Why Blizzard Says World of Warcraft 2 Is Off the Table
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Blizzard has officially addressed the possibility of World of Warcraft 2, explaining that continuous engine upgrades and the massive scope of the franchise make a sequel unnecessary in favor of projects like World of Warcraft: Forever.
Blizzard used this year's BlizzCon to pull back the curtain on its long-term roadmap, offering rare glimpses into projects years down the line while finally addressing the elephant in the room regarding a potential World of Warcraft sequel. Instead of starting fresh with a brand-new MMO, the studio announced World of Warcraft: Forever. Often described as a Classic Plus experience, this upcoming release takes the 2004 launch version of the game and branches off into an alternate reality with entirely new zones, dungeons, raids, and a playable race called the Skyborne, all while introducing a toggle between standard and high-definition graphics.
Speaking with IGN, WoW: Forever principal designer Kris Zierhut explained why the studio has zero interest in building a sequel. Over the past two and a half decades, Blizzard has continuously upgraded the game engine, rendering capabilities, server infrastructure, and combat responsiveness. Throwing away twenty-five years of technical iteration and player progression makes little sense when the existing foundation can be endlessly modernized.
Beyond technical hurdles, the sheer scale and financial risk of a modern MMO sequel present a massive barrier. Blizzard already learned hard lessons about player migration during the rocky transition from Overwatch to its sequel, and repeating that kind of upheaval for a titan the size of World of Warcraft would cost hundreds of millions of dollars over many years. With active development spanning multiple major franchises and ongoing industry pressures from parent company Xbox, focusing on expanding the existing universe through Forever and the ongoing Worldsoul Saga is a far safer and more rewarding bet for the community.
Tags: World of Warcraft, Blizzard, MMO, Gaming News, PC Gaming
Original article: Eurogamer