World of Warcraft
News, coverage and analysis tracking World of Warcraft across the outlets.- Buffs, Nerfs, and BugsBlizzard Entertainment is facing challenges in balancing the 'Abundance' world event in World of Warcraft, with player feedback indicating dissatisfaction. The ongoing struggle to find a satisfactory equilibrium for the event highlights difficulties in game balance.
"You've got to shut this down" - Jeff Kaplan recalls the "disaster" of Blizzard MMO Titan's developmentFormer Blizzard designer Jeff Kaplan described the cancelled MMO Titan as a "disaster" born from hubris following World of Warcraft's success. The ambitious project, intended to feature a dual-world structure with secret agent and business simulation elements, suffered from a lack of cohesion and clear direction, ultimately costing Blizzard an estimated $83 million before its cancellation in 2013. Kaplan admitted leadership, including his own, was ultimately responsible for the failure, with elements of Titan later influencing Overwatch.- World of Warcraft Midnight preps a big class tuning patch and unlocks steady flying for allWorld of Warcraft: Midnight has received a significant class tuning patch aimed at reducing performance outliers, with some specs receiving substantial buffs and others nerfs. Additionally, the ability to fly, previously locked behind an account achievement, is now available to all players.
Former Overwatch Boss Jeff Kaplan Has Some Advice For Gamers Who Complain About Games They'll Never Play: 'Shut the F*** Up. No One Cares' - IGNFormer Overwatch boss Jeff Kaplan shared his candid advice for gamers who complain about titles they have no intention of playing, stating they should "shut the f*** up" as "no one cares." Kaplan, who is now working on a new game called The Legend of California, expressed frustration with the negativity in gaming culture and advocated for more positive engagement with games.
Free Steam Game Lets You Practice WoW Raid Boss Fights Without The StressA free PC game called Vellum: Raid Night Study Hall is available on Steam, allowing players to practice boss mechanics from World of Warcraft's upcoming Midnight expansion without the stress of a live raid. Developed by Alvios Games, it uses assets from their roguelike Vellum and features eight practice encounters with dynamic tips and an in-game codex. This initiative follows similar fan-made practice tools for previous expansions.
Blizzard struggles to balance its Abundance world event in a way that makes anybody happy, with recent potential nerfs…Blizzard Entertainment is facing player dissatisfaction with the Abundance world events in World of Warcraft, particularly concerning the weekly cap on Unalloyed Abundance currency. Players have been utilizing large raid groups to efficiently gather this currency, which has led to significant zone lag, prompting Blizzard to address the issue. The balancing act aims to satisfy crafters while managing the impact on game performance and progression.
Former Overwatch director has sage advice for those who complain about games they don't play: "Shut the f**k…Former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan shared his views on legitimate game criticism, stating that individuals who have not played a game should refrain from tearing it down. He believes that only those with firsthand experience can offer informed opinions, though he acknowledges nuance for fans reacting to changes in beloved games. Kaplan also touched upon his upcoming game, The Legend of California.- MMO Week in Review: Pre-seasoning Elder Scrolls OnlineThis week's MMO news roundup covers updates for Elder Scrolls Online, World of Warcraft's Midnight expansion, and previews for Final Fantasy XIV and Palia. The article also discusses player tendencies to rush MMORPG expansions and features opinions on various titles and industry issues, including comments from Jeff Kaplan regarding Activision Blizzard.
Abubakar Salim, Surgent Studios founder and Raised by Wolves star, gives us a guided tour of his PC: 'My desktop is so bad that even my wife refuses to look at my screen'Actor and Surgent Studios founder Abubakar Salim gives a tour of his PC setup, discussing his current games like No Rest for the Wicked and Dave the Diver. He highlights his longest-installed games as Garry's Mod and World of Warcraft, and his all-time essential game as Solitaire, reflecting on his early PC gaming experiences.- One Shots: The steamy seduction of swamp lifeThis week's One Shots column features community screenshots from various MMOs, highlighting the unexpected beauty of swamp environments in Guild Wars 2 and Final Fantasy XIV. Other submissions include a skeletal dragon from Dungeons & Dragons Online and a unique lava lamp visual in World of Warcraft.
- Blizzard swings the nerf hammer in a big World of Warcraft Midnight class tuning patchBlizzard Entertainment has released a new patch for World of Warcraft's Season 1, focusing on class tuning. The update includes nerfs for Guardian Druids and Unholy Death Knights, while Warriors have received buffs.
Question time: How many of you actually care about going fast in an MMO dungeon?This article discusses the player tendency to optimize for speed in MMORPG dungeons, particularly in World of Warcraft's Mythic+ system. It questions whether players truly care about fast dungeon runs outside of endgame content, contrasting it with the more relaxed pace found in Final Fantasy 14.- WRUP: Prisoner of the heck fart brigade editionThis weekly roundup features Massively OP staff and community members discussing their gaming plans. Participants are playing a variety of titles including Project Gorgon, Skate, Monster Hunter Wilds, Final Fantasy XIV, Warframe, Overwatch, and World of Warcraft. A bonus question asks about words that look strange when written out.
- The Daily Grind: Did you switch up your MMO main character this year?This article asks readers if they have switched their main character in MMORPGs during 2026. The author shares their personal experience of moving from a Death Knight in World of Warcraft to a Gnome Warlock. The piece encourages community discussion on player choices within the massively multiplayer online roleplaying genre.
- MMO Jukebox Song of the Week: ‘World Soul Cradle’ from World of WarcraftThe article highlights 'World Soul Cradle' from the latest World of Warcraft expansion as the MMO Jukebox Song of the Week. It emphasizes the importance of game soundtracks in creating lasting memories for players and invites readers to share their favorite MMO music.
- WoW Factor: You don’t have to speed-run MMORPG expansions. You really don’t.This opinion piece argues against the perceived need to speed-run MMORPG expansions like World of Warcraft: Midnight. The author suggests that players should take their time to enjoy the content at their own pace, rather than succumbing to a 'pressure culture' that encourages rushing through new releases.
- World of Warcraft looks forward to its first content update to Midnight with Void Assaults, Decor Duels, and spearfishingWorld of Warcraft's upcoming patch 12.0.5 will introduce new content including Void Assaults in Eversong Woods and Zul'Aman, a Decor Duels minigame, and spearfishing with Abyss Anglers. The update also features the new Voidforge and aims to keep players engaged with fresh activities and challenges.
'It was supposed to be the greatest time ever': Jeff Kaplan only got 6 weeks to come up with and pitch Overwatch: 'We were probably the most demoralised we'd ever been'Former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan revealed that the team had only six weeks to develop and pitch the game after the cancellation of the MMO Titan. Despite the immense pressure and demoralization, the team was tasked with creating a game that could ship in two years and achieve World of Warcraft-like revenue. Ultimately, Overwatch was chosen as the most realistic pitch, with elements inspired by old Titan concepts and even Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
Over 48% of unreleased games have a Discord server, and I'm sure this is all fine and normal and I don't miss…The article discusses the increasing prevalence of Discord servers for video games, with over 48% of unreleased titles having a server. It highlights concerns about game companies relying on Discord for their entire news cycle and the potential risks associated with data privacy and dependence on a single tech company.
"Typical hubris" led to one of WoW's "s**ttiest" quests, admits creator Jeff Kaplan, who thought he was a clever designer but was "actually a dips**t"Former World of Warcraft designer Jeff Kaplan reflects on the infamous "The Green Hills of Stranglethorn" quest, admitting "typical hubris" led to its widely criticized design. Kaplan, who was inspired by Ernest Hemingway, views the quest as a valuable learning experience despite its negative reception.