What caused the decline of EQ as the #1 MMO?

[gnomishfirework]

EQ just didn't have the mass appeal WOW does. EQ is hard. EQ is a challenge. Even making it easier didn't save it. It couldn't have.

I solo'd trak on my ranger at 65 or 70 and I had very few AAs (less than 200) but great gear (had outside buffs though) I almost got him without outside buffs (or potions) but the fucker banished me and I sat but he didn't summon. He came and got me. With a bunch of friends. It sucked. I was never able to get him that close again (I was fine on mana and health AND stilll had WS cause I proc'd slow really quickly).

I once fought woushi for a while and realized I wasn't going to win, but I got away =P Duo'd rumblecrush with my shaman (lol not really my shaman, it was given to me by a guildy who was given it by a guildy who quit). Not really a difficult fight, but it was tough to stay awake.

That stuff didn't kill the game, it made old trivial content fun again.

To date, EQ was the best MMO. No MMO has captured my attention in the same way. WoW is a good game, but its a solo game where you group up to kill bosses (group quests - which aren't common, group instances and raid instances). It lacks the social component that I find fun. Grouping in wow my first few times was so much fun and kept me in it, but I lost interest in solo grinding.

At least solo grinding in EQ was fun. It was challenging (more so for some classes, but still even a necro was more a challenge to solo than the worst class in wow.) Also, the classes in WoW are too jack of all trades. Some classes can't heal, and some can't tank. All can DPS and DPS well if geared/spec'd properly.

Its geared for mass appeal. EQ was a niche game that was innovative.

I still have more fun in P1999 than I did in WoW.

The only MMO to come close to the appeal (for me) is Darkfall, but its PvE is lacking.

Age really killed EQ. it had a good run and is still around today. Thats impressive.