The upcoming expansion of World of Warcraft, Midnight, will bring significant changes that will affect the way players interact with the game, removing mods that process information during combat and altering its complexity. According to Ion Hazzikostas, the game director, this decision aims to make the gaming experience more accessible and less dependent on external aids. As the complexity of the game has increased, a review of encounters and class design was conducted, seeking to allow players to understand the mechanics without the support of addons like WeakAuras.
Wants to adjust things for all difficulty levels
With the intention of maintaining the challenge for more experienced players, Hazzikostas stated that, although the mechanics will become easier to follow, the level of skill required will remain high. It is planned to simplify the complex interactions that demand quick reactions, adapting the design so that the functionalities for managing well-being and injuries are more visible.
In an effort to improve accessibility, Blizzard is also working on new features, such as custom sounds for cooldown management, resulting from discussions with players with hearing disabilities. Additionally, alpha tests have been conducted with a large group of players to receive feedback on these design changes.
These modifications aim not only to balance the game so that players without addons can compete effectively, but also to make the progression from beginner to expert smoother. Hazzikostas made it clear that this is not the final direction of development, but rather a first phase of iteration where community feedback will be essential to adjust what has been presented so far.
