When it comes to MMORPGs, one of the biggest things the developer has to do year round is deliver content. Sometimes, it’s story based, sometimes it’s just simple addition to make the games robust. But one thing most players can expect is holiday content. And why not? After all, it’s easy to model things after holidays, show that your world can have some fun as the real world does the same, and if nothing else, it’ll get people involved for the free content and gifts that can be given out.
With Halloween now behind us, the two major holidays left this year are Thanksgiving and Christmas, and without a doubt, many MMORPGs will be preparing for both on either a small or large scale. Most likely though, the Christmas content will be the more “full” of the content. This begs the question, are Christmas events the best time of the year for MMORPGs?
Well…yes and no. First off, if you ask any true MMORPG player, they’ll tell you the best time of the year is the time when a wave of new content comes out and they’re buried deep into the game trying to get it all, no matter how long it takes. And while holiday events, including Christmas, are fun, they aren’t always the deepest. What’s more, pretty much all holiday content has a time limit. Whereas, major updates and expansions do not.
Plus, if we’re being honest, the holiday season is rather hectic, so sometimes these events are unplayable due to the nature of the holidays themselves.
Don’t get us wrong, if you enjoy these events, you should do then, no matter what MMORPG you play. But to call them the “best time of the year” for the genre? That’s a bit of a stretch. At least for us it is.