Post-Launch Expansion Content
World of Warcraft Forever launches on November 4, and although the MMORPG remains focused on the vanilla continents of Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor, developers indicate that future updates might introduce locations from past expansions.
In a recent discussion, Blizzard principal game designer Kris Zierhut addressed the potential for incorporating new content without moving entirely away from the core world design. Zierhut noted that zones like the Dark Portal, Northrend, and Pandaria could serve as settings for minor forays, dungeons, or short missions.
Rather than featuring extended multi-year campaigns in these regions, such as the campaign against Arthas in Northrend, these excursions would consist of brief visits before returning players to the vanilla continents.
Returning to Home Continents
Zierhut stressed that Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor will remain the primary hub for players. The development team does not plan to introduce new capital cities, auction houses, or innkeepers outside of the original two continents.
Additionally, any future visits to zones like Northrend would not mirror their state in Wrath of the Lich King. Instead, they would reflect a timeline-appropriate level 60 context aligned with the game's current setting.
Focus on Classic Spirit
While utilizing expansion areas might seem contrary to the initial premise of the project, developers are prioritizing the overall spirit of classic World of Warcraft over a rigid adherence to historical content. Blizzard previously integrated features and quests from later expansions when they aligned with the intended cooperative gameplay experience.
Forever will also incorporate entirely new regions, including Mount Hyjal, which was originally planned for the base game but omitted from the final release. Unlike previous classic iterations, the development team has flexibility regarding future content paths and patch pacing.
