World of Warcraftis one of the only highly populated MMORPGs that does not have any sort of housing system for players, but that is changing next year. The latest expansion pack,The War Within, is to be the first installment of a trilogy ofupcomingWorld of Warcraftexpansionsthat follows some main story character favorites, like Alleria Windrunner and Prince Anduin Wynn. Set for the end of the summer in 2025,World of Warcraft: Midnightis set to be revealed after the end of Season 3 ofThe War Within.
The biggest mention in thisMidnightannouncement is that Blizzard will be tackling an ambitious project with the expansion:player housing inWoW. Following the Warcraft30th Anniversary Direct, game director Ion Hazzikostas admitted thatplayer housing is one of the most ambitious features that Blizzard ever had in an expansion. Blizzard used bases in previous expansions, such as the Class Hall in theLegionpack and Garrisons inWarlords of Draenor,but it is no longer relevant content. This ambitious task leaves plenty of time for Blizzard to take on the community’s ideas about what housing will truly look like inWorld of Warcraft.
How Blizzard Can Outdo The Garrison System
Launched Alongside Warlords Of Draenor In 2014
When current, the Garrison system inWarlords of Draenorwas the closest that Blizzard has come to using player housing. One of the best parts was the customization of the bases, as it was a player-built fortress. This allowed players to build up profession areas for every skill and other buildings, which essentially createda small town for players to call home. This should be the starting point for Blizzard to use when designing the player housing inMidnight.Starting with allowing players to upgrade their homes, like the bases and Garrisons.
The Garrison system was very effective at the time, but it did mean that players no longer used the major cities as hubs of activity.Small changes can be made to improve the Garrison system, such as allowing profession tables compared to trainers. The biggest upgrade that Blizzard could make to using the Garrison system is allowing players to choose their home’s location. Even if it is only accessible by portal like some of the Class Halls, the ability to live in Silvermoon City or Revendeath is a big component that players are awaiting.
What Kinds of Housing Should Be Available
Variety & Character Integration
The introduction of theWarband inThe War Withinis what many players are hoping Blizzard will look to when deciding on housing options. Aside from being able to live in a turret in Silvermoon City or in the forests of Zandalar,what many players truly want is character integration. Like the recruitment processes for running buildings in the Garrison, many players want their other characters to be present in the housing. Of course, it will be heavily customizable and probably rely on some form of paid addition, but the ability to add decorations should also be available.
Much likeGenshin Impact’s teapot housing system,the ability to buy different styles of buildings from faction towns and sanctuaries should be available. Although the teapot system would be impossible to replicate forWorld of Warcraft, having instanced housing would be the most beneficial, especially with the option to purchase different locations or housing styles. Even though it might cause some stir, Blizzard shouldn’t look to include every city’s housing at first, as spanning 20 years of content for cities would be an impossible standard.
Player Housing Could Change WoW Forever
New Customization & Social Opportunities
Much like Hazzikostas mentioned, this is one of the most ambitious projects forWorld of Warcraftthat Blizzard has ever done. The implementation of player housing is going to cause a wave of mixed reactions, butit shows good form from Blizzard to take in community opinions over the coming monthsfor ideas. Player housing is doing more than just keepingWorld of Warcraftup with other popular MMORPGs, it is a display of how much Blizzard cares about the greater gaming community to attempt to force players from isolated states.
Player housing does not mean the death of capital city escapades, but the birth of guild meetings and longer-lasting communities. With the ever-expanding nature of Azeroth and her people, it is high time that players got to experience having a home of their own instead of claiming the odd pillar behind the bank. No matter what it may look like, Blizzard should include the same key personality pieces of each class that has been designed. There should be an option for a limited portal room, a priest’s pulpit, a warrior’s armory, and even a cozy bed by the fire for the eldritch horrors that are loved by aWorld of Warcrafthunter.
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World of Warcraft
Created and published by Blizzard Entertainment, World of Warcraft is a long-running massively multiplayer online roleplaying game (MMORPG) that features the lush and expanding lands of Azeroth. Released in 2004, the game has seen a multitude of DLC updates and still sees tons of players logging in each day.
