In World of Warcraft, there are discussions about the early access of The War Within. The Game Director explains what they aim to achieve.
It was a bit of a disappointment at BlizzCon that there wouldn’t be a big “Q&A session” this time. However, the developers kept their word and answered questions afterwards in a video. Contrary to the fears of many critical fans, they did not only address the easy questions but also answered a few critical ones.
One topic drew particular attention during the announcement of the next WoW expansion “The War Within”: the 3-day early access available when you purchase the Epic Edition for a proud €90.
What was said? One of the first questions during the Q&A is: “What do you think about the 3-day early access?”
The Game Director Hazzikostas provided a detailed answer:
In recent days, we have seen many discussions about the early access of the Epic Edition. The origin of this was our examination of where we can still add value to the individual editions – at all levels. With the Base Edition, compared to Dragonflight, that is the boost (…) and it also includes Dragonflight itself, if you don’t own it yet. So if we increase the value of the Basic version, we also need to ensure that there is something worthwhile at the other levels.
Hazzikostas and his team then considered various options. Initially, it was mainly about cosmetics and other features, but a look at the competition apparently made it clear.
One thing we have seen across the industry is the option for early access and beta access. We understand as a live game, as an MMO, as a cooperative and competitive game, that there are some unique aspects concerning early access.
Hazzikostas further explains that there are also some restrictions during the days of early access. You can see this already in the fine print when purchasing the Epic Edition, but he explained it a bit more detailed:
We are really trying to ensure that this is just an advantage in leveling. You can start, make your way to level 80, explore the world, and see the story. But mythic dungeons, weekly quests, weekly specialization cooldowns, high-quality rare mobs with epic rewards – all those things that feel like they give a long-term competitive advantage are not available during those first few days.
This is actually not so different from how it has been in World of Warcraft so far, because:
Those of you who were present [at the launch of newer expansions] already know this. When you really dive in at the start of an expansion, you already know that all these things are locked – until the first weekly reset.
Blizzard implemented these limitations earlier so that everyone can play at their own pace during the first days and especially enjoy the story. In conclusion, Hazzikostas adds:
The goal is to ensure that at the start of Season 1 – if you have two players with similar play styles, one had early access and one did not, then you should not be able to notice any difference regarding the competitive aspects of the game.
It is meant to provide additional value while ensuring that it is fair.
Why is early access controversial? The 3-day early access is actively discussed in the community. While some are happy about this bonus, there are also critical voices. Many believe they are “forced” to buy the Epic Edition, if they want to level up together with their guild or directly farm crafting materials. Especially with materials like herbs or ores, many see an unfair advantage.
What do you think about the early access and the Game Director’s reasoning?
