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Blizzard says it ‘still talks’ about a console version of World of Warcraft - 'I will say nothing's impossible'

stopmrdomino

stopmrdomino

Member
Jun 25, 2023
4,505
VGC: Blizzard says it 'still talks' about a console version of World of Warcraft

Speaking to VGC in a recent interview, Holly Longdale, the vice president and executive producer of World of Warcraft, discussed life after becoming part of Microsoft.

Asked about a console version of the game, the producer replied: "Of course we still talk about it. We're gamers, I don't think anything is out of the realm of possibility, but we don't have anything to talk about right now."

Longdale also addressed the prospect of a console version of the game at Blizzcon 2023, calling it "a complicated question."

"We've got these three expansions and we are so excited about them. But, yeah, of course. It would be very insincere to say that we're not, like… of course we're talking about that," she repeated, before adding: "We are Microsoft now."
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"If anything, it's just been helpful," Longdale said of the acquisition. "We got time with Helen Chang from Mojang, and we were sharing information, so it's almost as if we have access to what worked for them, we got to speak to the Elder Scrolls Online team and share what we're up to and what's been working, it's almost like we get a benefit.

"There's no one asking us to do anything," Longdale continued. "World of Warcraft is doing very well and they're very proud of what it's been able to accomplish, so it's almost like just let it be, and let it keep being awesome. They've been tremendously supportive and it's like 'let Blizzard be Blizzard'."
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Eurogamer: Could World of Warcraft on console finally be happening?

In the autumn of last year, Holly Longdale, the executive producer and vice president of World of Warcraft, made headlines by saying the team talks about putting WoW on console "all the time". It's a question the company has been asked repeatedly over the game's near 20-year lifetime, and it's an answer we've heard before, but it gained new momentum in light of Microsoft's recently completed acquisition of Activision Blizzard. When better to bring the game to Xbox than now?

I had a chance to put the question to Holly Longdale again at a World of Warcraft: The War Within expansion event in London this week. Should people finally get their hopes up?

"I mean..." Longdale began, cagily.
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After a pause, Longdale answers. "I will say nothing's impossible," she told me, smiling. "I can't say anything more than that." Then, she laughed. She started to say something after this but then stopped herself before I could make out what she was saying. "No, that's all I'll say," she said, and then laughed again.
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The Eurogamer article definitely feels juicier. They're cooking something over there...
 
Fat4all

Fat4all

Woke up, got a money tag, swears a lot
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Oct 25, 2017
93,179
here
i dont understand how a console version didnt happen the moment FF14 being big on consoles was a thing
 
Dinjoralo

Dinjoralo

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,172
It's good that they're willing, I'm sure Microsoft was going to beat a console version out of them either way.
 
Ashes of Dreams

Ashes of Dreams

Unshakable Resolve
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May 22, 2020
14,541
Console ports is one thing. Any MMO that doesn't at least have controller support in a post-FFXIV world should be embarrassed. It's been solved.
 
Samaritan

Samaritan

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Oct 25, 2017
6,701
Tacoma, Washington
I have to wonder how viable endgame content would even be on a console version without any addons. Modern WoW sometimes feels like it's balanced around the existence of addons like DBM and WeakAuras.
 
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stopmrdomino

stopmrdomino

Member
Jun 25, 2023
4,505
Ashes of Dreams said:
Console ports is one thing. Any MMO that doesn't at least have controller support in a post-FFXIV world should be embarrassed. It's been solved.
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Blizzard added official controller support 4 years ago - obviously it could be improved by adding something like FFXIV's XHB, but the game is playable without addons using a controller if someone wants to.

Samaritan said:
I have to wonder how viable endgame content would even be on a console version without any addons. Modern WoW sometimes feels like it's balanced around the existence of addons like DBM and WeakAuras.
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At the very least Microsoft seems pretty open to mods on console games, so I wouldn't be shocked if a console port of WoW also came with mod support.
 
Grain Silo

Grain Silo

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Dec 15, 2017
2,522
Samaritan said:
I have to wonder how viable endgame content would even be on a console version without any addons. Modern WoW sometimes feels like it's balanced around the existence of addons like DBM and WeakAuras.
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It has (kind of) been done, with addons on Steam Deck. This person got to some decently high Mythic+ keys playing a healer Evoker: https://www.reddit.com/r/wow/comments/1bqhp3z/preservation_evoker_mythic_rating_1886

Agreed the addon issue is a hurdle though. Endgame is anchored completely to Weakauras and DBM/Bigwigs, to the point that, AFAIK, the biggest high-tier raid teams like Liquid and Echo have hired programmers to make Weakauras for them as they're progressing through a new raid.
 
Sabin

Sabin

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Oct 25, 2017
4,636
Samaritan said:
I have to wonder how viable endgame content would even be on a console version without any addons. Modern WoW sometimes feels like it's balanced around the existence of addons like DBM and WeakAuras.
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It wouldn't.

Its virtually impossible to (mythic) raid without voicecom and important addons like weak aura. Then there is also the problem that Blizzard isn't hosting any addons.

