With Battle for Azeroth, Blizzard wish to reignite World of Warcraft’s age-old battle between Alliance and Horde. But this emphasis on hostility between the factions dangers branding a good portion of gamers as belonging to the dropping facet. That doesn’t appear wholesome.
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Throughout Legion we noticed the obstacles between factions break down. The Horde/Alliance cut up grew to become nearly arbitrary as, as a substitute, class identification grew to become the main target. It even made sense in the direction of the tip of the enlargement’s storyline that we might band collectively to defeat an evil that was larger than each Sylvanas and Anduin. Legion was about bringing everybody collectively.
If you were not prolific within the PvP scene then you definitely’d be excused for forgetting faction-specific content material even existed (although I nonetheless bear in mind getting continuously ganked on Argus by Horde…and sure, I’m nonetheless bitter). So now, understandably, Blizzard wish to convey again one of many hallmarks that made WoW so iconic within the first place.’Declare your allegiance’ is now the WoW web site splash display screen whereas ‘Prepare for battle’ greets you on the launcher as you boot up the sport. It’s clear what theme Blizzard wish to push with this subsequent enlargement.
But pondering within the long-term, this eponymous battle for Azeroth must have a profitable facet and a dropping one. Surely, it will depart half the gamers with a bitter style of their mouth. Yes, these days most gamers have a minimum of a few characters on either side, however the Alliance/Horde cut up is roughly 50/50, and deep-down gamers actually do rep one faction greater than the opposite. Just listen to the crowd reactions to the ‘for the Horde’ and ‘for the Alliance’ moments throughout the Battle for Azeroth launch trailer.
Blizzard’s writing staff did a stellar job with the story of Legion. The little we have seen of Battle for Azeroth reveals that this emphasis on plot isn’t more likely to die down, with the staff displaying that they’re eager to discover the darker realities of warfare, each fashionable and fantasy. The prevailing concept amongst gamers, although, is that regardless of pushing this large battle between factions, we’ll find yourself severely weakened in a ‘either side lose’ sort situation, simply concerning the time the following massive unhealthy reveals up.
With Queen Azshara and the Old God N’Zoth’s influences already confirmed within the enlargement, it’s fully attainable come the tip of Battle for Azeroth that we can’t be preventing one another in any respect. Blizzard must watch out right here if they do not wish to alienate a good portion of their playerbase. By pushing the faction warfare angle so fervently, if they do not present a adequate decision to the battle, gamers are more likely to complain.
While Blizzard no longer reports subscriber numbers, Legion was undoubtedly a hit, bringing a whole lot of life again into World of Warcraft. But by focusing the following enlargement on such a polarising occasion, they could be taking an even bigger gamble than many will at first realise. No-one needs to be referred to as a loser, particularly in the event that they don’t have any method to contribute to why they’re being branded as such.
And if Blizzard does attempt to throw a curveball by dropping an enormous endgame boss at us in spite of everything, they threat accusations of being a one-trick pony, resorting to the identical enlargement method its relied upon for years. If the strain that’s being stirred up within the lead-up to Battle for Azeroth isn’t satisfactorily resolved then even the profitable facet dangers dropping out in the long term.
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