Can Casual Gamers Play Classic WoW?
Can Casual Gamers Play Classic WoW?
In the run-up to Classic World of Warcraft's official release forums were full of talk about how difficult the game is. Many veteran Vanilla players confidently asserted how challenging the original game was, and how retail fans are in for a shock. Some curious players viewed this as an exciting challenge - they like good games, and good games are hard games, so they'd love WoW, right? But it also had the effect of deterring casual players who felt they wouldn't have the time necessary to devote to the game. But, is this true? Can casuals enjoy the game? Here we're defining casuals as players who have limited free time to play the game, usually a maximum of a couple of hours a day.
The Difficulty Question
Classic is difficult, but not in the way a fan of modern MMORPGs may think. Put simply, Classic punishes players who aren't patient. If you rush into a mob and pull more than you can handle, you'll probably die. If you try to do a group quest on your own, you'll probably die - and die over and over. This makes leveling slower and makes you dependant on other players to progress. However, at the end-game, the raids are actually much simpler in terms of raid mechanics than in Retail.
The Game Was Designed for Casuals
The Computer Gaming World magazine featured a preview of the game all the way back in November 2001 in which a developer said the game was designed for casuals - it's supposed to be fun and accessible. However, it's important to remember that RPGs at the time were known for being ridiculously complex, and World of Warcraft was designed to offer a more beginner-friendly experience. Earlier MMORPGs were incredibly punishing experiences where the cost of dying was severe, often meaning you lost all of your items. As a result, WoW was a refreshing change to the gaming scene, it was challenging enough to feel a sense of accomplishment as you progressed, but didn't make you want to break your keyboard in half every time you messed up.
At Your Own Pace
It's true that in Classic it takes you longer to hit max-level than in retail, but the beauty of Classic is that you're in control of your progress. Battle For Azeroth is packed full of daily quests, Warfronts, weekly quests, and other such time-limited events. This forces players to log in every day to progress, or risk missing out. This element of the game doesn't exist in Classic so you can progress at your own pace, rather than out of obligation. This leaves you free to spend your limited free time however you want. You can just log on and mine Ores to sell for wow classic gold, you can find a dungeon group, you can quest, or you can go gank enemy players. There are many offers for for wow classic gold here: https://www.eldorado.gg/wow-classic-gold-for-sale/g/14-0-0
Classes and Gear
The classes in Classic are easier to understand, with some classes having a rotation of only one or two spells. This means the barrier to entry is low. Whatever class you pick, you'll understand your role, have a strong class identity, and won't need to spend countless hours learning your class. Gearing is also much easier. There's only one path to getting loot and the process is straightforward, but it does take time. However, as long as you can commit to raiding once a week or so, you're guaranteed to get the gear you need.