One of the greatest aspects of MMO gaming is the longevity of the games we play. Unlike their offline counterparts that die out after a few weeks play, MMO games can sometimes provide years of enjoyment thanks to regular content updates and expansions. However, are these updates and expansions aimed more towards pleasing current players, attracting new ones or enticing ex-players to return?
I’ve played my fair share of MMO games over the years, easily over 200 different titles, but I rarely find myself returning once I’ve had my fill. The only two MMO games I ever returned to after leaving were Lord of the Rings Online and Runescape. Runescape has been my guilty pleasure since I first forayed into the world of MMO gaming and it boasts some of the most expansive updates in MMO history.
Not only have the developers increased the world size to that of 20x the original, but they’ve also overhauled some of the games core mechanics, an approach almost unheard of in gaming. Most recently the combat system received a huge treat in the form of the Evolution of Combat update, a new system that completely changed the way the combat worked.
Lord of the Rings on the other hand didn’t reinvent any of the games core mechanics but it did a great job of introducing new ones. As a huge fans of J.R.R.Tolkiens work I always found myself returning with each expansion, hoping to get my next fix of Lord of the Rings lore.
However, hundreds of other games that I have played not only failed to hold my attention initially but they also failed to entice me back with any updates or expansions. How do you feel about returning to your old MMO titles? Do you often find yourself returning to take trips down memory lane or do you leave the past behind you?