World of Warcraft
News, coverage and analysis tracking World of Warcraft across the outlets.
Latest coverage
Ion Hazzikostas on World of Warcraft’s Ula’tek story, PvP, and griving himself a B or B- grade on addons
World of Warcraft game director Ion Hazzikostas discussed the upcoming Curse of Ula'tek story, which continues the narrative of The Midnight expansion. He also shared his self-assigned grades for the expansion's progress, noting that Player vs Player content needs more attention despite a shrinking player base, and that housing has been successful. Hazzikostas also addressed the handling of addons, giving himself a B or B-.
Raph Koster on the birth of MMORPGs and sandboxes as the ultimate expression of social gaming
Raph Koster discusses the origins of MMORPGs and sandbox games, tracing their roots from MUDs to modern titles like Ultima Online and World of Warcraft. He highlights how sandbox games represent the ultimate expression of social gaming by fostering interdependency and allowing players to engage in ways that matter to each other.
Why Balatro’s Card Runs Feel So Thrilling
Research indicates that players of complex MMOs like Path of Exile and World of Warcraft develop transferable cognitive skills such as problem-solving, strategic thinking, and risk assessment. These skills, honed through managing in-game economies and coordinating group content, are comparable to those required in professional and financial environments. The article argues that the cultural perception of gaming needs to evolve to recognize these developed capabilities.
Why does GCash feel like the default for casino play in the Philippines?
Research indicates that players of MMOs like Path of Exile, World of Warcraft, and Destiny 2 develop valuable cognitive skills such as problem-solving, strategic thinking, and economic analysis. These skills, honed through managing complex in-game economies and coordinating group activities, are transferable to professional and financial contexts, despite historical underestimation of gamer capabilities.
The Hidden Skill Every MMO Player Has That Most People Underestimate
Research indicates that players of Massively Multiplayer Online games, particularly those engaging with complex economies like in Path of Exile, develop valuable cognitive skills such as strategic self-regulation, problem-solving, and analytical decision-making. These skills, often underestimated, are transferable to professional and financial contexts, mirroring real-world risk assessment and system analysis. The article argues that the cultural perception of gaming needs to evolve to recognize these developed capabilities.
Talking Evercold, Bastion, and the future of Final Fantasy XIV at Fan Fest Berlin
During Fan Fest Berlin, Final Fantasy XIV Director Naoki Yoshida discussed the upcoming expansion Evercold, addressing challenges in visual identity inspired by Norse mythology and plans for housing system overhauls. He also detailed the new Bastion Tank job, the split between Main and Off-Tank roles, and ambitious crossover content like Evangelion and Final Fantasy VII Remake. Yoshida emphasized transparency and community engagement as key to the game's enduring success and reaffirmed his commitment to its development.
MMO Week in Review: FFXIV in Berlin, Black Desert in SoCal, and Jimothy saturation
This week's MMO news covers Final Fantasy XIV's Fan Festival in Berlin, Black Desert's Heidel Ball, and the early access launch of SEED. Updates were also provided for Dungeons & Dragons Online, Aion 2, and The Guild reunion movie. Several games saw controversy including World of Warcraft staff cheating, Elder Scrolls Online capacity issues, and Microsoft layoffs.
Final Fantasy 14 is planning 2 major overhauls to its housing system to catch up with World of Warcraft: 'It's probably the number 1 thing on the list a lot of people are requesting'
Final Fantasy 14 director Naoki Yoshida revealed plans for two major overhauls to the game's housing system, inspired in part by World of Warcraft's new system. The first overhaul will focus on making the UI more accessible for casual players, while the second, more secretive overhaul is also planned and is highly requested by the player base.
World of Warcraft is reportedly getting a crossover with Dungeons & Dragons according to a hastily deleted article
A deleted post from Roll20 suggests that World of Warcraft is planning a crossover with Dungeons & Dragons, though neither Wizards of the Coast nor Blizzard Entertainment have made an official announcement. This potential collaboration follows D&D's recent surge in popularity and its history of cross-media ventures.
