Should Blizzard offer Classic servers for World of Warcraft ? This question is currently on many minds.
What’s all this about these vanilla servers? The old WoW wasn’t that great anyway. What people want are feelings, experiences, and the numerous moments from back then that made World of Warcraft what it is today, but those times are simply over. You can’t just relive fragments of the past.
Why would anyone want to play such an outdated version of World of Warcraft?
This was my honest and straightforward opinion on the currently hotly debated topic surrounding legacy servers, particularly Nostalrius, the now shut down, and probably the most popular, private vanilla server of World of Warcraft. I was firmly convinced that World of Warcraft has evolved over time. If that doesn’t work for you, well, you can see where you end up. It all just seemed hysterical and wrong to me.
During WildStar, everyone was celebrating that there would be 40-man raids with a tough difficulty level, just like back in WoW, they said. In the end, the cheering masses somehow didn’t care much for all the “super cool” things they had loudly wished for. So what makes WoW different? Why are legacy servers and thus an absolutely outdated version still so popular and sought after today?
My parents had a problem with the subscription thing
Well, I deliberately said that my honest and straightforward opinion “was”, because it has changed quite a bit in recent days, to put it mildly, turned in circles and then planted both feet straight in the opposite direction. You must know that back in my youth (which thankfully is still not over), I started my journey in Azeroth not on an official server, but on a private one.
My parents were quite skeptical about the whole subscription thing, so I looked for an alternative. At that time, an early version of The Burning Crusade was available, still completely without a black temple.
Before I noticed this server, I had already spent many hours on the official servers, trying out all possible races and classes up to level 10 and got a taste for it. I really wanted to test this game properly, especially since after years of Guild Wars, I simply had the massive urge to hit the spacebar at least 200 times and jump around wildly. Some of you will surely understand me well there.
My time on a TBC private server was my best time in WoW
I spent many months full of fun and excitement on this manageable server, met nice people, and made friends with them. We played together for hours, mastered challenges, explored mysteries, uncovered secrets, and ultimately grew closer together. Even today, I remember this time quite positively and can say with confidence: I have never had a better time in World of Warcraft.
Not even then, when I could finally switch from the private server to an official one. Sure, The Burning Crusade without bugs, without hourly disconnects and with the wide, colorful player base of the official servers was brilliant, and I still consider Wrath of the Lich King a highlight of my “WoW career”, but somehow the decisive something was missing the whole time.
In search of something in WoW
This something, which I honestly still search for, will probably not come back anytime soon. This something that so many miss may be lost forever. The shared experience, exploration, and discovery of an unknown world in a time that couldn’t have been better for it.
The joint facing of challenges and dangers with people you encountered daily on Teamspeak, people who, over a long period, were not just “online contacts” but became friends. With these friends, you shared joy, frustration, ambition, and ultimately success.
What makes my first and still best time in World of Warcraft (The Burning Crusade) special was the mix of story, gameplay, and the people with whom I could enjoy all these things.
World of Warcraft has evolved
I have never been able to play classic WoW myself, but I believe I understand why many (former) players care so much about experiencing this version officially again. Even if you can’t bring back the epic adventures of the past, can’t turn back the wheel of time, and can’t send our youthful spirit back, Blizzard could at least reintroduce this version, connected with so many emotions, to some servers and make it available to passionate fans.
World of Warcraft has indeed evolved, has changed over time, removed and added many things. The original version is hardly comparable anymore. I can understand that Blizzard has lost some players in the end due to all these changes.
A chance for real, official legacy servers?
The dedicated team of Nostalrius accomplished exactly that for many fans. Without the thought of profit, they worked hard to fulfill this great wish for many players, at least for a while. I have great respect for such dedication and passion. That is truly a great compliment to the game itself and, of course, to all those behind its creation and development.
Currently, it is said, that Blizzard has indeed invited the team behind Nostalrius for a conversation. When this meeting will take place is not yet known at this point. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that in the end, everything will turn out well and that Blizzard might soften up and consider real, official legacy servers. I would certainly wish that for anyone who truly desires it.
The debate about Nostalrius has convinced me
Although I never really got to experience the vanilla World of Warcraft myself, I believe I can understand why it matters so much to you. Although I initially examined the whole debate with skepticism, after so many insights into the community and the successful speech by Mike Kern, I am convinced that legacy servers represent a good and increasingly indispensable option for Blizzard. Even I would risk a look, because I am definitely interested in the original WoW.
All in all, our positive memories will probably remain just memories. World of Warcraft has changed, has adapted, is better in many ways, but certainly also worse in some respects. Nevertheless, it will probably not disappear from the scene anytime soon, whether with legacy servers or without.
The good thing about this public discussion and the focus on the Nostalrius team is the opportunity for Blizzard to return to its roots, to exchange ideas with people who have obviously been there since the beginning, and to consider which paths can be taken in the future.
The declining player numbers are not necessarily fatal, but they are noticeable. Warlords of Draenor was anything but what many had wished for. Perhaps the
longing for what’s tried and true is particularly strong right now because this time it was probably harder to be disappointed than in the past. Whether Legion can give players enough of what they wish for remains to be seen. However, I doubt that the debate about legacy servers will end anytime soon.
We can all be curious to see what might come of this whole matter.
This column was written by our reader Julius Keusch.
