The War Within Is Bringing Casual Players Back To WoW

Summary

The video script discusses the evolving landscape of 'World of Warcraft' content, noting a resurgence in general interest possibly due to new expansion marketing and updates. It highlights the contrast between niche topics like Mythic plus changes and broader content that attracts more views, such as UI updates and story developments. The script also reflects on player engagement with features like delves, which have shown promise in re-engaging a wider audience, and touches on the challenges and potential of the game's endgame content.

Takeaways

• 🕹️ There's a noticeable increase in World of Warcraft generalist content views, indicating a growing interest in the game among both long-time players and those who have been less engaged.
• 🔍 The YouTube algorithm's impact on content visibility is likened to a 'Tinder for videos,' where user engagement with videos directly affects what content is shown to them in the future.
• 📈 The broader audience seems to be more interested in general World of Warcraft content rather than niche topics like Mythic plus changes, which are more appealing to dedicated players.
• 📊 The speaker hypothesizes that the general interest in World of Warcraft is growing stronger, possibly due to people returning to the game and engaging with new content like delves.
• 🎮 The new expansion and marketing efforts, including cinematic trailers, are believed to have re-engaged a broader audience of World of Warcraft players.
• 📝 The speaker mentions that while they have been closely following the game's developments, they find the trends and audience reactions fascinating and are trying to understand the shifts in content performance.
• 🍕 Using a pizza analogy, the speaker discusses how World of Warcraft is trying to cater to a wider audience by not just focusing on optimizing existing content but also introducing new features to attract different types of players.
• 🔑 The return of 'pasta' to the game's metaphorical menu, referring to the reintroduction of features that cater to the midcore and casual players, is seen as a positive move by the game developers.
• 🌐 The speaker notes a contrast between the initial reception of features like Island Expeditions and the current excitement around delves, suggesting that players are eager for engaging solo content.
• 🎉 The positive reception of delves is seen as a sign of the game's health and the developers' ability to create content that resonates with a wide range of players.
• 🤔 There are still concerns about the endgame gearing system and how it will work with the new delves feature, but overall, the speaker is optimistic about the direction World of Warcraft is taking.

Q & A

What is the current state of World of Warcraft in terms of player engagement?

World of Warcraft is experiencing a resurgence in interest with both long-time players who have been playing through various expansions and new or returning players who may not be as engaged with the endgame content. There's a noticeable increase in views for generalist content, suggesting a broader audience interest.

How does the YouTube algorithm affect the visibility of content creators' videos?

The YouTube algorithm is likened to a 'weird Tinder for videos', where videos that are not clicked on are less likely to be shown to viewers in the future. This means that even if a video is not initially appealing, it can affect the visibility of similar content.

What is the significance of Mythic plus changes in the World of Warcraft community?

Mythic plus changes are significant to dedicated players, but they do not seem to be as interesting to the broader audience. The script suggests that more general topics like UI changes and big story developments are getting more traction.

What does the script suggest about the impact of new expansions on World of Warcraft's audience?

New expansions, with their marketing budgets and flashy trailers, are re-engaging a broader cohort of World of Warcraft players, including those who may have been disconnected from the game.

How do the creators perceive the general interest in World of Warcraft's new content?

The creators observe that there is a growing interest in World of Warcraft, with more generalized content performing well. However, niche content like Mythic plus changes is not seeing the same level of engagement, suggesting a broader but less specialized audience.

What is the role of 'delves' in the new World of Warcraft content?

Delves are a new type of content aimed at solo players, offering a different experience from traditional endgame activities. The script indicates that videos about delves have performed well, indicating a positive reception from the audience.

How does the script describe the past reception to new features like Island Expeditions and Warfronts?

Island Expeditions and Warfronts were initially met with less enthusiasm, as they did not offer the depth or engagement that players were hoping for. The script contrasts this with the current reception of delves, which seem to be more positively received.

What is the significance of the 'past enjoyers' mentioned in the script?

The 'past enjoyers' refer to players who were not deeply engaged in the daily grind of Mythic plus and were looking for more casual or midcore content. The script suggests that the new content, like delves, is appealing to this demographic.

What does the script imply about the importance of positive feedback for new features like delves?

Positive feedback for new features is crucial as it indicates that the game developers are addressing the needs and desires of a broader audience. The script mentions that such feedback 'gets cut through' to the audience, influencing their perception of the game.

How does the script discuss the potential issues with the new gearing system involving delves?

The script raises concerns about the gearing system, such as the potential for a delve without a resplendent key to feel less rewarding, and the strategy players might need to employ regarding when and where to use their keys for maximum benefit.

