Dear Nostalrius, Thanks But No Thanks

Dear Nostalrius,

You know, I never thought I would need to sit you down in the corner, put a dunce cap on your head, and scold you with a ruler whacking against my hand. That’s supposed to be reserved for the class bullies, like Blizzard, who’s still in detention. But, here we are. Instead of being an individual you’re a follower. Worse, you’ve behaved like someone who gives a gift at Christmas, calls a week later, and asks for it back. Your parents must see you as a disappointment.

Now give me that crumpled note in your hand. What does this say? Nostalrius, tsk tsk. Being a hypocrite is not conducive to healthy development.

Two months ago you raised your finger at Blizzard from across the room, mad he didn’t invite you to play kickball. You announced the release of your source code and a partnership with Elysium to restore the Nostalrius servers, to recreate the virtual universe thousands of players called home. You were the community’s darling, the most popular kid on the block, flexing your muscles in the mirror and making everyone swoon.

Now you rescind? Nostalrius, your values are a confused mixture, an adolescent who latches on to whatever identity is flavor of the month.

You ask for a “tremendous sacrifice:” You ask Elysium to stop using your source code two months later because you believe your actions have hurt the possibility of a Blizzard-run Legacy server. Let me remind you of two quotes from your previous post:

Until they disclose a schedule (if they do), the Legacy community will have to assume there will not be an official Blizzard release of Legacy WoW - possibly for very long time.

So, it's time for us to release our source code and additional tools to the community in the hope that it will maintain the Legacy community as much as possible until Blizzard announces an official Legacy plan - should they decide to do that.

What has happened in the interim? Has Blizzard disclosed documents labeled “Top Secret” detailing a Legacy server schedule? Unlikely. So, what new data has so thoroughly persuaded you that you now wish your middle-finger never stood alone? I’m genuinely curious, but you stand in the front of the room with no evidence, and you look like you scribbled your presentation on loose-leaf while eating breakfast. We can theorize your decision, and manifest elaborate conspiracies to explain your actions, but since I have no evidence, I can only entertain the thought, not pursue it.

What I can point to, is your massive ego, inflated with so much helium it’s exploded into 41 forum pages of disdain for your decision.

Do you think you’re a hero? Do you wish the warm glow of the spotlight shone on you so badly that you would write blasphemy just to stand on stage again? “We know that Nostalrius carries the hopes of the legacy community…” No, you carry nothing—though you may soon be the Vanilla community’s Sisyphus. Your torch has flickered out of existence, a charred stick, a testament to former glory that can never be relit again.

You were an all-star athlete who broke her wrist, and now sits on the bench, still trying to call plays. But you are not a star anymore.

Our community has always been the center of our actions, and we still need to find the proper solution to please [the] WoW community as a whole.

And now you choose to care what the larger WoW community thinks of you? The WoW community as a whole was never your community. You have betrayed your community. Don't you know you cannot persuade those who do not wish to be persuaded? Are you so foolish? Or do you think the Vanilla community is foolish enough to believe such a ludicrous notion?

“...but moving from “fan server” to "pirate server" reputation makes it harder to convince that legacy fans have a place on the WoW community.

No, no Nostalrius, you were never a fan server. You were a pirate server from the beginning. Don’t develop a Jesus complex this late in the game: wear your eyepatch with pride. This high and mighty attitude you’re exhibiting is insulting to the pool of other private servers that didn’t suck on the sippy cup of media attention. You sailed the seas like anyone else. You were pirates all along, and a change of wardrobe, and a chitchat in the magistrate's mansion cannot change who you are.

Nostalrius, your time is done. You are no longer relevant to the Vanilla community, and this is your swan song. Why, you’ve done this, no one really knows. The best thing for you to do is to sit in the corner, keep your mouth shut, and think about what you’ve done. Because if you really care about Legacy servers then this post-mortem temper-tantrum has done more harm than good, creating a negative image of the community you claim to swear allegiance to. Learn you lesson:

Nostalrius, you are not Vanilla's savior; you are now Vanilla’s pest.