when they introduced the ability to just queue up to get a group assigned to you.
Precisely this. LFG killed server communities and introduced one of the most toxic aspects to WoW it has ever suffered from.
No longer were players limited to interacting with those only on their server which meant player reputation no longer mattered. Before everyone would know who that ninja looting rogue on the server was, or which huntard caused wipes because they were a shit player [hurr durr all of them because huntards :p]. LFG now meant you'd play with people you've never met or even seen before and possibly never would hear from again. So players started fucking around and causing trouble for groups, casuals would drag down others because they were woefully undergeared/prepared [/Illidan meme] but because there were ways to cheese those gear reqs could still sign up.
LFR in Cata then made it worse with loot begging and even more trolling while dumbing things down to an absurd level.
Precisely this. LFG killed server communities and introduced one of the most toxic aspects to WoW it has ever suffered from.
No longer were players limited to interacting with those only on their server which meant player reputation no longer mattered. Before everyone would know who that ninja looting rogue on the server was, or which huntard caused wipes because they were a shit player [hurr durr all of them because huntards :p]. LFG now meant you'd play with people you've never met or even seen before and possibly never would hear from again. So players started fucking around and causing trouble for groups, casuals would drag down others because they were woefully undergeared/prepared [/Illidan meme] but because there were ways to cheese those gear reqs could still sign up.
LFR in Cata then made it worse with loot begging and even more trolling while dumbing things down to an absurd level.