i doubt over half of the wow players are going to stick with guild wars 2 anyway,they obviously havent researched it enough because unlike wow the pve content doesnt revolve around gear and they cant get really good gear and smash people in the pvp

but whatever,all i can say to the wow community that leaves is.good riddance and let the community of guild wars 2 be all the more better without you

Originally posted by Icewhite

Originally posted by Lord.Bachus

Its a master move from Blizzard, because we all know the release dates of the previous expansions where all much later. They all aimed for the christmass target (except the lich king which did not make the that target)

I'd let 'em stew another month, so you can catch ALL of the WoW players leaving GW2 as they go.  They need enough time to cap out, before they decide to leave, right?

Or maybe Blizzard is banking on the usual "new game" pattern. After the first month, here they come back to us (mwuhahahah)...

I doubt the "which box do I buy oh noes" is a serious concern for anyone who makes more than minimum wage. :shrug:

This^

I don't think the WoW expansion will influence GW2 much if at all.  They are two very different models in terms of subscriptions and Blizzard may have lost quite a bit of player faith with the release of Diablo 3.  Personally I will be playing GW2 and hopefully loving it still after 4 weeks.  If ArenaNet have done their job and I am enjoying the game after a few weeks, I honestly cannot see myself buying MoP and resubbing at $15 per month.  I have played WoW since release in 2004 so I am definitely a fan of WoW but am pretty much over the game and have been for over 12 months.  MoP does look better than I expected but I believe Guild Wars 2 is sitting in a pretty good spot.  Wi8ll be interesting to see how these 2 games pan out.

Originally posted by Icewhite

Originally posted by Lord.Bachus

Its a master move from Blizzard, because we all know the release dates of the previous expansions where all much later. They all aimed for the christmass target (except the lich king which did not make the that target)

I'd let 'em stew another month, so you can catch ALL of the WoW players leaving GW2 as they go.  They need enough time to cap out, before they decide to leave, right?

Or maybe Blizzard is banking on the usual "new game" pattern. After the first month, here they come back to us (mwuhahahah)...

I doubt the "which box do I buy oh noes" is a serious concern for anyone who makes more than minimum wage. :shrug:

people who live off mommy and daddys money dont have to worry about these things like minimum wage though.which pretty much sums up everyone who uses the job argument

the people who dont live off mommy and daddys money relize that were living in a pretty crappy economy and minimum wage is better then nothing.but hey,dont worry kid,once you grow up and relize how the big boys in the real world make money and you relize that mommy and daddy arent going to support you forever,you'll understand

Well I won't be naive enough to think that its not a coincidence that MoP is one month after GW2, but I feel that Blizzard recognizes a strong competitor in the market.  After the reprecussions of D3, I think Blizzard is being very  cautious about how they decide to deal with ArenaNet since now Blizzard's playerbase is going to be much more cautious, skeptical and critical about how they handle MoPs development and release.  As for direct competition, my fiance made a fitting term for her view on it (she has played WoW for 5 years now from vanilla) and is not going to bother with this new expansion. 

"WoW is the wife you have been married to for X years, that you come home to every night after work.  You've been comfortable and happy with her during that time.  Guild Wars 2 is that loving girlfriend that doesn't seem to mind if you have a wife and will move along with her life if you decide not to commit to her."

I found her viewpoint very funny and oddly correct for whatever reason, but I'm personally glad she has decided to leave WoW because of the grindy nature of its item treadmill, which used to consume a lot of her time.  Now at least we can spend time playing GW2 whenever WE have time.  Personally, I don't have anything against WoW, but consider if the players who buy GW2 while they wait for MoP to come out and they burn through the content, when they burn out on MoPs content, the replayability of GW2 is always there.  The potential of GW2 to have a sizable population comparable to WoW exists because people can always have access to GW2 since there is no subscription (which is one of the strongest points of GW2). 

It is about when the expansion releases, or when they release the pre-expansion update to the character classes and the destruction of Theramore, which sets the stage for the expac?

If so, these generally release around 1 month prior to the actual expansion and as such, wouldn't patch 5.0 be hitting live servers around the same time as GW2 launches?

This would make sense to me, because if they can somehow get people to not try GW2 they can avoid the accompanying comparison of games in their subscription-paying population.

I am just going to point this out, since it seems a lot of people are taking this the wrong way: Just because the developers took the focus of the game away from gear and placed it on skill doesn't mean the gear is meaningless. It is just less important than it is in most other games.

For example, for the final BWE I ran an asura. There was a dynamic event just a bit off from the place you start at (I beleive it was SE of it.) When I was the apropriate level for the event, I was having issues staying alive, and had to do quite a bit of fancy moves to stay alive from the waves of inquisitors coming in. I later came back to the area to finish the rest of the content that was nearby about 10 levels later. Despite being downleveled by 10 levels, the gear allowed for me to ultimately do the entire event myself with no issues at all.

