World of Warcraft reveals information about new player housing.
And it criticizes the big corporate landlord at the end of the street: Square Enix.
After two decades, World of Warcraft will finally include housing functionality for players. During the celebration of Warcraft's 30th anniversary last year, Blizzard surprised its community by announcing that this feature, which has been common in other MMOs, was on the way. Recently, the studio has shared more details in a new blog explaining how this implementation will work.
Previously, WoW had flirted with the concept of player housing through the garrisons feature in the 2014 expansion Warlords of Draenor. At that time, players had their own base, or "garrison," which they could customize with a selection of buildings; however, they lacked the ability to invite others to visit or to influence decoration. In contrast, the new housing functionality is designed to give players much greater control over their personal spaces.
Blizzard has established three core principles for developing housing in Azeroth: self-expression, sociability, and longevity. The team's goal is for players to easily customize their homes and socialize with friends and guild members within this feature, which is intended to remain in the game long-term.
Initially, only two housing areas are planned to be implemented, one for each faction. These homes will be organized in neighborhoods, which will be either public, allowing free access to all, or private, set up and maintained by groups of friends or guilds. The decoration of these houses will be obtained either by completing quests or through purchases, and it is intended to reflect the aesthetic variety of the numerous races, cultures, and locations that make up the vast world of WoW.
Notably, WoW aims to offer housing to all players, which implicitly critiques one of its major competitors, Final Fantasy XIV, which has had this feature for several years. According to many players, the requirements to obtain a house in that title are so restrictive that pursuing this goal is not worth it. Blizzard has distinguished itself by making clear what players can expect from its housing initiative.
"If you want a house, you can have a house," states Blizzard's announcement. "No exorbitant requirements, no high purchase costs, no lotteries, and no complicated maintenance (and if your subscription expires, don't worry, your house won't be confiscated!)." Although no exact timeline has been provided for the implementation of housing, the company released its latest expansion, War Within, last year as part of a continuing story across three expansions titled "The Worldsoul Saga." Housing could be available in a War Within patch or with the upcoming expansion, Midnight, slated for 2026.