Grain Silo said:
It has (kind of) been done, with addons on Steam Deck. This person got to some decently high Mythic+ keys playing a healer Evoker: https://www.reddit.com/r/wow/comments/1bqhp3z/preservation_evoker_mythic_rating_1886

Agreed the addon issue is a hurdle though. Endgame is anchored completely to Weakauras and DBM/Bigwigs, to the point that, AFAIK, the biggest high-tier raid teams like Liquid and Echo have hired programmers to make Weakauras for them as they're progressing through a new raid.
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This might work for a few classes but there are also a lot of classes that have an insane amount of buttons to use like good luck playing an unholy DK with controller.
 
Ruck

Ruck

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,298
Sabin said:
It wouldn't.

Its virtually impossible to (mythic) raid without voicecom and important addons like weak aura. Then there is also the problem that Blizzard isn't hosting any addons.
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Xbox has native discord support doesn't it? And people do FF14 raids on console
 
Ashes of Dreams

Ashes of Dreams

Unshakable Resolve
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May 22, 2020
14,541
stopmrdomino said:
Blizzard added official controller support 4 years ago - obviously it could be improved by adding something like FFXIV's XHB, but the game is playable without addons using a controller if someone wants to.
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I'll admit I didn't know this was added at all. But it being locked behind console commands and clearly not as fleshed out as XIV's still seems ridiculous for a game this big. I assume this is only in base game and not in Classic either? It's a step but this should be better, let alone done ten years ago.
 
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stopmrdomino

stopmrdomino

Member
Jun 25, 2023
4,505
Ashes of Dreams said:
I'll admit I didn't know this was added at all. But it being locked behind console commands and clearly not as fleshed out as XIV's still seems ridiculous for a game this big. I assume this is only in base game and not in Classic either? It's a step but this should be better, let alone done ten years ago.
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Classic has this same integration, yeah. I agree it's not good enough, but it shows they're at least aware of it I guess
 
danm999

danm999

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Oct 29, 2017
17,158
Sydney
Expecting they're moving towards this after Plunderstorm

Some big challenges to overcome with the state of retail however
 
zombiejames

zombiejames

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Oct 25, 2017
11,947
Feels like I've been hearing about this since the 1up Yours days. One of gaming's biggest missed opportunities, imho.
 
Toth

Toth

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Oct 26, 2017
4,023
Ive played wow with a controller since 2020 thansk to Consoleport. You can play very similair to FF14 but its not perfect. It can easily work on any console.
 
Duxxy3

Duxxy3

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Oct 27, 2017
21,792
USA
If they didn't do it already it's not gonna happen. It's been nearly 20 years. The Xbox market isn't large enough to make it worth all the work.
 
OGlol

OGlol

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Jun 4, 2018
1,408
It feels natural now with Microsoft being the parent company and all, feels like it wouldn't be a bad idea for them especially considering FF14 is on Xbox.
 

RIPN2022

Member
May 24, 2022
90
Well tech shouldn't be a problem- WoW launched during the days of Xbox and PS2. Hell some players weren't even born during then.
 
modernist

modernist

Member
Jan 13, 2018
503
ive played it on steam deck with few problems, consoleport and the official support both work well enough to get the job done, though I'd be keen to see a FFXIV UI solution baked in.

but yeah, it should be a thing
 
JahIthBer

JahIthBer

Member
Jan 27, 2018
10,394
There is a WoW on console thread on era every 2-3 months and it gets more discussed than actual WoW does here i swear. How about we wait until they actually announce something?
 
hobblygobbly

hobblygobbly

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Oct 25, 2017
7,582
NORDFRIESLAND, DEUTSCHLAND
Technically its possible and they can do it from UI/combat PoV.

I don't know how they would do it with encounter design. Many raids, dungeons, boss fights, and mythic I cannot see how you can have the accuracy on a controller for how tons of fights are designed, they are very M+KB dependent

For more casual things sure, but I do struggle to see it from the more endgame content

I have played FF14 so I know how its possible to do hard content there with it (although i didnt use a controller), but the fights are designed with a controller in mind in FF14. For 20 years of WoW content, it is not
 
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WackoWambo

WackoWambo

Member
Jan 11, 2018
1,301
Discussions get too hung up on "no way you can do high level content with a controller"

I can't do high level OldSchool RuneScape content on the mobile version, but I can do 95% of the game, and having the option is great.

If a console version of WoW enables people to play 95% of the game then it's still a win and a good funnel.
 
Gradon

Gradon

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Oct 25, 2017
7,479
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I play WoW with ConsolePort, it's way more competent than the games actual controller support, if they do port it to consoles I hope they collab with the dev of ConsolePort.
 
horkrux

horkrux

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,750
They didn't need to be bought by MS for billions to make a console port of WoW happening, let alone with those inflicted layoffs on top. This is so ridiculous.
 

mclem

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,481
Plunderstorm absolutely feels like an experiment of a 'what could a console UI and gameplay work out like, in either core WoW or something console-specific?' nature

Pretty sure Plunderstorm could be dropped on consoles tomorrow, pretty much.
 
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