I requested Blizzard about WoW cross-faction guilds within the wake of World of Warcraft Dragonflight and, whereas the devs remained tight-lipped, I used to be fairly certain we’d see them carried out alongside WoW Dragonflight patch 10.1. Within the wake of the announcement, I requested manufacturing director Pat Dawson and lead quest designer Maria Hamilton whether or not or not the MMO‘s cross-faction play takes the ‘conflict’ out of ‘Warcraft,’ a sentiment I’ve seen floating across the web for some time.
You see, the Horde and Alliance have been at one another’s throats because the daybreak of Azeroth itself. Earlier than WoW Shadowlands patch 9.2.5, gamers might solely raid, farm, and chill with members of the identical faction – wandering into an Alliance farming zone nearly all the time result in sure demise for Horde members, and vice versa.
With the implementation of cross-faction situations in Eternity’s Finish, the playerbase has been cut up down the center. Whereas some are pleased to raid with Alliance gamers as a result of it means enjoying with buddies, others have remained staunchly in opposition to the thought, claiming it taints the multiplayer sport‘s very soul.
Importantly, you would not have to partake in cross-faction situations. All of that is decide in and decide out, together with the cross-faction guilds that might be accompanying Dragonflight 10.1.
I requested Dawson and Hamilton this precise query: do cross-faction situations take the ‘conflict’ out of ‘Warcraft,’ resulting in a powerful shaking of heads. “One of many core ideas of World of Warcraft is that this battle between Alliance and Horde, and that’s nonetheless true” Dawson tells PCGamesN.
“You may go in and battle as Horde workforce and an Alliance workforce in Battlegrounds and PvP. Nevertheless you need to take pleasure in that battle; you continue to can do this. That’s one thing that we don’t anticipate altering or eradicating in any means.
“However we additionally know that, as occasions have modified within the story of World of Warcraft in addition to the world itself, it’s good to have the ability to take pleasure in a bigger group, play with extra individuals, and tackle larger challenges as a workforce no matter what faction you could have chosen,” he continues.
“The thought right here is to provide alternatives to folks that need that bigger group and that need to play with their buddies, however in Warsong Gulch you’re going to do Alliance versus Horde. We need to serve each communities which can be curious about doing totally different actions.”
“For me, my character can hate the other faction and need to battle them and kill them, however as a participant I need to play with my brother,” Hamilton chimes in. “As a participant I need to have the choice to play with my buddies, and that’s my selection.
“If my guild is open to inviting gamers of the other faction, then we’ll do this. I can do it now – we will do Mythics – however that is simply the subsequent step, I don’t assume it modifications something with the Horde and Alliance hating one another,” she states. “You’re not going to have the ability to stroll into the capital metropolis and never get murdered! That’s nonetheless there!
“It’s a comfort for gamers, and it’s a comfort for many who have invested time and vitality into characters they love” she concludes, highlighting that “gamers who need to keep that sense of competitors don’t have to ask the other faction in.”
I perceive Maria’s sentiment fully. As somebody who has performed WoW for a very long time, introducing it to my accomplice was made tougher by the actual fact he initially wished to play Alliance. He, nevertheless, like me, took one take a look at the faction stability (or therein lack of) on the servers and was fast to desert Alliance for Horde. By the point cross-faction situations got here in, he was enjoying a personality he didn’t love as a lot – and wasn’t precisely thrilled about it. Create a brand new character? Certain, however that isn’t all the time a viable possibility – leveling and gearing up takes time.
If the brand new cross-faction guilds have impressed you to dive again into Azeroth, remember to take a look at our WoW Dragonflight assessment for a head’s up on what to anticipate. We even have a WoW Dragonflight tier checklist that can assist you select the perfect class and spec for you.