Summary
In their own ways,World of WarcraftandFinal Fantasy 14are considered by MMORPG fans to be among the best the genre has to offer, both past and present. WhileWorld of Warcrafthas seen its highs from expansions past, it lately has been through its share of lows. By contrast,Final Fantasy 14has endured the low point from the start and has gone on to rise like a metaphorical Phoenix and take its place among the upper echelon of MMORPGs and theFinal Fantasyseries overall.
EndwalkerpredatesDragonflightby nearly a year, but both expansions represent whatFinal Fantasy 14andWorld of Warcraftare planning for the future of both respective games. WiththeDawntrailexpansion already serving as a stark contrastcompared toEndwalker, the path forward forFF14players is a little clearer than their Azerothian counterparts. ThoughWorld of Warcrafthas started to rebound followingShadowlands, it remains to be seen where Blizzard will takeWoWas the game’s 20th anniversary draws near.
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Dragonflight Is A Step In the Right Direction for WoW
With new features such as Dragonriding, the Dracthyr Evoker hero class, and the return of point-based talent trees,Dragonflightwas shaped by the feedbackWorld of Warcraftreceived followingShadowlands. With many dissatisfied players leavingWorld of Warcraft, and the development team dealing with the fallout, the future of the game was bleak for a time. But, thanks to a renewedfocus on player customization optionsand a reworked user interface,World of Warcrafthas started to gain back some of the players that had initially left.
Following the launch ofDragonflight, another major feature known as the Trading Post was added as a way to keep players engaged with monthly rewards and challenges. However, the Trading Post has seen controversy lately, with Blizzard opting to add Trader’s Tenders to the Cash Shop via the Corsage Pack. Though 200 Trader’s Tenders as part of a $5 cosmetic pack may not seem like much, the principle of the matter hit a sour note withWorld of Warcraftplayers. Only time will tell ifBlizzard will rethink its strategies with the Trading Postgoing forward.
ThoughDragonflighthas already been a better player experience thanShadowlands, Blizzard’s long-running MMORPG still has a long road ahead of it. With Patch 10.1.7 arriving in the near future, and Patch 10.2 already receiving speculative hype from players, Blizzard’s delivery of these updates will set the tone forWorld of Warcraft’s 20th anniversary in 2024.
Endwalker Is the Biggest Beneficiary of Blizzard’s Mistakes
It is no secret that theShadowlandsexpansion was not a good time forWorld of Warcraftplayers. Between the harassment claims against Blizzard at the time and the numerous complaints that players had with the features, gameplay loops, and story ofShadowlands, a mass exodus from Azeroth took place in the summer of 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Without a doubt, the largest recipient of these “WoWrefugees” wasFinal Fantasy 14. Withan expanded free trialand hype surrounding theEndwalkerexpansion, 2021 was a time when players traded their Alliance and Horde colors for Miqo’te tails and Viera ears. It was also a time of severe server strain whenEndwalkerwas released in December 2021, with hours-long wait times during the first few weeks of the expansion.
The strain even forced Square Enix to pause the free trial ofFinal Fantasy 14until queues leveled out, and some players stated that the game suffered from its own success and fromWoW’s setbacks. Though the server queues have long since stabilized,Final Fantasy 14is currently in a post-Endwalkerperiod, as players eagerlyawait the release of Patch 6.5, Growing Light, and celebrate the game’s 10th Anniversary since its relaunch asA Realm Reborn. ThoughEndwalker’s time is drawing to a close, the impact it left on the MMORPG genre will still be felt for some time yet.
