World of Warcraft
News, coverage and analysis tracking World of Warcraft across the outlets.
Latest coverage
Perfect Ten: 10 amazing MMO starter zones
This article ranks ten of the best starting zones in MMORPGs, highlighting areas that offer polish, unique themes, and engaging introductions to their respective worlds. Featured games include World of Warcraft, Guild Wars 2, Fallout 76, and Final Fantasy XIV, among others.
The Bioshock series has some of gaming's best intros because lead dev Ken Levine knows 'if you have a mediocre…
Lead developer Ken Levine believes the BioShock series features some of the best intros in gaming because of a deliberate focus on immediately immersing players in mystery and intrigue. He emphasizes that a strong opening is crucial for player retention in today's competitive market, where games are easily accessible and players have many alternatives.
Taking a heroic stand against the holy trinity, 5 bears beat a WoW dungeon on its highest difficulty—Blizzard says oops, quickly reverts 200% buff that caused it
A group of five Guardian druids in World of Warcraft managed to clear a high-difficulty dungeon on its highest setting due to an unintended 200% buff. Blizzard Entertainment acknowledged the issue, stating the Elune's Chosen build was stronger than intended, and has since reverted the buff during scheduled weekly maintenance. The incident sparked humorous reactions within the community, with some players blaming the druids for the nerf.
Bioshock lead's fears about Judas were banished by Baldur's Gate 3 gibbing a main character on his second…
Ken Levine, the lead designer of BioShock, discussed the development of his upcoming game, Judas, highlighting its focus on branching narratives and player choice. He drew inspiration from Baldur's Gate 3's reactive storytelling, emphasizing Judas's high replayability compared to his previous titles.
Sega has canceled its live service 'Super Game' due to 'intensifying market competition,' and I really, really hope it's a sign that the industry is finally correcting itself
Sega has canceled its ambitious 'Super Game' project, which aimed to be a major live service title, citing intensifying market competition. The company is reallocating around 100 developers to traditional full-game development, signaling a potential shift away from free-to-play models. This decision is seen by the author as a positive sign for the industry, suggesting a move towards more sustainable and less risky game development practices.
Xbox’s Project Saluki is Game Pass for China, Positron is Disc-to-Digital Ownership Transfer – Rumor
Rumors suggest Xbox is developing 'Project Saluki' for the Chinese market, a version of Game Pass tailored to local regulations and featuring microtransactions. Additionally, 'Positron' is reportedly a new feature allowing digital ownership transfer for physical game copies, signaling a potential push towards digital-only consoles and services.
Massively OP Podcast Episode 565: Happily Farever after
The MassivelyOP Podcast episode 565 covers Guild Wars 2's new zone, EVE Online studio CCP's rebranding to Fenris Creations, and Path of Exile 2's 'Return of the Ancients' update. The hosts also discuss the early access launches of Farever, Reaper Actual, and Outbound, as well as Ultima Online emulators.
Sony: PS Plus Gets 'Four to Six' Day One Games Per Year - And the Focus Is on Indies
Sony's Chris Svensson stated that PlayStation Plus will feature between four to six day-one game releases annually, primarily focusing on indie titles. This strategy differs from competitors like Xbox Game Pass, which offers more day-one releases. Sony curates its PS Plus offerings, emphasizing exposure for developers.
Diablo 4 lead says "there's often no ideal solution" when it comes to doing anything in the action-RPG:…
Zaven Haroutunian, associate game director for Diablo 4, discussed the challenges of game development, particularly in action-RPGs where ideal solutions are often elusive. He highlighted the importance of player feedback and iterative adjustments, citing recent additions like the Warlord and Paladin classes in the Lord of Hatred expansion as examples of strategic repositioning and customization.
World of Warcraft streamers attend top-secret Blizzard event, leaving fans hoping for the version of the MMO…
Blizzard Entertainment recently invited several World of Warcraft Classic content creators to a secret event, sparking fan speculation about a potential "Classic Plus" version of the MMORPG. While details are under NDA, the presence of prominent Classic streamers has fueled hopes for a modern take on the original game with quality-of-life updates.
