A supposed survey from Blizzard is currently making the rounds on the internet, in which the developers of WoW Classic ask numerous questions about an upcoming nostalgia version of the MMORPG. Many of the answers could indicate that they want to implement a frequently mentioned wish of the community.
In recent years, Blizzard developers have sent out surveys to selected players of World of Warcraft multiple times to obtain feedback on possible variants of WoW Classic. We owe Cataclysm Classic to such a survey, as many respondents voted for the implementation of the Cataclysm expansion.
What is this new survey about? On various social media platforms (such as X) and content channels (like here on Youtube), another survey is currently making the rounds, which allegedly comes from Blizzard and is supposed to include questions about another version of WoW Classic.
Various question-answer combinations could indicate that the Blizzard team wants to fulfill the already long-standing wish in the community for a true “WoW Classic Plus” variant – at least that is what part of the community now suspects.
With the Season of Discovery, Blizzard is trying many experiments – as shown in the interview:
WoW Classic, but new
The idea of “WoW Classic Plus” is to expand the original version of World of Warcraft after the final Naxxramas patch with new content specifically developed for WoW Classic. This could be old concepts that were never released in their original form, content from later expansions in adapted form, or fresh content that no one has on their radar.
Here are some of the features from the survey that Blizzard might envision for a new version of WoW Classic:
- New or previously unfinished stories and lore content.
- New reputation factions and reputation rewards
- New or re-released dungeons and raids
- Introducing new or later released classes to WoW Classic, as well as new or later released class and race combinations
- Minor class changes and regular balancing adjustments for all classes
- Improved experience for new and returning players
- New group events and event rewards
- Guild bank
- Collections UI, extension of the quest log, and customization options for the UI
- Dual talent distribution
- Improved honor system for PvP
- Enhanced social features such as group search or a way to search for specific guilds
- Optimized flight paths for wind riders, boats, and zeppelins
- Improved inventory management
- Implementation of flying and flying mounts
- Provision of summoning stones before instances
- Provision of the Chrono Amplifier to save World Buffs
Would you want to play a version of WoW Classic that includes all these features?
What does MeinMMO editor Karsten Scholz think about the survey? The structure of the survey and the nature of the questions strongly resemble previous Blizzard surveys on WoW Classic. So I certainly find it possible that the survey is genuine.
At the same time, I do not believe that Blizzard will actually implement the type of “WoW Classic Plus” that many Classic fans have likely had in mind for years. In my recent interviews with Holly Longdale and other WoW officials, I was repeatedly told:
- It is virtually impossible to release the perfect “WoW Classic Plus,” as every WoW fan understands something different by that. With every decision made for such a version, a part of the fans will be left disappointed.
- With the experiments in the current Season of Discovery, Blizzard is already delivering a variant of “WoW Classic Plus” in which the vanilla experience is expanded with new content.
I believe Blizzard will continue down this path and will attempt more new experiments with the next Classic seasons – based on feedback from previous seasons and responses from community surveys.
An important advantage of the seasons is that they are time-limited. If an experiment fails, it does not affect a permanently available version of World of Warcraft. In addition, the current strategy is well received: “The smartest thing they could have done” – German story genius praises Season of Discovery, explains what makes it so good