What is the script's perspective on the overall direction of World of Warcraft content development?

The script suggests that World of Warcraft is moving towards a more inclusive model, catering to a wider range of player interests, from casual to hardcore, and focusing on re-engaging players with features like delves that offer a different type of gameplay experience.

Outlines

00:00

🕹️ World of Warcraft Content Trends and Audience Interest

The speaker discusses the current state of World of Warcraft (WoW) content and player engagement. They observe a divide between long-term players who have been continuously engaged through various expansions and those who have been less involved or disinterested in endgame content. The speaker analyzes YouTube comments and content performance to gauge audience interest, noting a rise in views for general WoW content. They hypothesize that broader marketing and cinematic trailers may be re-engaging a wider audience, beyond just dedicated players. The speaker also notes a shift in what content is gaining traction, with more niche topics like Mythic plus changes not resonating as much as broader UI changes or story developments. The overall trend suggests a growing interest in WoW, possibly due to returning players or newcomers intrigued by the game's recent marketing push.

05:02

🍕 Adjusting to Audience Preferences in WoW Content Creation

The speaker uses the analogy of a restaurant optimizing its menu to discuss the challenges of creating WoW content that appeals to both core and casual players. They reflect on past content like Island Expeditions and Warfronts, which initially generated interest but ultimately did not hold the audience's attention due to lack of depth or engagement. The speaker contrasts this with the current reception of 'delves,' a new feature that has been well-received, suggesting that Blizzard is learning from past mistakes and catering to a broader audience. They also touch on the importance of maintaining a variety of content to satisfy different player preferences, akin to offering both pizza and pasta in an Italian restaurant. The speaker expresses excitement about the positive reception of delves and the potential resurgence of WoW's popularity.

10:03

🌐 Solo Play and World Engagement in WoW's Dragonflight Expansion

The speaker delves into the solo play aspects of WoW's Dragonflight expansion, discussing the shift in focus from group content to individual experiences. They compare the current endgame content to previous expansions, noting the absence of engaging solo activities in the past. The speaker finds the generalized content in Dragonflight more enjoyable due to its accessibility and lack of complexity, allowing for a more relaxed gaming experience. They also mention the introduction of delves, which serve as a significant solo feature, and the potential concerns regarding key-based progression systems. The speaker concludes that the expansion's approach to world content and solo play is a positive step, offering players a more inclusive and varied gaming experience.

Keywords

💡World of Warcraft

World of Warcraft (WoW) is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the central theme of the video script, as the speaker discusses various aspects of the game, including its player base, content updates, and community reactions. The game has been a significant part of the gaming community for years, and the script explores how different expansions and updates have impacted player engagement.

💡BFA

BFA stands for 'Battle for Azeroth,' which is the eighth expansion for World of Warcraft. It was released in 2018 and introduced new continents, factions, and gameplay mechanics. The script mentions BFA in the context of player engagement and how it has influenced the game's community over time.

💡Shadowlands

Shadowlands is the ninth expansion for World of Warcraft, released in 2020. It introduced a new realm of the afterlife and new gameplay features. The script discusses how players' experiences with Shadowlands might have influenced their interest in the game and its subsequent content.

💡Mythic plus

Mythic plus is a type of endgame PvE (Player versus Environment) content in World of Warcraft, where players tackle increasingly difficult dungeons with a time limit. The script mentions that discussions about Mythic plus changes are not as popular among the broader audience as more general content, indicating a shift in player interest.

💡YouTube algorithm

The YouTube algorithm is the system that determines which videos are recommended to users on the platform. The script discusses how this algorithm can influence the visibility of content, especially in the context of World of Warcraft. It suggests that videos that receive more views are more likely to be recommended, which can impact the type of content that becomes popular.

💡Generalist content

Generalist content refers to videos or discussions that cover a broad range of topics within a subject, rather than focusing on a specific niche. The script notes an increase in views for generalist World of Warcraft content, suggesting a growing interest in the game from a wider audience.

💡Delves

Delves are a new type of solo content introduced in the Dragonflight expansion of World of Warcraft. The script discusses the positive reception of delves among players, indicating a desire for more solo-friendly content that can be enjoyed independently of group play.

💡Plunderstorm

Plunderstorm is a reference to a marketing campaign or promotional event related to World of Warcraft. The script suggests that such events, along with other marketing efforts like remixed trailers, have helped re-engage players and generate interest in the game.

💡Dragonflight

Dragonflight is the tenth expansion for World of Warcraft, currently in development. The script discusses how the introduction of Dragonflight and its features, like delves, have generated excitement and renewed interest in the game among both existing and returning players.

