There are too many people that have too little social lives and responsibilities and too much time on their hands.
That and they must have money to through away.

If you buy 20 games a year the cost is well over $1,000. Add into that cost or buying the PC $1k+ and/or counsels $300+ systems and updating/replacing $$$??? them when needed. Add to that the cost of peripherals, monthly subscriptions $210+, and energy costs to run the system while playing.

I am sure you are talking about over $2,000 a year for hardcore gamers and I am sure over 800 hours a year.
When I was in my yearly twenties I probably fell into that bracket for a few years. But I was living at home with my mom, working and making good money, and had a active social live (going out three nights a weeks and a few days a week, plus working on car and racing all the time).

But to me it seems like there is a large group of young kids missing out on school and lives for MMOs. I can name about 10 people I know in RL that MMOs are ruining their lives. Kids that dropped out of school, that have absolutely no lives or hope of a career in the near future. I ever know one guy I played with years ago that got a divorce over it.

It is sad, something that should a fun hobby taking over people’s lives and in turn ruining their lives.
 

Because the hype train created by the kids on forums and marketing strategy is often especially lately better than the MMO itself. 

The same reasons they apply to "beta test" and pre-order the collector's edition. They are clearly desperate for something fresh and new, and too ignorant to know better.

Lets see:

Alienware desktop : £1800 (amortised over 5 years) = £360 per year

Upgrades : Graphics card every 2 years: £70 per year

Games Bought: average  2 PC games per month: £70 = £840 per year

MMO subscriptions: £30 per month: £360 per year

Electricity :  no idea

Game playing time: average 14 hours per week = 728 hours per year

Cost per hour of my soul destroying (lol ) hobby: £2.23 per hour

If I buy 1 game per week the cost per hour = £3.56

Factor in my 3 kids use the comp for homework and we use it for online shopping, keeping in touch with people, etc

I can live with this.......

It isn't the mmorpg industry's fault if some people make bad decisions. I say that having lost a GF in part due to playing too much. People need to take responsibility for their own actions.

Originally posted by greed0104

Originally posted by svann

Why do white people like Wayne Brady?

 

Because he makes Bryant Gumble look like Malcom X.

"Is Wayne Brady gonna have to choke a bitch?"

I do the opposite.   Not only do I try to dig up all the info I can before buying, I'm the type who will, often while downloading my purchase, spend hours on the forums getting tips on character creation.    In many games you can make a mistake in your powers/skills/enhancements/etc selections if you aren't informed.

Then there's the people who will skip a tutorial in a game they've never played.    I loathe helping ppl like that.   

Im not entirely sold on it being hard to research MMOs, if youve played a couple you should be somewhat able to figure out pvpve its just basically code for pve + pvp + whatever cute implementation we could think of (third npc faction, etc) pretty much your standard fare... What youd actually be interested in finding out is if pvp is compulsory for instance, which was something not reading much into any review could have told you. I agree theres nothing wrong with buying a game on a whim or that research is not necesary... if youre open minded. I think the problem lies with people managing their expectations. IMO its not the money for most people, it only becomes an issue because its better than saying "i was really excited and got disapointed" which as many people would point out, couldve been easy to avoid.

Me, i know myself to be that type so i do my research. Actually went through the trouble of visiting an acquaintance all the way across the city to just to hang out for a while he was playing Aion. I found out its considered a heavy grinder by some people (not a problem for me) that it was pvpcentric on later levels (im a pvper, i can handle getting ganked) that flying is very restricted (was never one of the games features that apealed to me). I can say im sold on the game, and that even if i later find out its not so good, it will probably give me at least a solid 2-3 months of good fun. So, ill just wait for all the launch problems to be sorted out and buy in month or two, maybe wait a bit longer in case they have some sort of promotion for the holidays.

Im not saying i never buy things spur of the moment, but that when i do im ready to accept the consequences of my choice. You should never gamble if you cant afford it.

The first MMORPG I played I knew nothing about other than what was on the display box.  That was Asheron's Call in about 2000.  I played AC for about 5 years.  I do gather more information about new games I am considering playing but I still go by my gut feeling about the game. Had I not "run head first" into Asheron's Call I would not have enjoyed playing it for the next five years.

I typically follow a game I am interested in from 6 months all the way up to several years.  And unless I play beta I am often suprised by what is purported to be and what actually is in the final product.  I think the game companies must take part of the blame.  Not all of them, but some, intentionally mislead customers through dishonest marketing.

I haven't made a spur of the moment video game purchase since the 1990's.

Originally posted by greed0104

WoW was their first MMO.

Really? People do the same thing with WoW while being the angelic harbringers of <Insert new MMO here>.
I guess both sides are even this way.

Originally posted by Palebane

The same reasons they apply to "beta test" and pre-order the collector's edition. They are clearly desperate for something fresh and new, and too ignorant to know better.

This. Desperation for something new and groundbreaking.

 Simple answer to op. Most people are both entitled and stupid. Clearly the game will be everything they were expecting it to be regardless of their lack of research, because if it isn't, then they'll just scream "I"M PAYING MONEY! QQ" until they make it what THEY want regardless of what thousands of others came there to play. 

Originally posted by Thenarius

Originally posted by greed0104

WoW was their first MMO.

Really? People do the same thing with WoW while being the angelic harbringers of <Insert new MMO here>.
I guess both sides are even this way.

It was a joke. I knew people was going to say it, so figured I would beat them to it.

I however do believe most people to shout "wow clone" are WoW fanatics or WoW was their first MMO.