None We reported yesterday that a World of Warcraft player was able to level up to 70 in the newly released expansion pack in a mere 28 hours. Blizzard had previously promised that Burning Crusade would give players months of replay value. The news that someone had leveled up so quickly hit hard at Blizzard’s office. The day turned gloomy after the news reached the game developers and many became dismal. Two developers quit, citing that they felt they just couldn’t please their audience. “I just can’t believe this happened,” one developer lamented while cleaning out his desk drawers. “You work for years on something and some punk kid just tears it apart in a mere 28 hours. It just doesn’t seem right.” Other developers shared his disappointment. “When something like this happens, you wonder what you are doing here. The big life questions about our purpose in life and why we are here begin to surface. This is really got me reevaluating my priories.” Many game developers had left for the day but several were attempting to work amidst their tears and angst. A grief counselor had been called in to talk through the tragedy with the staff. “When something like this happens,” Dr. Igor Smith explained. “It is common for people to go through symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress disorder. Blizzard is clearly concerned for the well-being of their employees and has taken action to encourage healing in their lives.” So, when can we expect the next WOW expansion pack? “Not anytime soon,” one developer sighed. “Maybe never. I just don’t know if we can continue to work in this difficult field.” *This article is presented as an exclusive Cheat Code Central feature titled “Are you dumb enough to believe this?” Please check back each Friday for the newest edition.
