MMO blogger Belghast tweeted something just before the holiday that grabbed my attention. Apparently, at least on his New World server, players are demanding fees of healers and tanks for the privilege of joining their dungeon groups. And getting it, presumably. It all speaks to an MMO grouping situation that is waaaaay out of control as well as out of whack with reality.
“This is what happens when you make a dungeon run require a key… that itself requires several hours worth of farming materials and 150+ stonecutting skill in order to craft… that is also bind on pickup,” Bel lamented, rightly, in my estimation, referring to the whole situation as “degeneracy,” which is exactly the correct word.
I’m all for the free market and all, but I know stupid when I see it. To me, this type of situation becoming common and accepted in an online game isn’t just a signal that the designers have bungled the game’s grouping and incentive and keying systems – something we’ve seen in multiple MMOs whose communities devolve into paid boosting behavior – but a clear sign to get the heck out of the game. Fortunately, I’d already done that.
Would you pay to group in an MMORPG?
Every morning, the Massively Overpowered writers team up with mascot Mo to ask MMORPG players pointed questions about the massively multiplayer online roleplaying genre. Grab a mug of your preferred beverage and take a stab at answering the question posed in today’s Daily Grind!
