eh... I'm certainly no WoW fanboi, but I'm pretty sure there's lots of fun in the game, regardless of ease.

Blizzard may not be focusing their attention on retaining the hardest of hardcore players. But, what they have done is pretty genius in capturing the hearts of the masses.

The game has never personally interested me, but I wouldn't deny its ability to draw in many many people of varying social and financial statuses.

So, while a few (hundred thousand) people that play MMOs or WoW on an extremely hardcore basis might find the game "easy", they're shadowed by the swarms (of millions) that play casually, and feel like they're limited time is rewarded. I think Blizzard pushing for more casual rewards will pay off for them.

But they can. Newer games have to attract the more hardcore player first. These are the guild leaders. The raid leaders. The forum posters. The number crunchers, and generally more inept players that will lead social structures that allow the casuals and semi-hardcore players to jump in, understand, and have fun.

Blizzard is so far past that, that they can almost laugh off the rants and raves of the extreme hardcore, claiming the game is to easy. They've served their purpose, and now allow Blizz to cater to the more casual player. Which is b/c their social structure and community is so very established. Those who cry for more risk or effort aren’t heard, as the millions and millions of more casual players continue to pay the subscription and log in far less then the hardcore, and don’t particularly need their help.

Eventually, this will peter out, and the next unofficial choice of the hardcore will go through the same motions, IMO. I just think we’re a few generations of PCs away from that. Technology and a mainstream acceptance of better PCs will be what forces WoW to lose momentum. And that’s when the newly-knighted choice of the masses will rise in the wake of WoW.

… at least that’s what I think, as far as the next juggernaut MMO. So, ya… to easy for some, but just easy enough for a whole lot more.