One of the most important features will not be included in World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Classic. The reason: It would permanently damage the Classic feeling.
Even though the announcement of the new Retail expansion “Dragonflight” took up the lion’s share of the developer stream a few days ago, there was also a significant announcement for all WoW Classic fans. The expansion “Wrath of the Lich King” will also receive the Classic treatment: Soon, it will be heading to Northrend.
However, one of the most controversial features of Wrath of the Lich King will not come: the Dungeon Finder. According to the developers, it simply does not fit with the Classic feeling.
What was the Dungeon Finder? The Dungeon Finder was introduced relatively late in the course of Wrath of the Lich King. Its introduction is considered one of the most significant events in the history of World of Warcraft. Some celebrated its introduction and were finally able to experience dungeons, while others viewed it as the “first step towards the downfall of WoW”.
The Dungeon Finder allowed players to open a menu from anywhere in the world and sign up for a dungeon. The tool then searches for other players with the same dungeon wish and assembles a suitable group. Once enough players are found, you are teleported directly to the dungeon and can get started, before being teleported back to the starting point at the end of the dungeon.
Why was the Dungeon Finder so controversial? For many players, it’s simply part of WoW to spend a longer period of time finding a group. The shared journey to the dungeon and, above all, the communication with group members are essential components of the social experience of World of Warcraft. Friendships and guilds were often formed because players spent a lot of time together, which practically forced them into the Classic game design. A quick “in and out” dungeon feature ruins and prevents such experiences.
Especially for players with less time or those who simply do not want to communicate much with others, the Dungeon Finder was popular. You could quickly find a group without having to spend a long time traveling or searching for suitable players.
Why are the developers leaving out the Dungeon Finder? In an interview with PCGamesN Magazine, Kevin Vigue spoke about the topic. He explained:
I met people in dungeons who then became lifelong friends. For me, that’s something that makes Classic great and a lot of it goes back to how you meet other people [in the game]. […]
Would it feel like Classic if we had the automated Dungeon Finder that came in Patch 3.3 of Wrath of the Lich King? We have decided that this is not the game we want to make.
What is WoW Classic doing instead? Instead of implementing the Dungeon Finder, the developers prefer to expand the functionality of the group search tool. Some modernizations are planned so that it is easier to find like-minded players.
We want to improve the tool so that players can still find groups with like-minded players who want to experience the same content as they do. But we want to do it in a way that feels “more Classic” and still maintains that social element, where you still travel to the dungeon together and have conversations, because that is what makes Classic stand out and is so special.
The group search tool already simplifies finding groups, but it requires active participation from the players. There is no automatic assignment, and group leaders manually select their members.
When is WotLK Classic supposed to launch? There is no exact date yet, but the launch should only be a few months away. Because the announcement trailer speaks of a release date still in 2022. At the latest by Christmas, you should all be able to venture into the icy expanses of Northrend once again to blow out the life lights of the Lich King.
Are you looking forward to Wrath of the Lich King Classic? Or will you not play without the Dungeon Finder?
