World of Warcraft
News, coverage and analysis tracking World of Warcraft across the outlets.
Latest coverage
Blizzard avtäcker sina kosmetiska Blizzcon-paket
Blizzard Entertainment will host BlizzCon on September 12-13, 2024, and will livestream the event for free. Instead of digital tickets, the company is selling cosmetic bundles for games like World of Warcraft, Overwatch, and Diablo 4, with prices ranging from $25 to $50.
World of Warcraft sends players to the Coiled Isle when the Curse of Ula’tek arrives August 11
World of Warcraft is releasing the Curse of Ula'tek patch on August 11th, introducing the Coiled Isle with a new localized talent system and challenges. The update includes new bosses, a three-boss dungeon, and the Venomous Abyss raid. Additionally, players can engage with new Delves, housing additions, and pet roaming features.
Vilka är det som jobbar med FZ?
This article introduces the staff behind the Swedish gaming website FZ, describing them as passionate gamers with diverse tastes and strong opinions. It highlights their backgrounds, favorite games, music, films, and books, aiming to connect them with the FZ community.
WoW patch 12.1 has a release date, and there's a brand new instance type
World of Warcraft patch 12.1, titled Curse of Ula'tek, is scheduled to launch on August 11. This update introduces a new instance type called Lairs, which function as scalable world bosses for 15-25 players. The patch also includes a new dungeon, a raid, additional Delves, player housing enhancements with companion pets and home exporting/importing, and continues the main campaign.
Wizards of the Coast President John Hight is Leaving in September
John Hight, President of Wizards of the Coast, will be leaving his role on September 1st after two years with the company. He will transition to an advisory role for Hasbro for one year. During his tenure, Hight oversaw development for tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering, as well as digital projects including Exodus and Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons.
Guild Wars 2’s extended fam is basically responsible for making Jimothy a thing, so we’re getting minipets
ArenaNet is adding the internet-famous raccoon, Jimothy, as a minipet in Guild Wars 2 on August 11th. The developer acknowledged the meme's origin, which stemmed from a video filmed by the spouse of an ArenaNet developer. Jimothy will also appear in World of Warcraft, AdventureQuest 3D, and RuneScape.
Wizards of the Coast president John Hight is stepping down
John Hight, president of Wizards of the Coast and former executive producer of World of Warcraft, is stepping down from his role. He will transition to an advisory position with Hasbro, the parent company, until September 1, continuing to receive his salary and a bonus for fiscal year 2026. Hight has overseen the Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons franchises, as well as the digital gaming division, during a period that saw several game cancellations and layoffs.
Final Fantasy XIV’s Yoshida hints at bigger housing overhauls coming to the game during Evercold
Final Fantasy XIV producer and director Naoki Yoshida discussed upcoming housing system improvements during a fan festival. He indicated that major overhauls are planned, including a more accessible UI and a potentially highly-requested feature that could involve more accessible or instanced housing, with some updates expected during the Evercold patch cycles.
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.
