re: MMORPG input please!

quote:

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"It's the devs fault"

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I have to disagree with that statement. It's the fault of corporations like SOE and Microsoft amongst others. Blizzard showed a model and has since catered to the lowest common denominator (easier gearing up and end game) and made a ton of cash doing it.

Now corporations aren't interested in making good games. They are interested in making games that appeal to the biggest demographic they can. Promise balanced PvP and thrilling and challenging PvE and also fun solo content. No one has delivered on this. How can you?

To focus on one demographic cuts you out of the other two and thereby lessens potential profit margins.
There are still devs and companies out there that could make a great game. Once it seems like someone has a good idea (like Vanguard was supposed to be the real EQ2) a major player buys the rights and turns the vision into the WoW model to maximize profit.

To answer the OP, good MMO's died years ago. No more forced socialization leads to shoddy players being able to not learn the game or their class and still be able to solo to max level and decent gear. People stop caring about being nice to fellow gamers or even learning how to play the game once that happens.