The community becomes less demanding

[XCLASSGAMING.9830]

On 6/6/2024 at 12:38 PM, Tempest.8479 said:

I feel like people often fail to account for the release cadence when comparing the different models for releasing content, or at least minimize its impact on how much content the player base has actually received. Season 3 took a year to complete after 9 months of no content at all, and season 4 took 18 months to complete from its first release. This new release cadence actually provides content on a similar scale, just broken up into smaller chunks.

If you compare the major forms of content/progression delivered over the span of each of those Living World Seasons, you get something like this: 

Living World Season 3 (12 months + 9 month content drought)

• 6 maps
• 2 raids (4 wings) 
• 3 fractals
• 2 mastery lines

Living World Season 4 (18 months)

• 6 maps
• 3 raids
• 3 fractals
• 3 mastery lines
  • 2 mounts

 

The release cadence for both mini-expansions combined falls within a similar timeframe to either of those seasons. Assuming they release the updates for Janthir Wilds at the same pace, we'd get something like this:

SotO + Janthir Wilds (21 months)

• 6 maps
• 1 raid
• 2 strike missions
• 2 fractals
• 6+ mastery lines
  • 2 expanded mount masteries

And that's not even considering any of the expansion-level marquee features/overhauls added like: 

• Weaponmaster training
• 1 expanded weapon proficiency per profession
• 1 new weapon type for all professions
• Housing
• Wizard's Vault

 

I think there's plenty of discussion to be had as to the quality of the content these new expansions are providing, but I don't think the argument that they're providing less than they did before holds up if you account for release cadence. Neither expansion provides the amount of content that any of the previous expansions did, but that's the point.

Heart of Thorns launched with a $50 price tag. For the same price as launch HoT, the totality of content provided across these 2 expansions will be far closer to that of the most content-rich periods of the game's lifetime, or any other "regular" expansion, than many people are willing to admit.

this is such a good way at looking at it ngl. Well done and you are honestly right, i think anet will do better this time, they admitted to thier "mistakes" and are learning from them so i trust them for janthir wilds, im quite excited!