World of Warcraft
News, coverage and analysis tracking World of Warcraft across the outlets.
Latest coverage
It’s Not Too Late To Shop Best Buy’s 4th Of July Sale
Best Buy is holding its annual Fourth of July sale, offering discounts on a wide range of products including video games, gaming PCs, and accessories. Notable deals include titles like Borderlands 4, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Resident Evil Requiem, as well as Alienware gaming desktops and various peripherals from brands like Razer and Asus. The sale provides an opportunity to purchase gaming gear at reduced prices before the holiday ends.
On the unionization frontlines
Two significant unionization victories occurred in the video game industry: Bethesda Game Studios employees formed a union at Microsoft, and the World of Warcraft development staff formed the World of Warcraft Game Makers Guild at Blizzard Entertainment. The Communications Workers of America, represented by Emma Kinema, spearheaded these efforts, with insights from Bethesda's Autumn Mitchell and Chris Lusco discussed in the Game Developer Podcast.
Are these the 100 most influential games of all time?
Kitfox Games CEO Tanya Short discusses a list of the 100 most influential video games of all time, compiled by professional game designers. The list, assembled through the Polaris game design retreat, aims to serve as a tool for designers to improve their craft and create influential games.
World of Warcraft's on the quality-of-life boost warpath, with fixes including an auto-loot setting that's been mildly inconveniencing alt-lovers for years
Blizzard Entertainment is implementing several quality-of-life improvements in World of Warcraft, including a persistent auto-loot setting that no longer resets for new characters. Other updates include performance enhancements for Silvermoon City, faster Prey hunts, EXP buffs, reduced repair costs for raiders, and profession knowledge point resets. Future additions will make the Voidforge accessible from Silvermoon City and reduce the cost of crafted housing decor.
WoW's bug-filled April patch was actually from trying to fix too much too fast, says director Ion Hazzikostas—like an elevator from 13 years ago that blew up housing
World of Warcraft director Ion Hazzikostas explained that the numerous bugs in Patch 12.0.5 were not due to a rushed development cycle, but rather an aggressive attempt to fix issues close to the release date. One significant bug that disabled player housing was traced back to a last-minute fix for a 2013 Siege of Orgrimmar elevator issue, highlighting the complex interdependencies within the game's code.
World of Warcraft releases animated shorts showcasing Lor’themar and Torundo in The Bitter Truth
World of Warcraft has released new animated shorts titled 'The Bitter Truth,' focusing on the animosity between the Blood Elves and Amani Trolls. The shorts depict a tense diplomatic meeting between Lor'themar and Torundo the Grizzled, featuring voice actors and light animation to convey the depth of their conflict.
World of Warcraft patch 12.1 tackles bug fixes and housing decor costs, as Blizzard focuses on delivering a "polished experience"
Blizzard Entertainment is addressing numerous bugs and quality-of-life issues in World of Warcraft with upcoming patch 12.1, following a rocky launch for its latest expansion. Game Director Ion Hazzikostas discussed the challenges of maintaining a 20-year-old game and detailed improvements to player housing decor costs and profession resets. The patch aims to provide a more polished experience for players.
Perfect Ten: The 10 worst problems in the MMORPG community that we could probably fix
This opinion piece identifies ten fixable problems within the MMORPG community, ranging from nostalgic revisionism about past game experiences to issues with player entitlement and antisocial behavior. It argues for greater honesty, acceptance of change, and a focus on constructive community engagement to improve the overall player experience.
World of Warcraft kicks off another timewalking dungeon event full of shiny gear and mounts
World of Warcraft has launched its Turbulent Timeways event, offering players six weeks of timewalking dungeon activities and rewards until August 11th. During the event, players receive increased reputation gains and heroic-difficulty loot from timewalking dungeons. Completing the event for four weeks grants the Spawn of Vyranoth flying mount, with other rewards including mounts and transmog items available for purchase with timeworn badges.
The ESA quietly starts walking back baffling statements about private servers being 'illegal', though it's still tutting and wagging its finger
The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has softened its stance on private game servers, clarifying that concerns primarily relate to those that host or distribute copyrighted content without authorization. While still asserting publishers' rights to enforce intellectual property, the ESA's updated statement acknowledges that private servers are not inherently illegal and that publishers may approach them differently. This follows earlier, more condemnatory statements made by the ESA regarding private servers for games like Minecraft.