💡Soul Cinder and Ash

Soul Cinder and Ash are items in World of Warcraft that were used for leveling and gearing characters in the Shadowlands expansion. The script mentions that the problems associated with these items seem to be resolved in the new content, indicating improvements in the game's endgame progression system.

💡Endgame gearing

Endgame gearing refers to the process of acquiring the best equipment for a character in a game, typically in the later stages or at the highest levels. The script discusses concerns about how the gearing system might work in the new content, highlighting the importance of this aspect of gameplay for many players.

Highlights

World of Warcraft is experiencing a resurgence in interest, with a noticeable increase in generalist content views.

YouTube algorithm is likened to a 'weird Tinder' for videos, influencing what content is shown to viewers based on engagement.

There's a divide between long-time players and those who have recently returned or are less engaged with the game's endgame content.

Broader topics like UI changes and big story developments are gaining more traction than niche topics like Mythic plus changes.

The new expansion and marketing efforts, including cinematic trailers, are re-engaging a wider audience of World of Warcraft players.

Delves as a feature for solo players are receiving positive feedback and performing well in terms of audience interest.

The game is trying to cater more to midcore and casual players, moving away from solely focusing on endgame content.

The analogy of an Italian restaurant suggests that World of Warcraft needs to serve more than just 'pizza' to cater to a broader audience.

Dragonflight content is being well-received, especially by casual players looking for a more relaxed gaming experience.

The removal of the Soul Cinder and Ash system is seen as a positive change, reducing the complexity for casual players.

The game now offers more opportunities for solo play without touching any group content, enhancing the experience for casual players.

There are concerns about the gearing system and the potential for a delve without a resplendent key to feel underwhelming.

The game's world is now more accessible to casual players, allowing them to progress without the need for keys in certain situations.

The community's response to the new delves feature indicates a genuine excitement and a positive shift in the game's direction.

The contrast between the reception of previous features like Island Expeditions and the current interest in delves is striking.

The game's developers are learning from past mistakes and focusing on delivering content that appeals to a wider range of players.

The discussion highlights the importance of understanding and catering to the diverse needs and interests of the World of Warcraft player base.

Transcripts

we're in an interesting place for World

of Warcraft generally there's a cord of

people who have been playing the

game' playing the game almost non-stop

through BFA through shadowlands right

the people who even if we grumbled we

vaguely stayed around and uh you know we

we tasted the experience and then

there's the people who have not done any

of that or maybe just didn't care or

didn't really play the endgame stuff and

I kind of in I've I've noticed an in in

phenomenon so I've been reading loads of

YouTube comments and also trying to

analyze the performance of not only art

content but other creators in different

sub niches of World of Warcraft and

seeing what actually kind of like goes

big and gets the views now the reason

why I do that is because those views

represent inherent audient inherent

audience interest right so think of the

YouTube algorithm is being a bit like

weird Tinder but for videos the YouTube

Jesus Christ I'm yeah brutal right but

you know what it's like every um I mean

we have AB technically ABC testing now

in our thumbnails but um on the YouTube

platform whether you know a video that

you don't think about and you just

happen to not click it it'll be less

likely show to show you that so what we

have seen is an increase in World of

Warcraft generalist content views right

that's

increased um what is interesting in is

diving into topics that for people who

are very close you know to the to the

game like us are interesting like the

Mythic plus changes those barely achieve

cut through now talking about something

far more broad UI changes uh some big

story things that gets cut through and

it does show a general uptick in

Warcraft

interest I don't know if it's people

coming back

to the game and uh they they don't

really have enough of a Toe Hold to find

something like Mythic plus changes to be

interesting so it's one of those things

we have some numbers we've seen some

Trends you can't really make a a firm

determination as to why it is still

educated like reading tea leaves I

suppose my current hypothesis

is very broad general interest

Warcraft going stronger and stronger and

stronger

uh I'm seeing that some of that more

Niche stuff um it's not that it's

declining or anything it's more that

it's like staying a bit more flat and in

a way that makes sense new expansion

lots of marketing budget you know like

multiple flashy new trailers I mean the

flipping beta got a cinematic that's not

normal so that is definitely

re-engaged a broader cohort of World of

Warcraft people I think that

extends Beyond those of us who have

actually quite solidly been there for

the last while and therefore we see

these mythic plus changes we're about to

talk about and uh you know whenever this

happened you know we're all messaging

each other in Discord like holy [ __ ]

