The 10 phases of every WoW player

World of Warcraft players go through stages, from joy to frustration. Which one of them are you in right now?

World of Warcraft has become more than a game for many players. For 16 years the MMORPG has been an integral part of life and many a player is inextricably linked with the world of Azeroth. But in more than a decade each of us has probably had a time when WoW just didn’t bring the usual fun – especially the current lull in content in Shadowlands drives some players into a break.

But each of us knows it and has probably already experienced it: the 10 phases in the life of a WoW player.

Info: The article is originally from 2020, but we have brought it up to date again.

Phase 1: The ideal world

“There is so much to do and always something to experience. Time flies by and I can’t keep up with all the content! “

Probably the happiest time of every WoW player. There is a lot of different content to experience and on every corner of Azeroth there is something new to try. No matter if dungeons, PvP battles, pet battles, the hunt for achievements or simply cozy campfire RP at the lake of Stormwind.

Everything can inspire, because a lot is new and unknown. This phase has newcomers to the game but also veterans who return after a long time and have to find their way around again.

Phase 2: The specialization

“Finally make raiden and mythical dungeons unsafe. I want to improve and keep setting new records with the guild! “

Sooner or later, every World of Warcraft player specializes a little. Some focus on PvP, others prefer PvE or small side activities such as collecting pets and increasing success points. Some also play the “auction house game” and just rake in as much gold as possible. Why? Because they can.

Other activities lose value and those who were previously enthusiastic about many things now concentrate all their attention on one goal: the best equipment, the best PvP rating or the largest pet collection.

Phase 3: the start of frustration

“Another belt in the box … can’t there even be something in there that I still need?”

Slowly but surely, one becomes an expert in the field that has been chosen. Improvements are hard to come by with dungeons and raids. Most of the pets were caught. In PvP, the height of the possible seems to have been reached. You could improve a bit more in all areas, but that would mean a lot of time and effort. The content is slowly becoming a bit annoying – after all, nothing else has been done for months.

The frustration sets in and the longing for something new. At the same time, you don’t want to give up what you’ve earned. After all, you have already invested so many hours in this task!

Phase 4: sense of duty

“Yes, come on. Let’s just give the final boss a quick slap, so that we’re over with. “

The fun has long since faded into the background. Nowadays, most activities are only done out of a sense of duty or habit. After all, they don’t want to let the guild down and what would they do without you? In addition, every Friday evening has been a group activity in WoW and people are creatures of habit.

Aside from these mandatory dates, you’re still online in World of Warcraft, but you don’t do anything productive. You stand your legs in your stomach in Orgrimmar and Stormwind, follow the discussion of the server troll in the trade chat and are somehow a bit dissatisfied with everything – but not so dissatisfied that you would stop playing.

Phase 5: Maximum irritability

“How does Blizzard always come up with such garbage ideas? It’s clear that the developers aren’t playing their own game. Even I would do better. “

Not only are you clearly annoyed by the game, but also your fellow players are slowly getting away from you – even if you don’t even notice. The current game design is crap and “always the same”. The changes announced for the future are also rubbish and you can’t understand what idiots have to be at work.

You let your fellow players feel your lousy mood again and again, whose fun in the group activities slowly decreases as a result. Little by little, everyone loses the fun and so you end up canceling your subscription.

Phase 6: The demonization of the game

“Why are you still playing this game? Since the developer [beliebige Änderung] have done, it’s all crap! In the past, WoW was still demanding, today it is only for casuals! “

Finally you see clearly. You were addicted to World of Warcraft. You were stupid You just didn’t know what a really good game should look like and all this time you were dealing with the biggest junk that was ever programmed.

Don’t all the other stupid sheep see that Blizzard is just trying to pull the money out of their pockets? Don’t you see that new content is only intended to keep the undemanding gamer cattle trapped in the spiral for as long as possible?

Obviously, they don’t see this because they are not as enlightened as you are. But you know how to fix that. On news pages, in the subreddit and in the official forum you keep telling the best that you haven’t played WoW for a long time, because everyone wants to know that. Maybe, you hope, all of these players will still wake up.

After all, you just did [beliebiges Spiel] discovered and this is the gaming revelation of the century! If you just repeat it often and penetratingly enough, the WoW idiots will surely appreciate your game too.

Phase 7: crystal ball of disappointment

“Oh lol, now you’re ruining the character for good. When [ehemaliger Blizzard-Mitarbeiter] that would see what they made of his character, he would turn in his grave. “

Blizzard has announced a new expansion for World of Warcraft. It’s amazing that this garbage game, which no one is playing anymore, is getting an add-on again.

Well, it will definitely be the same snot as always. New dungeons, new continents. Those old graphics and the outdated combat system can get smeared in your hair.

Above all: What kind of stupid story is that in the trailer? Why is [Charakter X] suddenly completely different? Why is [Charakter Y] got so weak? Blizzard is screwing up its own lorry here again, but you’ve been used to that for a long time.

The developers even boldly claim that this time around, they are implementing feedback and wanting to improve some aspects of the game. Fortunately, you already know the blah. Since [Entwickler A] is no longer there, everything went down the drain!

Phase 8: Dissatisfaction with lack of insight

“You were always a Blizzard fanboy anyway. You would defend WoW even if the developers wanted one euro for every login. “

One of your friends just got into the beta and is raving about how great the new areas are. But he’s one of those incorrigible sheep who hang on WoW all their lives and never get away from it. What a nappel.

Sure, what he says sounds kind of cool – but he’s sure to see it through his rose-colored glasses.

You continue to let your skepticism run wild. Announcements, interviews by the developers or speculations by the players are also now being diligently commented on. After all, the others have to stop having fun. Do they still not see that the add-on will just be junk again and that WoW continues to drive in a different direction?

Phase 9: the sweet temptation

“You still play WoW? Aren’t you too old for that? I grew out of it. So with the graphics I get eye cancer. “

The extension has been released. All your friends are playing again, hanging out on the Discord and experiencing their first adventures in the new world. You didn’t manage to get it [beliebiges Spiel] to convert. If you’re honest, you don’t even play it right anymore, because somehow the air is out of there, too.

Perfidious, as Blizzard is, they have given you test access for 3 days, with which you can get a taste of the new expansion.

Well, what’s the harm? Then you can at least convince yourself firsthand that World of Warcraft is practically dead and this expansion is the final coffin nail that will probably finally bury the game.

Phase 10: The cycle

“Damned.”

What phase are you in right now?