I genuinely adore both games. I have, literally yesterday found myself doing a full reinstall of WoW. Nearly 6 hours later I was back.
WoW will always hold a special place in my heart, a bit like a first love. It was my first MMO and some of my most memorable gaming moments ever occured in the WoW universe.
I stopped playing WoW when my first son was born for obvious reasons and with not playing it opened up opportunites to play other games.
Two years later here we are with SWTOR. I was and am genuinely excited for it. The visuals are spectacular on ultra for an MMO and the whole sci fi thing is done exceptionally well as only Bioware can do. I am still subbed and I am still running my 32 Jedi Con.
There is no denying though that the game imo really does feel like a sinlge player game with chat. This does not kill it for me, however for me the reason I like MMO's is for the social, grouping/ raiding. Outside a few 2+ and 4+ man quests, I do not get this fix from SWTOR.
On returning to WoW yesterday, I instantly felt at home. No, I am not a fanboi...I do however have the utmost repesct for Blizzard as a developer as I do Bioware. WoW for me though is just so...i dunno....polished. yes, after 7 years so it should be and it is what it is.
Groups are found literally in seconds (Im heals so...), my guild has over 200 active members, the population is high all the time in game, the graphics are wonderful and stylised that still hold up to current gen coding. But it is in the GAMEPLAY that WoW excels and this is why it is and may always be the MMO all others are judged by. WoW is not just a game. It is an empire that Blizzard has built themselves on.
I do not support the SWTOR vs WoW arguments, but the reality is these will always be. If it is not SWTOR, it will be and has been Rift. If not Rift, then The Secret World. If not that then GW2. Whether you like it or not, World of Warcraft is the best MMO ever made and still being made. Replace the fanasty theme with sci fi. Replace Orcs with aliens. replace friggin Pandas with eskomo's...it doesn't matter about the theme...it is the gameplay, balance, social network, coding, polish...everything in the engine room under the visulas that make WoW what it is.
SWTOR is brilliant. It really is. Bioware will nurture it and make it a very solid contender in the MMO world over the coming years. It is just a baby right now and I am genuinely excitied for the game itself and it dedicated players.
May we all enjoy both games for what they are. As it stands now for me WoW is the best MMO.
May I add, I am 42 years old, not 12.
May the force and 25 man raids be with you all.