game

saved or you know oh my God it's so over

you know whatever it is um the two

possible states of being there's only

two states of course yes we're so back

and it's so over nothing else matters

there's no in between um so I just

thought that that's been interesting in

terms of Trends to us this is

fascinating and I love talking about

this it has struggled to

capture as much of the audience that I

would have expected given the uptick in

performance of very generalized

content and I mean there's certainly a

few hypothesis uh as to why I think it

just

shows there are people who are

disconnected from this type of story who

are actually

considering Warcraft content again now

that's a really good sign yeah I mean

that's off the back of obviously plunder

storm and Rob remix and also the fact

that they're including delves as an

example for solo players and our delves

video did really well yeah exactly of

course yeah so I think like there's uh

there's they uh I said they're like

reaping the fruits of what Holly has

been sewing at least when she talks

about the midcore and the casual and the

kind of thing where they're actually

trying to make a game a little bit more

for them than they are for you know for

when they're stuck in the like like I

guess I guess I'd say stuck in the M

plus Minds stuck in the iterating on the

existing pillars of content they have to

make them better it's kind of thing of

well okay well it turns out you can you

know if you're making let's go food

analogy time if you're making pizza you

can make pizza is maybe a bad example

because a lot of people love it but you

know you say you're making pizza

remember uh you got to follow Gemini's

advice always keep your glue close to

hand when you're making pizza so that

your toppings don't SL light off yes so

instead of deciding that maybe we'll put

food in our pizza instead of glue um no

they're doing that and you can you can

only do that so much you can only

optimize pizza so much before you go

well maybe not everyone on the planet

wants pizza and some people are wrong

and they kind of figured out that what

they they to make the analogy somehow

make less sense you know if World of

Warcraft was an Italian restaurant they

stopped serving pasta a long time ago or

at least they they let their pasta get

steal and shitty and then they're going

oh oh we've hyper optimized for pizza

enjoyers [ __ ] so are we all just like

the pasta's back boys pasta's back in

the menu more or less the one oh yeah

they've made the pasta good this time so

past enjoyers show up past enjoyers in

this case are the bid cor and the Casual

who don't M plus every day and don't

like my the grade turn around and go oh

this restaurant's good again which is to

say if you've been following our content

steadily since BFA or Legion right

you're probably going to see these

mythic plus changes and be really

interested in them as we are but if you

were re-engaged generally because you

heard Metson was back you saw a pretty

cool big trailer that had the sword that

maybe you're like oh the sword they're

finally doing something of course what's

the like the last memories that people

had with the sword were pretty positive

because it was the end of Legion that

was a real high point so they're rooted

in that World of Warcraft generally just

gets way more Buzz do plunder storm do

remix

um if that's what engaged you you're not

going to be as interested in this sort

of M plus topic because that's just been

a thing that you know us sort of always

was in and around the game people have

been talking about for ages but that you

know won't mean as much to uh to more

disconnected people who are now

returning to the game which is yeah

extremely positive and seeing delves do

well um it reminded me it was a bit of a

contrast whenever BFA came out you know

if you were I remember like you know

we're going to maybe say we do a video

on explaining Island expeditions to

people and it would get like no views

same for like warfront stuff at times

and it's because there was boring

features there wasn't that much to them

people weren't interested um but now

we're actually having the inverse

where the the sort of traditional

expected content even if it's getting a

significant and I think potentially

extremely positive overhaul um yeah

people are happy about that they're

interested not as much as people seem to

have an appetite for experient well

basically for delves to see how they

actually are I think that just shows

like what yeah what you were saying the

Del's audience a lot of what H's been

talking about yeah those people have

been like starved for a long time

they've been hungry for a long time and

now they go well would you like to would

you like some sustenance and they're

like yes funny enough actually yes we

would like the thing we've wanted for

years yeah thank you it's just very

difficult to say exactly what you want

like a spark of genuine excitement that

I got so I was

in like I wasn't really in top of my

[ __ ] so I ended up just feeling like I

was spitting plates um lot of news

Channel videos lots of thumbnails and

stuff so my head's kind of spinning um

my finger is not really as much in the

pulse uh you report back on how good

delves are and that was one of those

moments that was like at least to me

anyway really refreshingly exciting as

in that's when I thought [ __ ] hell we

might actually be back because um you

know praise for a feature like that from

you actually does matter uh you know it

does get cut through right it you know

the way

there's I mean it's what whenever people

say it's so over we're so back all the

time it's like you know there's it's Dad

alive dad alive Dead Alive um I feel

like I mean it's right it's not to tell

everybody that you just you know message

me like do are the best thing ever and

you should be amazingly excited and

they're perfect cuz we did get some

comments in that video that were like oh

my God I can't believe you've got to

slip in some critic isms I'm like man

that was a really positive video like

