profit from it. A lack of profit and interest would leave little reason for developers to continue channeling funds into the game and its death would be swift.
Going hand in hand with the lack of subscribers, a good way to tell if World of Warcraft is close to its final days is by counting the number of active servers available. Currently, there are plenty active servers for players to choose from. This holds true even after a major server consolidation that took place in the recent past.
At the WoW apocalypse, very few players will remain and very little funds will be used to keep the game running. To keep game play interesting and cheap, developers will likely close all but a small portion of servers. When you log in and your server list is cut down to 5 or less, it is probably safe to say that the end is near for World of Warcraft.
If you head to any forum dedicated to World of Warcraft you are likely to see a host of threads filled with complaints. Sometimes it even seems that players are never truly happy. Every time a new patch comes out, a new expansion is released, or even something as simple as a new mount is placed in the game; the complaint threads roll in.
While many see the constant complaining of the community as an annoyance, it can also be a sign of passion. Passionate players care about the game they are playing. They voice their concerns and opinions because they care, because they want to make the game better, because they don't want to see it crumble like dust. Instead of leaving, they choose to fight to make the game better. The day that players stop caring, is when the end of World of Warcraft is assured.
While pro-raiders make up only a small portion of the player base, they are pretty important to the game. Many of these gamers are getting paid to play WoW, they promote it, and most of the community takes a certain pride in their accomplishments. Besides sharing in their glory, the community is also affected by their downfalls.
Take for example when Method announced the decampment of some of its members, the shock waves of that split were felt by nearly every single player, even if they had never raided a day in their life. It seems bizarre, but the 5% are almost as important as the 95%. In order to make a whole we need both. When the end game content is no longer a draw for hardcore players, when it just isn't worth doing anymore, this will help to ensure the demise of WoW.
Finally, the absolute, 100%, surefire way to know if World of Warcraft is indeed dead will be the lack of forum posts with the title “World of Warcraft is Dead”. If no one cares to debate the subject anymore, it can only mean one thing; the game is really and truly totally dead. While it my be hard to believe, without these forum posts WoW would be much like the the Wicked Witch of the West, somebody went and dumped a bucket of water on it and is is melting...melting...melting...
That wraps up our checklist of the top 5 ways you will know WoW is dead. As of right now, I think it is pretty safe to say that the game isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Please remember, the symptoms of the death of World of Warcraft may vary. If rash appears, please consult a trained medical professional.