> > It seems like Blizzard is getting back on track.
>
> To my understanding, a lot of the problem is that the game sold MUCH more heavily than Blizzard anticipated, and the infrastructure wasn't ready for the load it was asked to handle. In fact, Blizzard stopped shipping the game and froze creation of new accounts for a while as a result. I think the months prior to March, Blizzard was still reeling from the volume. Now, I agree, the game is back on track.

That certainly explains some of their server problems and perhaps the delay in implementing new content, but it doesn't exactly excuse the state they shipped the game in. Without the honor system and Battlegrounds, the PvP component of the game is woefully unfinished. That the manual talks about both of them is a strong indication that PvP was balanced around them, and for the last several months we've been playing an incomplete game.

What's interesting to ponder is that, even though it's been incomplete, WoW is still a heck of a lot better than many games. What this says about Blizzard and the industry is interesting.

Stephen