holy [ __ ] dude um yeah to me it just

yeah it meant something it meant

something and that like got me excited

and evidently whenever other people are

hearing that these beta experiences of

delves are like refreshing that's

getting cut through to a broader

audience yeah and that's exactly I think

it where uh Dell's getting and this is

kind of interesting because I think the

same thing sort of happened a little bit

in the past with it sort of happened a

wee bit with Island Expeditions but that

was off the back of Legion where people

didn't realize that we weren't going to

get lots of content Fe all the time cuz

you do you do you do Legion and you go

okay well you know we're finished Legion

I just got done playing every class

because of class halls I just got done

with Argus being a fantastic patch Zone

I got done with the magear existing and

being really good especially towards the

end where you know the more casual

player could hop in really overgeared

and kind of you know find all of like

written guides and be able to kind of uh

especially for some of like the the

healing ones that were very much you can

use this ability at this time when

you're sorted there's a lot more of

actual engagement with that all

Expeditions were sort of vaguely sort of

almost maybe sort of promising and then

uh they turned out to be pull everything

in in in the island and blast it and do

it every uh couple times a week for your

artifact power or your aite power sorry

and then the same with you know you've

got your uh I almost forgot was called

togas in Legion in Legion togas and

Shadowland sorry togas and Shadowland

where every was like ah togas great

feature for you to play by yourself and

have fun and then that turned out to be

absolutely not true in any capacity

despite their best efforts unfortunately

so I think like now that we've had the

time away from with them away from that

in the dragon flight where they go what

do you do by yourself [ __ ] fly around

D something D just do scar Vault you

know stuff but not like a huge feature

right box feature it was awesome in a in

a much like how at one point uh our

government said oh no no it's okay we're

only breaking international law in a

limited and specific way I mean hey if

you're going to break international law

that's the way to do it um I found that

the generalized dragonflight

content really worked for me in a

limited and specific fashion which is if

I sat down to play that in the way that

I would want to really just slurp up a

video game experience recent ones

include like still wakes the D playing

alien isolation uh resi 4 on

professional difficulty on a horror

binge on a horror binge but like so in

the resi 4 thing I did that in

professional difficulty because I want

to get the is it the bunny ears the so

the bunny ears unlock is basically doing

that game on the hardest difficulty with

only 15 saves for the entire game so

like big challenge big gamer challenge

if I was in the mood to play that and I

hopped into the Dragon flight end game

would not give a [ __ ] but there are

times when it's like brain empty you

know you've came home from work you've

had a puff away you go just vibing that

actually worked for me but it wasn't a

complete

experience because it didn't have you

know any any flipping

teeth that's what it's always been

missing yeah and I think that actually

did better for people in a lot of ways I

think that that being like toothless but

being generalized not being here's your

box climbing your box and being your box

casual player it was the whole world is

yours casual player I think that ended

up being a little bit more enjoyable to

people so them having that and not

getting rid of that because one of the

things people don't talk about very much

is all of the like endgame and World

content in the world within and for good

reason because first you have to you

know the world isn't available on the on

the fresh Ed server yeah so if you want

to test end game you have to level which

is you know that's not the most effort

but it is a good like 10 12 hours if you

don't know exactly what you're doing and

you're aren speedr running uh so it does

take a while level and then stuff

doesn't always work or isn't always

guaranteed to work and there's no like

there's like no feedback yet on like why

it doesn't work so you'll go to like the

um you'll go to the say the theater trip

which seems to be very reminiscent of

the shadowlands theater thing in what's

it called I forget all of the proper

nouns of shadowlands I've intentionally

destroyed ELD that little place so

there's that people aren't talking about

that as much but there are people

talking like people are more interested

in the delves because that's like the

big thing so having both the delves and

that will also kind of go to show that

the players who don't care about M plus

are more likely going to be the players

who will like they'll have more than

they're even aware of going in yeah

realistically because it'll be

dragonflight Dragon flight on game

content it it on plus delves as well on

top of that so like if you want to have

a full you know session of game playay

without touching any group content you

more or less can do that more more than

you could before the core thing I think

is the soul s Soul Cinder and Ash

problem is kind of gone so yeah that as

you said yeah that the whole world is

yours gameplay that will generate the

keys that open the resplendent chests

within the delves so by doing what a lot

of that player profile was doing anyway

um you know they they get to progress um

there are still some concerns there

about uh you know doing a delve without

a resplendant key may feel terrible and

maybe if you only get so many keys a

week you have a decision to make about

uh when do you spend them how does the

gearing system work what happens if you

uh spend a key on like a level or four

delve but then you get to a level eight

delve and you don't have a key you might

so there there's a few little you know

quibbles and endgame gearing things but

big picture big picture good