Massively

The upside to forums is that you can also help the game by encouraging new players (there is usually a trial or new player section) answering their questions, and trying to make sure that the haters you mention don't ruin the game for them before they even get to experience it.

So yes, I do visit the forums of games I play. Lord of the Rings Online stands out a bit for me as one particularly well managed by both the players and the Turbine representatives, but there are others not too far behind. In general, developers and community reps seem to be more visible on forums these days. It has been a good move, I think.

Actually I think the lovers can be just as problematic as the haters.

The LoTRO forums were a good example of this for me. Mind you, this was over a year ago, so things may have changed, but when I first tried the game I found the LoTRO forums very off putting. The place practically glowed with a radioactive fanboy/girl-ism and level of vapidity that was worrisome. Any suggestion that all was not perfect was met with a vehement denial that even the possibility of anything being off was impossible and clearly there was something wrong with anyone who thought there was -- inevitably ending with the usual "Go back to WoW" idiocy.

Someday MMO players will realize that insulting WoW is not an "I Win!" button and dismissing literally millions of people with mindless stereotypes is neither wise from a business standpoint nor indicative of an ability to reason above the kindergarten level.

In any event I've yet to see game forums that weren't problematic.

The GW forums, well there weren't any officially and the unofficial ones were rather tightly controlled. I always figured that was the whole point, the unofficial forums could, and did, kill any unhappy discussion and Anet's hands were clean. As such, Anet not having the testicular fortitude to set up official forums was always a black mark against them in my book and frankly if they think they'll get away with that with GW2 they're nuts.

The WoW forums are pretty much a joke. There's much amusement to be found, even some really good information if you dig, but most of it is blather by functional illiterates -- and that's just Greg Street's contribution (my god, that ad hominem spewing moron was a professor?!?)

The Eve forums are near literally, and depressingly proudly, a sea of rotting fecal matter where even the devs gleefully troll. Honestly, I've never seen anything like it and I felt like I needed a shower after the few times I visited.

The LoTRO forums I've already mentioned. Civil, and for the most part relatively literate, but off-putting in that "Way too many people drank way too much of the Kool Aid" way.

The CoX forums were such a mess to navigate that I never bothered with them long enough to get a feel. Maybe that's the secret to game forums, make them like one of those infinite loop voice menus some companies seem to have.

The War forums are just depressing. Surprisingly civil (especially compared to Eve, where it being a PvP game is used as an excuse for spewing bile all over the screen 24/7) and generally reasonably readable, but, as in-game, there's a general feeling of dread. A pervasive malaise caused by the feeling that the death of a loved one is nigh unto inevitable and all there is to do is wait around for it to happen.

It's really a good thing I tried War before visiting the forums, but cause honestly I've got more than enough of that in my life as it is.

Sound like Wow as well but in different way like Dual Spec, easy way to get higher tier of gear without endless grind in endgame instances, many other things. Wow is making thing too easy. I often wonder if Blizzard is making a new MMO, this is their way to wash out WOW to attempt to get player to move to a new MMO?

Now i heard they make crossfaction on the same server, i just gave up instantly and quit WoW forever, now i heard they making class for other race that never part in the lore before like Undead doing hunter class.

it just Blizzard making wow way too easy, thanks to those whiny 10 years old (no offense to you guys) want a easy mode

I find the only refuge of sanity and literacy in most WoW discussions is RP, if you can manage to ignore the RP griefers.

The rest of the forums have such a negative effect on me that I've found the easiest way to get the most enjoyment out of the game is to stay far, far away from the forums.

Every time I get curious or bored and start reading the forums I end up regretting it immensely and end up wanting to just cancel my account.

FYI, Fallen Earth does just this. There are generic forums, but there is a whole load of forums exclusive to subscribers that no one else can use or even see.