The next update of World of Warcraft has a significant problem. And that is precisely the preceding patch.
There are still about a month until the next patch of World of Warcraft, update 8.3. However, the patch “Visions of N’Zoth” is likely to have a bigger problem – and that is precisely the preceding patch 8.2. At least this is the opinion of YouTuber Preach, whose views hold significant weight in the World of Warcraft community.
What does Preach say? Preach is quite taken with the upcoming patch 8.3. He likes the new content and considers it to be a good direction for Blizzard. However, Preach sees a major problem that Blizzard has brought upon itself. Patch 8.3 may face challenges, and the culprit is patch 8.2 and the Essence system for the Heart of Azeroth. This presents a significant hurdle for players and returnees, for which there is hardly a sensible solution.
What exactly is the problem? Preach sees the problem mainly in the Essence system. It was rather hastily implemented into the game and was not planned from the beginning of the expansion. It constitutes a large part of character strength and is important for solid performances in PvE and PvP.
The difficulty is, however, that Blizzard has stated in the past that it does not want to simplify the acquisition of Essences. Therefore, there will be no catch-up mechanic to bring players up to speed right from the start of patch 8.3. For those who are “latecomers,” it is tough.
What makes Essences so important? Essences enhance the character in various ways. They provide new passive bonuses and also an active ability. Essences have multiple ranks, and each of them is obtainable through lengthy farming efforts. The better the essence, the more time must be invested or the more challenging the task. Essences account for between 10% and 30% of character performance depending on the class, making them essential.
The problem has multiple layers: The problem is, however, more complex than one might think at first glance. For many, it would be a solution if the Essences were simply unlocked account-wide, but for another part of the player base, this wouldn’t help at all. This is because those who paused after patch 8.1 and now want to return with patch 8.3 cannot do so easily. After all, there is no “catch-up” system for the Essences. This means that returnees would also have to play in Nazjatar and Mechagon to gradually unlock the Essences.
What would a solution be? Preach suggests that Essences should simply be unlocked up to level 3 for all characters. This would likely upset a number of players who have worked hard for them, but it would be the easiest way to at least bring all players up to a somewhat current status. Otherwise, Blizzard will have to contend with the fact that many players will not fully engage with patch 8.3 because they will first need to farm through a lot of old content for a long time. After all, who wants to forgo 20%-30% of their power or be taken into a current raid with that handicap?
What is your opinion on this topic? Should Blizzard reconsider its stance and make Essences more accessible? Or is it good that content from patch 8.2 continues to be “forced” for new players?
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