Dungeons & Dragons accidentally unveiled a World of Warcraft collab ahead of schedule
Wizards of the Coast appears to have accidentally revealed an upcoming collaboration between Dungeons & Dragons and World of Warcraft. A deleted announcement on the virtual tabletop platform Roll20 indicated that pre-orders for D&D World of Warcraft were live. This leak suggests an official crossover between the two popular franchises, following previous D&D collaborations with other IPs like Stranger Things and Rick and Morty.
Rockstar co-founder says 'I don't know if I personally care' if games release on disc, adds 'I love…
Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser shared his thoughts on the ongoing debate between physical and digital game media, stating he doesn't personally care if games are released on disc but acknowledges the appeal of physical copies. He also highlighted the benefits of digital distribution for game updates and the convenience of downloading games on devices like the Steam Deck for travel.
One Shots: Ogre goes to Fantasy Magic School
This week's One Shots feature highlights community screenshots from various MMOs, including World of Warcraft, Palia, Guild Wars 2, and The Lord of the Rings Online. Players are encouraged to share their best in-game photos for a chance to be featured.
Final Fantasy 14 Evercold changes housing for the better, Yoshi-P says, and World of Warcraft's "amazing" take on the MMO staple has "been a good source of research"
Final Fantasy 14 producer and director Naoki Yoshida announced two major overhauls for the game's housing system, planned for the patch 8.0 series following the Dawntrail expansion. Yoshida cited World of Warcraft's housing system as a source of inspiration and research for these upcoming improvements, aiming to make the system more accessible and enjoyable for players.
Yoshi-P's "huge list" of FF14 Evercold plans range from helping you through MSQ, to battling World of Warcraft's housing
Final Fantasy XIV director Naoki Yoshida detailed extensive plans for the game's future, dubbed 'Evercold,' which will include significant overhauls to player housing and the main story progression. Yoshida also discussed the team's approach to incorporating player feedback, the challenges of integrating crossover content like Final Fantasy VII, and his personal commitment to the game as his life's work.
A crossover between Dungeons & Dragons and World of Warcraft has leaked
A crossover between Dungeons & Dragons and World of Warcraft has reportedly leaked ahead of the Gen Con event. The leak suggests a setting book for D&D 5th edition based on the Warcraft universe, similar to previous Magic: The Gathering collaborations. This would not be the first time Blizzard and D&D have partnered, with past collaborations including a World of Warcraft RPG.
Guild Wars 2, World of Warcraft, and AQ3D confirm that Jimothy pets are incoming
Several MMORPGs are introducing in-game pets based on the viral raccoon "Jimothy." World of Warcraft and Guild Wars 2 have confirmed their versions are coming soon, with Guild Wars 2 setting a release date of August 11th. AdventureQuest 3D has already released its Jimothy pet and a related hat.
Game Crossovers and Collaborations
Reacher star Alan Ritchson expressed his enjoyment of Call of Duty and his openness to participating in a potential movie adaptation. Separately, a viral raccoon named Jimothy is being added as an earnable pet in World of Warcraft.
Dungeons & Dragons World of Warcraft Crossover May Have Been Leaked
A leaked Roll20 post suggests Wizards of the Coast is planning a crossover between Dungeons & Dragons and World of Warcraft. This potential supplement or campaign module would be the first major crossover since the World of Warcraft RPG books for D&D 3.5e, and more details may emerge at Gen Con.
Jimothy, The Viral Raccoon, Is Becoming An Earnable WoW Pet
Blizzard Entertainment is adding Jimothy, a viral raccoon known for his unique physique, as an earnable pet companion in World of Warcraft's upcoming 12.1 Curse of Ula'tek update. The company responded to overwhelming community demand after initially posting a mock-up of the raccoon in-game. The update will also introduce new zones, raids, dungeons, and housing features.
Blizzard Employee Out Of A Job After Allegedly Helping Friends Cheat In WoW
A Blizzard Entertainment employee has been terminated after allegedly using developer tools to help friends cheat in a high-level Mythic+ dungeon run in World of Warcraft. The incident involved an in-game spell that instantly killed remaining enemies, which is not available to players. Blizzard confirmed the employee's dismissal and stated that while developer tools are used for urgent fixes, their misuse violates company policy.