You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here
Blizzard has revealed its intent to restrict the World of Warcraft modding community in a future update to the popular MMO. While mods for WoW aren’t as substantial as, say, Baldur’s Gate 3, fans have been able to craft helpful addons that change UI functionality for the better.
WoW devs attempt to calm fans after reducing modding
At the time of writing, WoW addons have aimed to make the game more accessible, provide players with faster options in combat and much more. However, combat addons will soon be restricted from providing players with key information that has been viewable for years.
This change comes just as Blizzard is adding its own official versions of popular addons to the MMO, although the first instance of that released in an incredbily buggy state. Now, the game developer is aiming to reduce API functionality for addon devs, and many aren’t happy.
Via WoWHead, World of Warcraft devs have responded to the massive amount of backlash from mod creators. Blizzard claimed that “there’s a lot of confusion about the timing, goals and nature of these changes” while also stating that addon devs will be given “many months of advanced notice before we flip the switch”.
“We want to allow addon devs as much time as possible to test the changes, report issues and provide feedback,” the developers continued. “We will be announcing the landing place for these changes well ahead of time and taking steps to maximize the amount of hands-on feedback from addon developers before the changes go live.”
Blizzard confirmed that there is “no intend to ban addons outright” and they also “aim to minimise the impact on accessibility addons as much as possible”. Furthermore, a lot of details found only in addons will be added to the main game including “a built-in damage meter, nameplate improvements, and a good portion of the most important combat information addons currently provide”.
Nevertheless, there’s still a lot of confusion. While Blizzard confirmed that mythic raiding “has become increasingly reliant on addons”, it’s plans to “level the playing field” has not been thoroughly explained. When combat addons are blocked, how long will players have to wait until those features are added to the game? Everything is currently very confusing.
It doesn’t help that addons have become a major component of World of Warcraft for many players, and there’s no sense that the game will actually incorporate every feature players are used to. Sure, there’s a bit of a disadvantage in WoW if a player doesn’t have addons installed, but is it so big that longtime, hardcore players need to be punished?
About the Author
