Finally, there are more precise details about the planned housing system for World of Warcraft. In a new blog post, the developers discuss their inspiration behind the system, including not-so-hidden jabs at other MMORPGs.
What is the blog post about? The developers’ blog post gives a first glimpse of the new housing system. There are supposed to be two areas, separated by Horde and Alliance. Additionally, it should be possible to build the house in a desired neighborhood or to move it if necessary.
It was also announced that there will be housing items in the cash shop. Furthermore, Blizzard expects that this special feature will never be finished
in the traditional context. There should constantly be new systems and expansions.
You can read all the details in our news article on the subject: WoW reveals housing info: cash shop, rent, and neighborhoods
The developers specifically state that the system should enable a home for all
. And the listed things that it should not have strongly resemble the housing of one of WoW’s biggest competitors: Final Fantasy XIV.
Don’t worry, your house won’t be taken from you!
What specifically are the developers criticizing? In their blog post, the developers have noted their Don’ts
for housing in WoW:
- No exorbitant requirements
- No high acquisition costs
- No lottery
- No bothersome maintenance (specifically, the house should remain even if the subscription expires)
In the post, they write specifically: If you want a house, you can have a house. There are no exorbitant requirements or high acquisition costs, no lotteries, and no bothersome maintenance (and if your subscription expires, don’t worry, your house won’t be taken from you!)
And there are also a few Do’s
:
- All characters of your warband can use the house, regardless of their race and affiliation with the Alliance or Horde
- Rewards for houses should also be shared with the warband
- Friends should also be able to visit your house across characters
Specifically, the Don’ts
strongly resemble the system implemented in Final Fantasy XIV.
WoW learns from Final Fantasy – But not only
Are these problems only present in Final Fantasy XIV? Clearly: No. Final Fantasy XIV is currently one of the best-performing MMORPGs and has been for some time. Accordingly, the issues with the housing system are more well-known. The lottery allocation, the 45-day demolition timer, and the limited number of houses are often criticized.
However, Final Fantasy XIV is not the only game with a criticized housing system:
In New World, houses of players who do not pay the tax on their house are deactivated. The house is not lost, but it also no longer brings rewards and cannot be used as a fast travel point. This is explained by Art Director Charles Bradbury in an interview with MeinMMO.
In 2014, digital real estate agents appeared in ArcheAge Online, who wanted to reserve plots for construction. Seven years later, servers were merged, leading to a race for the then available plots: MMORPG ArcheAge cuts servers and leads players into a battle for building land.
No housing system in an MMORPG is perfect. However, the developers of World of Warcraft seem to have done their homework and thought long about the best possible implementation. If you don’t want to wait for the implementation, we do have a list of the 5 MMORPGs with the best housing in 2025.
