The temptation with a title like that is to talk about World of Warcraft slowly and inexorably doubling-down on its least fun content year after year until everyone I cared about packed up and left, but I’m sure the commenters will do that for us anyhow. So instead, I want to talk about Trove.
Trion’s – now Gamigo’s – Trove used to be one of my favorite little hidden gem sandboxes. I was obsessed with leveling different classes, building up my houses, trying new builds in my family’s club world, touring other folks’ incredible maps, and taking my kids around questing and killing bosses. But over time, the studios tacked on new systems, grinds, and endgame shenanigans, with the turning point, I think, being delves, and it all just changed too much about the game.
I still love Trove – the Trove that once was. When I think about Trove, my heart fills with warm thoughts about my good times in it. The modern Trove, though, is just off in a direction away from the specific things I liked about it from the start. It’s not bad or doomed or anything like that, but it’s a case where I didn’t really change and I still want the same things out of the game, but it’s just no longer catering to me and those things.
Has there ever been an MMO that over time morphed into a game you no longer love?