World of Warcraft subs fall to 8.3 million

@pal_080 Businesses and corporations have investors, these individuals invest their funds into various projects and consolidation deals that in turn, may or may not yield a higher profit margin for that fiscal quarter. Higher profit margins can equal, but does not always include, higher salaries for workers, lower product costs for customers, lower service costs, more efficient operation of business, more funds to acquire higher-end tech for [insert purpose here], investment strategies in other businesses or financial dealings designed to increase short-term profit margins. All of which generally benefit the consumer and the investors/stockholders (who often tend to be consumers themselves).

Businesses and corporations need increased profit margins to grow as a financial organism, otherwise it stagnates and goes defunct or is bought out by a rival enterprise. Businesses/corporations are "people" in the sense of property ownership and laws of taxation (makes it easier to manage said financial entity). But, unlike people, the only way for businesses/corporations to grow and in-turn, benefit the lives of its' employees and consumers in a positive fashion, has to have a viable long-term financial profit margin that in-turn increases every fiscal year. The average person, or any person for that matter, can live a life of only having their "needs" fulfilled and that's their choice to do so. A financial market is far different from the individual, and is often not regulated by the culture of a people, but from the simple human desires for aforementioned needs to be fulfilled. That's progress after all and is the driving force behind any successful economy (along with proper regulation against over-speculation; but that's another story for another time).

TL;DR - Reading is good for your minds kids. Put down the games for a bit and do some learnin'.

@pal_080 because that's how businesses grow. In fact that's how anyone grow. If you're satisfied with your current self then you'd never know how far your true potential could reach.

@GreG975 @Egotte This was a report from RIOT Games themselves. It's no different than some company that makes games like Farmville or Criminal Case or whatever posting a report that they have had over 100 million accounts tied to their game at some point.

@Salanderr Depending on how long ago you quit it will probably look and play like a completely different game now. Blizz has reworked and retooled so much from WOTLK onward that the game is hard to even recognize for someone who has been away from it for a few years.

@Gigas_Yuu I agree. Warcraft stopped being as interesting and fun when it turned into World of Warcraft. I would have vastly preferred Warcraft 4, especially now that I've seen how they wrapped up WC3's Storyline in the damn mmo.

Didn't do Arthas or any of the characters justice. Hell even BC didn't do Illidan and Kael'thas and my other favorites any favors. Basically it's this lazy "EVERYONE TURNS INTO A RAID BOSS!! Now go find 24 other people and RAAAIIIID THEMMM!!!" storyline every time.

SPOILERS about what's happening to your favorite character in Warcraft Lore:

...they're turning into a raid boss.

@Redsyrup Time for whatever hell are they doing with project titan

@Suaron_x You do realize that Activision isn't just PC and WoW. Blizzard would like to touch upon the console industry and if one of the consoles isn't doing well, its just not worth a potential investment into the field.

You also can't expect Blizzard JUST to stay in PC... their roots were in console. If you want to grow... you have to expand your reach into platforms as well as PC. It wouldn't surprise me if Blizzard one day goes to mobile and tablets.

@scupware Eventually, this is going to happen in less than 6 more years... Perhaps two or three more expansions first?

@scupware Yeah let John Romero do the next expansion, then it will be free to play in 3 months and empty servers shortly after.

@Snitsky777 about p4. You are not correct, you can do heroic raids too, but dont compalin if you are not skilled neough for them. WoW is declining because everything is served with easy to anyone and not the opposite

@Snitsky777 Yeah, tell me about it.

I was fooled by how fun so many of the story quests were while levelling in Mists. I didn't realize they hadn't changed the endgame at all, and in fact possibly made it even more grindy since Cata and Wrath.

Oh my gosh, the reputation grinds! And nothing buyable with Justice anymore except crap Blue gear and Epic PVP gear that is SO much better than the crap Rare PVE gear.

The only thing I enjoy doing is the Tillers and farming stuff. Ironic, but it's my favorite thing to do, and you don't even get equipment out of it.

@Snitsky777 Don't forget all the reputation grinding and dailies (unless that's what conquest points are I admittedly haven't played the game regularly since Wotlk and quit in cata).

Still sounds like you didn't get into a guild with people you liked. It can make all the difference if you play with people you enjoy playing with instead of pugging with a bunch of mute aholes who are looking for nothing more then the quickest runs.

Still it only extends the life span of 1-4 ;p 5 is inevitable.

Bout right.

Getting to step 5 depends on your small world.

(Based on roommate)

@reincarnator07 Ultima online...longest running game still