Why It's Totally Fine Not to Know What You Like in MMORPGs

Ever booted up an MMORPG, played for a few hours, and thought... wait, do I even like this genre? You're not alone, and apparently that's totally okay.

A new "Vague Patch Notes" column makes the case for not knowing what you like in MMORPGs. The writer opens up about their own younger years, when they made what they call a very good move: figuring out the sort of games they actually enjoyed. But here's the twist—the real value wasn't just knowing what they liked. It was understanding why they liked it.

That shift in thinking is a big deal. Once you can pinpoint the reasons behind your taste, you start seeing game design differently. You notice the decisions developers make on a macro level, and suddenly the whole genre opens up in a way it didn't before. It's like going from "I just like this game" to "I get why this game works for me."

But the column isn't here to shame anyone who hasn't had that lightbulb moment yet. Far from it. The title alone—"In defense of not knowing what you like"—tells you where it stands. Not knowing isn't a failure. It's a starting point. And honestly, it might even be a healthier one than pretending you've got it all figured out.

Think about it. MMORPGs are massive, messy, and constantly changing. There are sandbox worlds, theme parks, PvP battlegrounds, raid-focused endgames, and everything in between. How are you supposed to know which flavor suits you before you've even taken a bite? Sometimes the only way to learn is to wander, try stuff, and let your taste develop naturally.

The writer's own experience backs that up. Identifying their preferences was a good move—but it came after exploration, not before. The lesson isn't "figure it out fast." It's that understanding your likes and dislikes is a process, and there's no deadline. Whether you're a veteran who's been raiding for years or a newbie who just picked their first class, your reasons for playing can shift over time.

So if you're sitting there wondering whether you actually enjoy MMORPGs or just the idea of them, relax. You're allowed to not know. You're allowed to change your mind. And you're allowed to enjoy a game without being able to explain exactly why. That's not indecision—that's just being a player.

What do you think? Have you always known what you like in MMORPGs, or are you still figuring it out?