Addons like Chore Tracker are exactly what's wrong with World of Warcraft right now

Chore Tracker, and similar addons in World of Warcraft really push something that genuinely frustrates me about the game right now: FOMO. Now, I’m not saying you shouldn’t use Chore Tracker, or any other addon to track what’s going on in the game, that’s not it at all. I just want to talk about this supposed FOMO, that’s really been brewing since Mists of Pandaria. World of Warcraft has had daily quests since Vanilla, but MoP really started pushing them as an important facet.

I’m not the only player whose interest in the game started to dwindle once Mists of Pandaria dropped. I don’t want to treat World of Warcraft like a job, but ever since then, it’s felt like if you aren’t doing everything in your power to advance, you aren’t playing the game right and are being left behind. Let me be clear: this is not the case.

World of Warcraft's main problem right now is manufactured by the game, sustained by the community: FOMO

Chore Tracker, in its own way, is a useful addon in World of Warcraft, but it can also push that feeling of FOMO in the game that I’m so sick of. There’s this sense of, if you aren’t doing everything then you aren’t good enough, and you aren’t “playing right.” WoW has changed quite a lot since those days, and there are plenty of different ways to increase your item level now.

Just look that inane list of "stuff I haven't done"! (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

You can grind Mythic+, you can do Delves, you can raid, or you can just do World Quests, and hope for the best. However, thanks to addons like Chore Tracker, and the general feeling of the game at large, it feels like you have to do all of those things every single week. Of course that’s not real, you don’t have to do that.

Since Mists of Pandaria, it feels like more and more “stuff” has been slapped in the game to keep people busy. MoP alone had more than dailies. Each subsequent expansion added more stuff and more stuff, to the point where it just felt like a chore logging in, on top of what was becoming mediocre storytelling. That would change with time as well, thankfully.

Some people say the FOMO is self-inflicted, and to a degree, that’s probably true. But there are more than a few guilds and communities in World of Warcraft that gatekeep or push people out for not doing everything they can to push for the maximum amount of gear possible. The guild I’m in (Moonlight) is definitely not one of those, and this isn’t an advert for them, either.

My character isn't as optimized as they could be, but I'm happy with where they are, to be honest. (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

There are people in our guild who grind crazy hard every single week, even though it’s a casual Roleplaying guild. There’s nothing wrong with that; play as often and as hard as you like. My problem comes from people, and addons that make it feel like if you don’t do these things, somehow, you’re missing out.

Blizzard didn't intend players to play this way, the community made it this way. Since most content creators/guides show the BiS (Best in Slot) gear guides and features often push this agenda of doing all the content all the time, so you can keep up, it became an unspoken rule. Instead, people were just doing dailies all the time and stopped "having fun" in the game. Instead, they were logging in and doing chores.

At the end of the day, you should play the game in a way that fits you, that you enjoy (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

There’s a lot going on in World of Warcraft right now. You can grind your Reshii Wraps up on a weekly basis, the new raid, Manaforge Omega opens its gates, and so do the Mythic+/competitive PVP seasons. There is absolutely nothing wrong with grinding these out every single day if you want.

However, I also feel like it’s important to highlight that you don’t ever have to do it if you don’t want. Don’t let an addon, or peer pressure make you feel like you need to do everything in the game, because you don’t.

You’re never truly behind in World of Warcraft. Chore Tracker isn’t inherently bad, and I’m not saying that it is. I am however, saying you shouldn’t feel like you need to do everything or you’re behind. If you want to be competitive, and do all this stuff? By all means, do it and be happy! I don't pay your subscription. It's just important to say that players shouldn't be made to feel bad about how they play the game.

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About the author

Jason is an Esports and Gaming journalist at Sportskeeda holding an amazing 11 years of experience under his belt. Having put out 4000-plus articles and amassing over 12 million reads for Sportskeeda, he is among the company’s most experienced writers. Jason holds a Bachelor's degree in English from UNC Pembroke and was inspired to become a gaming journalist very early on in life after reading Nintendo Power.

Jason is a jack of all trades when it comes to gaming journalism. He’s a key writer in Sportskeeda's MMO department, but he also likes to help out in other categories, like streamers, RPG, card games, and whatever else is needed. A solo gamer at heart, Jason's favorite titles include Earthbound and Dragon Warrior.

Jason places high value on accuracy and relevance in his write-ups. He achieves this with thorough research to sift facts from rumors. One of the biggest highlights of his career is his interview with Canadian pro wrestler Kenny Omega about his inclusion in the Like a Dragon game series. He is also good friends with journalist Kazumo Hashimoto, who he admires for the kind of stories he works on and his deep ethics.

A true cinephile, one of Jason’s primary hobbies involves enjoying cinematic experiences. He also loves reading, be it fiction or manga, when not working. Additionally, he streams on Twitch and posts his gaming insights on YouTube.

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Edited by Jason Parker