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What do you really want out of life? Now what's stopping you?

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

The WoW Factor

You have to admire the Blizzard creators of World of Warcraft. Not only have they produced some incredible strategy games, but they have created an incredible MMORPG. As they approach the launch of the next expansion of the WoW universe it is worth reflecting on the aspects that make them successful. I had the pleasure of indulging in a little game playing when last in the UK. I would say that central to their success have been two main points.

The first is that they have always pushed the boundaries of gaming normality, always bringing in new ideas (e.g. the concept of heroes in strategy games in Warcraft3). The second is their creation and nurturing of a brilliant storyline. The world of Azeroth has its own history and has grown over time. The little sub-plots of the game are entertaining, each feeding into the bigger picture. Characters have a history (if you care to look them up on the web) and you fit right in with your own.

These features ensure a loyal following in what would otherwise be a rather repetitive experience (there are only so many ways to kill something) and to be honest the graphics are not spectacular.

Their story wins and wins consistently. For any business trying to succeed it will be the best story that wins. The same often holds true for individual lives. If the ‘story’ of the way you see your life in your mind is believable to your brain you are more likely to achieve it, and the more you reflect on it the more your brain will believe. For your life to be a best seller, you have to write the story well.

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