I realize that other factors contribute to this as well, like traits, (since I didn't need to use any of my utilities to solo the event, I won't include them.) but the higher level gear does make a difference in terms of going back to lower level zones.

Where the focus switch away from gear means the most is when players of equal level (Not effective level) fight. They removed the varying strength in same-level gear, ensuring that all who are of equal level have the same amount of potential.

And I realize a lot of people already understand this, so don't maul me to death thinking that I don't :P.

Originally posted by Kakkzooka
This is thirst expansion not released during the holiday season.

Blizzard is a bit concerned.

This title of this thread should have been "How will GW2 impact the release of the "Jack Black Expansion."

True.

For all the people who say WOW has nothing to worry about GW2 and could care less, they sure are going out of their way... I guess we'll see what happens.

Blizzard timed the release perfect.  The Blizzard devs have played GW2, they know that GW2 has no endgame except PVP.  So they give all their players who are going to play GW2 a month to max out a toon and realize that there isn't much to do except PVP and there is no progression at max level.  Then many of those players will come back to WoW for MOP.  I think thats why Bliz waited so long to announce release for MOP, they wanted to time it perfectly.

Originally posted by brac777

Blizzard timed the release perfect.  The Blizzard devs have played GW2, they know that GW2 has no endgame except PVP.  So they give all their players who are going to play GW2 a month to max out a toon and realize that there isn't much to do except PVP and there is no progression at max level.  Then many of those players will come back to WoW for MOP.  I think thats why Bliz waited so long to announce release for MOP, they wanted to time it perfectly.

Here you go again...

Based on your assessment, WOW devs knew that MoP would suck so much that they dared not compete with GW2 by releasing it before or around the same two weeks, thus they decided to wait and pick up the scraps off the GW2 table.

If you're right about WOW devs and their scheme, then its quite the risky gamble, for if players do enjoy GW2 and realize how amazing the pve endgame in Orr is, then their plan will backfire and MoP will do even worse that it will probably do anyway.

Fact is WOW is in decline, especially in NA/EU. MoP offers nothing new, just more of the same. Lord.Bachus is right... MoP may keep those who enjoy what WOW has to offer, but will most likely fail to bring in both new players and those who have left.

Only time will tell.

Originally posted by CrunkJuice2

i doubt over half of the wow players are going to stick with guild wars 2 anyway,they obviously havent researched it enough because unlike wow the pve content doesnt revolve around gear and they cant get really good gear and smash people in the pvp

but whatever,all i can say to the wow community that leaves is.good riddance and let the community of guild wars 2 be all the more better without you

At least here people already know that, you play the majority of computer games for fun, not to constantly upgrade your gear.

As long as the game is challenging and taking a lot of work I don't see it as a big problem. Many of us wantto become good when we play a game instead of just getting good gear.

Then again, it is not unlikely that the same people who wantto buy MOP just are in it for the gear and just will play it until they maxed out a char or 2.

Originally posted by joocheese

Here you go again...

Based on your assessment, WOW devs knew that MoP would suck so much that they dared not compete with GW2 by releasing it before or around the same two weeks, thus they decided to wait and pick up the scraps off the GW2 table.

If you're right about WOW devs and their scheme, then its quite the risky gamble, for if players do enjoy GW2 and realize how amazing the pve endgame in Orr is, then their plan will backfire and MoP will do even worse that it will probably do anyway.

Fact is WOW is in decline, especially in NA/EU. MoP offers nothing new, just more of the same. Lord.Bachus is right... MoP may keep those who enjoy what WOW has to offer, but will most likely fail to bring in both new players and those who have left.

Only time will tell.

I seriouslt doubt Blizzard would move their date for another game, no matter how many old Blizzard people work at it.

They set the date because they think MOP will be ready to that time (which my experience make me doubt, I guess they will post pone itto Nov).

Originally posted by brac777

Blizzard timed the release perfect.  The Blizzard devs have played GW2, they know that GW2 has no endgame except PVP.  So they give all their players who are going to play GW2 a month to max out a toon and realize that there isn't much to do except PVP and there is no progression at max level.  Then many of those players will come back to WoW for MOP.  I think thats why Bliz waited so long to announce release for MOP, they wanted to time it perfectly.

If they based their plan off of GW2 having no endgame to ensure they get returned customers, then they made a bit of an error.

As many have said, GW2 has endgame content, but not endgame progression. All they changed essentially was that they took the guard rails off the path, and allowed for more freedom to access the endgame content and when to deviate from it. 

