No content can remain interesting forever. Or can it? World of Warcraft wants to bring more “evergreen” content into the game.
When there is a fresh expansion for World of Warcraft, it usually attracts a lot of new content. Be it new gameplay systems such as world quests, new currencies, or dungeons and raids – there is usually something for most players. However, many pieces of content quickly lose relevance when the next addon appears. Some even become obsolete with the next content patch.
Gamespot conducted an interview with Paul Kubit, the Senior Game Designer of World of Warcraft. The discussion included this exact topic and ideas on how to combat this “content decay”.
With patch 7.2.5, Blizzard has placed a new focus on “evergreen” content. That is various game elements that can not only be played in the coming weeks but remain relevant and enjoyable over an endless period.
“Presumably in 2 expansions, hardly anyone will play the campaign involving the Legion judges anymore, but you will still be able to complete the Chromie scenario and all the micro-holidays!”
In general, the “small” patches are – besides class changes – the perfect opportunity to bring such types of content into the game.
“This is also one of our principles behind the x.5 patches. We want to create content that we call “evergreen”. Things that can be played at any time, even in future expansions. (…)”
Such things help. Instead of extending the length of the game, we want to better shape the breadth and give players more things to do. It’s a different style of storytelling. It feels more random, as if you can explore more. Such things make the world of Azeroth larger.”
In the past, Blizzard has introduced new concepts that generate evergreen content. The most famous of these is probably Timewalking, with which dungeons (and more recently raids) remain relevant even several addons later because they can still be accessed during Timewalking events and players receive appropriate loot.
Do you wish for more “evergreen” content? Or should Blizzard focus more on things that are only active during an expansion, so that you can say you were “there”?
We wanted to know from you who you want as the enemy of the next WoW expansion – vote now!
