Yes, persistence

Tobold had an interesting question up yesterday. The sort of question I personally enjoy talking about, and something I touched on to one degree or another last month when I asked how much you invest in your characters. Perhaps not everyone identifies with their characters to the same degree, or at all. But I think a lot of MMO players do. I certainly do. In fact, character investment is the primary draw for me in a game, and is what keeps me over the long term.

I can remember well those waning weeks and months when I was still playing SWG back in 2005. And the day I finally made the decision to quit playing, how hard of a decision that was for me despite how much I hated CU and had really come to utter boredom in game because of the number of people abandoning SWG at the time. I had a fairly thriving Droid Engineering business on one account, and on my second account I had my Jedi and my Master Rifleman/Master Doctor. I had my home, my business hall and all my items and it was hard for me to simply turn my back on all that and walk away. Yet I did it, and I know many others were doing exactly the same thing around that time.

I've mentioned lately that I've been getting restless in WoW and have been looking forward to other games, yet I haven't made that decision to walk away. Why is that exactly? With SWG, it has to do with the strong connections I make with my characters, so yes, Tobold's question is something I think a lot of people just like me ask themselves at some point. I'm confident WoW will still be around for many years, but what would happen if WoW were to simply shutter tomorrow?

I feel a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced.

I don't think that quote would be too far from the truth of the matter.