The new cinematic in World of Warcraft has received a “meh” response from many players. Especially fans of the Horde are struggling to remain loyal to their faction.
Yesterday, we reported that Blizzard released a new cinematic for World of Warcraft. In “Warbringer Sylvanas,” players witnessed not only Sylvanas’ past but also the burning of Teldrassil and how it came about. Especially players of the Horde are disappointed and actually angry with Blizzard. For them, it’s clear: the Horde under Sylvanas is now purely evil.
“Morally Grey”? – Rather Pitch Black
Many players clung to the statements of the developers that Sylvanas’ actions had a “moral gray tone” – meaning they are indeed objectionable and dark, but that there is something positive and comprehensible in them.
All these hopes were shattered by the cinematic.
For many players, Sylvanas is now just a “Garrosh 2.0”. She shows no mercy and commits genocide against the Night Elves while the Horde stands behind her and lets it happen.
For some Horde players, this is a step in the wrong direction and no longer “their Horde,” to which they want to belong.
This can also be seen wonderfully on YouTube. While “Warbringers: Jaina” only received 2% negative ratings, “Warbringers: Sylvanas” is hovering around almost 25% negative ratings.
Arguments for Sylvanas’ Behavior
However, there are also some players who believe that Sylvanas’ behavior is entirely consistent with her character. Her goal was to take Teldrassil and kill Malfurion to cut the Alliance off from Azerite and to break the will of the Night Elves sustainably.
Since she misses Malfurion (or rather lets him escape, as it is portrayed), Teldrassil is of little value, as the Elves would always have hope for recapture.
So she makes the only decision that makes sense to render Teldrassil and the Night Elves in Kalimdor permanently harmless: She sets Teldrassil on fire, ruining the city for both factions.
A Secret Was Not Revealed
Another reason for the frustration is the fact that there was no big, dramatic revelation or unexpected twist. Many players had speculated that Teldrassil wasn’t burning by Sylvanas’ direct order, but that it would be due to another incident. There were many theories, about who could actually be responsible for the fire, such as the involvement of the Naga.
That the answer is now the most obvious solution disappoints many fans – even though Blizzard never explicitly stated that it would be a big secret.
Reddit is Flooded with Memes
It took only a few hours, and Reddit and social media were full of memes and cynical comments that have taken Blizzard, Sylvanas, and Horde players to task. For example, a reminder to Blizzard about what exactly “morally grey” means:
Others claim to recognize Blizzard’s narrative style and have created a recurring cycle – of course with a suitable “You are here” indication (Click to enlarge).
Of course, comparisons with Garrosh are also inevitable:
Additionally, there are posts titled “Here is an essay on why Sylvanas’ actions can still be considered ‘morally grey’.” After clicking, the short text reads: “Blizzard is colorblind.”
Christie Golden Experiences Hate – Totally Unjustified
Another victim of this shitstorm is author Christie Golden, who has been working for Blizzard for a few months. Right after the release of the video, there were numerous flames and hateful comments on Twitter, some ending in statements like “Just go kill yourself, you can’t write.” Most of these comments have since been deleted.
Aside from the fact that it’s not just absurd to wish death upon someone simply because a fictional character doesn’t do what one would like, Golden bears no blame in this matter. She quickly clarified that she did not work on the “Warbringer” videos. They had been in production long before Golden joined Blizzard.
Although many of the reactions from fans are exaggerated, inappropriate, and unreflective, it is clear that Sylvanas’ decision and the storyline that Blizzard has planned for the Horde are not well received. Numerous players are turning away from the Horde.
A final ray of hope is the yet-to-be-released cinematic “Warbringer: Azshara,” which may highlight points that have remained hidden so far. For many, this hope has already been extinguished, just like Teldrassil by Sylvanas.
What do you think about the progression of the story in World of Warcraft and Sylvanas’ decision? Do you stand behind the Horde and find the decision acceptable? Do you understand the insults that developers have to endure?
