March 19, 2024

Josh Greenfield: Handling Group Rejection in WoW Classic

What to do if you’re not accepted into a group or raid? Senior Game Producer Josh Greenfield has some advice for handling group rejection in WoW Classic.

In WoW Classic, as in its retail counterpart, some elitist players only accept “meta” classes or specs into their groups, dungeons, and raids. They completely exclude gamers who play the less popular or unconventional classes. This occurs regardless of their skill or dedication within the game. And so, it’s become almost impossible for players who don’t align with the current meta or lack top-tier progression to secure a team for group content.

Recently, a SoD player complained about this issue to Josh Greenfield. And the Senior Game Producer provided them with a detailed response about handling group rejection in WoW Classic:

I see these comments a lot and while I genuinely feel for folks with these anecdotes, there's not likely a magic wand that a game designer can wave that will "fix" this.

The issue at its core is that there will always be people who want to gatekeep for no real reason. I'll also…
— Josh Greenfield (@AggrendWoW) March 17, 2024

If you want a TL;DR version, then here are all the highlights:

Some players try to gatekeep for no real reason. Often, the most adamant gatekeepers are insecure about their own abilities.
Achieving a perfect class balance is impossible and won’t eliminate gatekeeping behavior.
The best way to play WoW is with a guild.
You can start your own group without gatekeeping. It can foster new friendships and positive experiences.

What do you think? Are you suffering from the same problems? Do you find Josh Greenfield’s guidance and personal experiences helpful? Let us know your opinions in the comments!