'I cannot do my job when Microsoft refuses to do theirs', say Xbox union workers as destructive reset looms from a company that spent over $80 billion on AI last year
Unionized workers at Microsoft and its subsidiaries are speaking out against the company's pattern of layoffs and studio closures, despite significant investments in AI and high executive pay. Employees express frustration over job insecurity, feeling expendable despite hard work and successful projects. They argue that Microsoft has the financial resources to protect its workforce, citing billions invested in AI and recent console price increases, and are demanding better treatment and transparency.
WRUP: Things the cat tube produces edition
This week's "What Are You Playing" roundup features community members discussing their gaming plans, including Guild Wars 2, Star Wars Galaxies Legends, The Division 2, and Warframe. Several staff members also shared personal anecdotes about unique family traditions, ranging from elaborate fireworks displays to specific holiday meals and egg-cracking games.
One Shots: Mainlining malaria | Massively Overpowered
This week's 'One Shots' feature highlights community screenshots from various MMOs, including Guild Wars 2, Elite Dangerous, World of Warcraft, and Final Fantasy XIV. Players shared their favorite in-game moments and visually striking environments, with a call for more submissions.
MMO Week in Review: Guild Wars goes mobile, Bungie gets layoffs
This week's MMO news includes Guild Wars launching on mobile, Star Trek Online's new update, and Throne & Liberty's summer expansion. However, the industry also saw significant layoffs at Sony and Bungie, impacting hundreds of developers working on Destiny 2 and Marathon. Other news includes Valve's Steam Machine pricing, the ongoing Ashes of Creation lawsuit, and updates on Grand Theft Auto VI's online multiplayer.
The Daily Grind: What concepts do MMORPGs keep trying to reinvent for a new generation?
This article discusses how MMORPG developers often reintroduce older game design concepts as if they are new innovations. A ZeniMax Online Studios developer's comment about a new dungeon type is used as an example, highlighting how open dungeons were common in early MMOs like Ultima Online and EverQuest before becoming less prevalent after World of Warcraft.
Blizzard moves ahead with its Project Ascension rogue server lawsuit by sending motion summons requests
Blizzard Entertainment has initiated legal proceedings against World of Warcraft rogue server Project Ascension by filing official summons requests. This action follows their previous shutdown of Turtle WoW and indicates a continued effort to protect the World of Warcraft intellectual property. Failure to respond within 21 days could result in a default judgment for Blizzard.
Rumor: Microsoft’s next layoffs are poised to hit Blizzard, Bethsoft, and Undead Labs
Rumors suggest Microsoft is planning significant layoffs across several of its gaming studios, including Undead Labs, Blizzard Entertainment, and Bethesda Softworks. These cuts are reportedly the largest for Xbox and come as the company evaluates its recent Activision Blizzard acquisition. Unionized workers at Xbox are reportedly organizing to negotiate over potential job losses.
Bad news, Blizzard won't be running a fresh Season of Discovery server in WoW Classic
Blizzard Entertainment has confirmed there are no plans to launch a new official "fresh start" server for the Season of Discovery in World of Warcraft Classic. Senior Game Designer Josh Greenfield stated that opening and managing new servers requires significant resources and is not feasible given other ongoing development priorities. This news comes despite a recent community-driven "Fake Fresh" event that saw a surge in player numbers for the existing Season of Discovery servers.
Guild Wars 3 may have cracked the MMO code for tired millennials
ArenaNet studio head Collin Johanson stated that Guild Wars 3 aims to respect players' time, allowing them to play as much or as little as they desire. This approach contrasts with many modern MMORPGs and live-service games that can feel like a second job due to mechanics like battle passes and repetitive tasks. The article suggests that if Guild Wars 3 can remain captivating without demanding excessive playtime, it could appeal to a growing audience of adult gamers.
State of Decay studio Undead Labs potentially up for closure, sources claim, with Bethesda and Blizzard also facing layoffs
Microsoft is reportedly planning significant layoffs across its gaming division, potentially including the closure of Undead Labs, the studio behind State of Decay. Bethesda and Blizzard Entertainment are also expected to face substantial job cuts as part of a company-wide "reset." Union workers are negotiating with management to protect jobs or secure severance packages amid these widespread reductions.