The Daily Grind: Which MMO feature is legitimately a ‘You think you do, but you don’t’ feature?
This article discusses the concept of 'You think you do, but you don't' features in MMORPGs, using Blizzard's initial reluctance to create World of Warcraft Classic as an example. It explores whether features like decay systems, which players often claim to want removed, might actually be beneficial for the long-term health of sandbox MMO economies.
Turns out you yearn for the return of PC Gamer's two favourite genres just as much as we do
A PC Gamer poll revealed that Real-time Strategy and Immersive Sims are the most desired comeback genres among players. Other popular choices included MMOs and point-and-click adventures, indicating a strong nostalgia for '90s and 2000s PC gaming staples. Despite past hopes, the RTS genre has struggled to regain its former glory, while immersive sims remain a niche but beloved category.
MMO Week in Review: The big rebranding of CCP Games
CCP Games, the studio behind EVE Online, has rebranded to Fenris Creations and announced a partnership with Google DeepMind for AI development. This news comes amidst other MMO updates including Guild Wars 2's new zone, Conan Exiles' Enhanced version, and acquisitions like Daybreak buying Cold Iron Studios.
One Shots: Swiping right at the end of the world
This week's One Shots column features community screenshots from various MMORPGs, including a romantic scene with a mannequin in Fallout 76, a character preparing for Final Fantasy XIV's Dawntrail expansion, and a player cleaning a dirt floor in World of Warcraft. The article also highlights an NPC smith animation in FFXIV and a player's return to Star Wars: The Old Republic due to a World of Warcraft patch.
Discussion time: Are classic tab-target MMOs with loads of keybinds going out of style?
This article discusses whether traditional tab-target MMOs with extensive keybinds are becoming outdated. The author and guest writer Lauren Morton share their perspectives, with Morton expressing a desire for simpler controls and gamepad support, while acknowledging the potential for innovation within the classic MMO framework.
WoW Factor: World of Warcraft needs to throttle back its patch cadence
The author argues that World of Warcraft needs to slow down its patch release cadence to avoid disasters like the recent 12.0.5 update and to allow for better quality control. This change is suggested as a way to prevent player burnout and ensure more polished releases, drawing a parallel to lessons learned in managing youth retreats.
World of Warcraft injects major housing love into its next patch while BlizzCon shares more details
World of Warcraft's upcoming Patch 12.0.7, titled Revelations, will significantly enhance player housing with increased decor budgets, outdoor lighting, new vendor items, and dyeable rugs. Blizzard Entertainment also announced that voice actor Darin De Paul will host the BlizzCon community night, featuring cosplay, art, and short films. Details regarding the Mythic Dungeon International season were also shared.
The Daily Grind: Which MMORPG still really needs to have a mobile client or spinoff?
The author questions which MMORPGs still lack a mobile client or spinoff, despite the success of games like RuneScape and Albion Online on mobile. The article highlights the potential for games like Guild Wars 2, City of Heroes, and World of Warcraft to benefit from mobile integration, citing the recent Guild Wars 1 port announcement as a point of discussion.
Andy Serkis says 'there has always been that snobbery' when it comes to videogame acting, but the times are changing thanks to games like Expedition 33
Actor Andy Serkis believes there has historically been a snobbery towards video game acting, but this is changing thanks to titles like Expedition 33. He expressed enthusiasm for the game and its visual style, highlighting the importance of recognizing the contributions of mocap actors. The article also touches on past instances of industry figures downplaying the role of acting in games.
Diablo Immortal Will Be Invaded By StarCraft On May 13!
Diablo Immortal is set to feature a limited-time crossover event with StarCraft called 'Aeon of Stars' starting May 13. The event will introduce StarCraft-themed enemies, boss fights, new gear, and a special Legendary Gem called Baneboil. Players can earn rewards by logging in and completing daily challenges, including cosmetic items inspired by Kerrigan and other StarCraft units.