Still, I personally think Blizzard is oblivious to the value of GW2, but WoW's demise will be caused solely by itself, and not directly by any other outside factors. If the game was good enough and fully satisfied those playing it, there would be no need to look elsewhere, and therefor the root cause is the game, not other games.

Originally posted by Loke666

Originally posted by joocheese

Here you go again...

Based on your assessment, WOW devs knew that MoP would suck so much that they dared not compete with GW2 by releasing it before or around the same two weeks, thus they decided to wait and pick up the scraps off the GW2 table.

If you're right about WOW devs and their scheme, then its quite the risky gamble, for if players do enjoy GW2 and realize how amazing the pve endgame in Orr is, then their plan will backfire and MoP will do even worse that it will probably do anyway.

Fact is WOW is in decline, especially in NA/EU. MoP offers nothing new, just more of the same. Lord.Bachus is right... MoP may keep those who enjoy what WOW has to offer, but will most likely fail to bring in both new players and those who have left.

Only time will tell.

I seriouslt doubt Blizzard would move their date for another game, no matter how many old Blizzard people work at it.

They set the date because they think MOP will be ready to that time (which my experience make me doubt, I guess they will post pone itto Nov).

I agree. I don't think Blizzard chose the date because of GW2. However, after releasing all their games closer to the holidays, it does make some (not me) think that WOW made an exception this time...

I don't feel it will have that much of an impact, folks who will venture off to WOW new Xpac can still continue to play GW2. There is no real risk for GW2 compared to having to buying Xpac + sub.

Only folks who lose are the ones who have continuesly have left WoW and gone back. Then we all get to hear about how bad of XPac it was all over again.

Originally posted by Loke666

Originally posted by joocheese

Here you go again...

Based on your assessment, WOW devs knew that MoP would suck so much that they dared not compete with GW2 by releasing it before or around the same two weeks, thus they decided to wait and pick up the scraps off the GW2 table.

If you're right about WOW devs and their scheme, then its quite the risky gamble, for if players do enjoy GW2 and realize how amazing the pve endgame in Orr is, then their plan will backfire and MoP will do even worse that it will probably do anyway.

Fact is WOW is in decline, especially in NA/EU. MoP offers nothing new, just more of the same. Lord.Bachus is right... MoP may keep those who enjoy what WOW has to offer, but will most likely fail to bring in both new players and those who have left.

Only time will tell.

I seriouslt doubt Blizzard would move their date for another game, no matter how many old Blizzard people work at it.

They set the date because they think MOP will be ready to that time (which my experience make me doubt, I guess they will post pone itto Nov).

Isn't it still strange that the release date is one month after GW2, making their "pre-expansion patch" to be release approx. the same time GW2 launches?

You can be sure the pre-patch will have a couple of "unique" achievements you will only be able to obtain during pre-patch time too... just like the previous expansions. The carrot.

Originally posted by Aishirami

Originally posted by brac777

Blizzard timed the release perfect.  The Blizzard devs have played GW2, they know that GW2 has no endgame except PVP.  So they give all their players who are going to play GW2 a month to max out a toon and realize that there isn't much to do except PVP and there is no progression at max level.  Then many of those players will come back to WoW for MOP.  I think thats why Bliz waited so long to announce release for MOP, they wanted to time it perfectly.

If they based their plan off of GW2 having no endgame to ensure they get returned customers, then they made a bit of an error.

As many have said, GW2 has endgame content, but not endgame progression. All they changed essentially was that they took the guard rails off the path, and allowed for more freedom to access the endgame content and when to deviate from it. 

Still, I personally think Blizzard is oblivious to the value of GW2, but WoW's demise will be caused solely by itself, and not directly by any other outside factors. If the game was good enough and fully satisfied those playing it, there would be no need to look elsewhere, and therefor the root cause is the game, not other games.

I completely agree... and may I add, very well said.

Originally posted by The_Korrigan

Isn't it still strange that the release date is one month after GW2, making their "pre-expansion patch" to be release approx. the same time GW2 launches?

You can be sure the pre-patch will have a couple of "unique" achievements you will only be able to obtain during pre-patch time too... just like the previous expansions. The carrot.

yup, it is things like these which make me thing that maybe, just maybe, wow is considering GW2 in regards to their release. For now though, I choose to believe that WOW is releasing MoP on its own merit and not based on GW2... though I'm open to the possiblity that I could very well be wrong.

A theory  popped into my head that I feel has validity: Maybe the major game companies coordinate and lay out release dates to allow for reasonable time to grow with no outside interference of other games being released at the same time. This would also explain why there is another MMO release a month after MoP goes live as well. Again, just a theory with little supporting facts and almost no chances of confirmation. xD