More information is being revealed about the new expansion of World of Warcraft and players are actively discussing it. MeinMMO readers are also participating in the discussions and coming to different views about Shadowlands.
What features are we talking about? Specifically, we are talking about two features that have been under discussion for some time:
There are initial details from the developers about both features, which give a relatively good insight into what to expect. Since the alpha of Shadowlands began on April 9, new information about the upcoming expansion continues to emerge. However, these features are not only met with praise but also with justified criticism in many areas.
Both proponents and opponents find arguments for their positions and discuss the upcoming features, even here on MeinMMO.
Leveling faster in Shadowlands – is it good?
This is how fast leveling goes: During the first alpha weekend, some players set out to level a character as quickly as possible. It turned out: Leveling is surprisingly fast in Shadowlands. Players needed an average of 12-15 hours to reach level 50.
With Shadowlands, Blizzard wants to shorten the leveling phase anyway. At BlizzCon 2019, it was stated that you will level about 60-70% faster in Shadowlands. This has advantages and disadvantages.
What speaks in favor? The idea behind faster leveling is that players can enter the new content of Shadowlands earlier and explore the new dungeon Torghast, Tower of the Damned and more.
Many contents and most features of the current expansion are experienced at the highest levels, and leveling is just a way to get there. New players can thus get started faster with their friends, and veterans can get to their twinks faster.
MeinMMO reader Fave summarizes it:
This sounds really good. Especially since leveling is just annoying, as the game really starts at max level. Anyone who still wants to explore and quest in the zones can do so without gaining XP.
What speaks against? Although this new system is intended as an advantage for players, many fans do not agree at all. They see a problem in the fact that everything is geared towards speed and players are rushed.
For these players, the journey is the goal, and indeed, World of Warcraft has many beautiful leveling areas for the Alliance as well as for the Horde. According to these players, this experience is lost when everything revolves around the endgame.
MeinMMO reader Damian compares this great experience with other games:
I consider the fast leveling a wrong decision. […] The journey should be the goal so that you don’t get stuck in the constantly repeating item grind too quickly… ESO shows great how intense such a leveling experience can be.
The leveling experience of ESO is strongly tailored to single players, even to the extent that it is referred to as a “single-player MMO.” Some WoW or MMORPG fans apparently wish for a similarly intense experience in Shadowlands that reminds them of RPGs.
How are other features received?
The leveling system is certainly the most controversial here on MeinMMO, but the new feature of Covenants and Covenant abilities also has a place in the discussion. Covenants have already caused a dispute with their first details:
- Proponents like that a new feature brings another layer to the game and look forward to enhancing their character with new nuances and exploring new stories
- Opponents see the danger that there will be “the best covenant” and that all other covenants will be ignored. Additionally, they fear that too easy of a switch will make the consequences of a decision unimportant and therefore boring
If you want more information about Shadowlands, you can find our overview of all the information about the new expansion here. But what is your opinion so far on the topics? Are you in agreement with the changes as they stand? If you don’t see anything here, follow this link to the survey.
At the moment, Shadowlands is still in development and most features are not yet finalized. Much could still change, and you can probably only get a true impression shortly before release. Until then, such discussions can help to shape the direction of Shadowlands. What do you think about it?
