Flight fans in Blizzard Entertainment’s popular massively multiplayer online roleplaying game will be able to take to the skies once again.
Blizzard removed flying from World of Warcraft in all zones in its Warlords of Draenor expansion this fall. In a blog post today, game designer Ion “Watcher” Hazzikostas said it will return soon.
[aditude-amp id="flyingcarpet" targeting='{"env":"staging","page_type":"article","post_id":1747324,"post_type":"story","post_chan":"none","tags":null,"ai":false,"category":"none","all_categories":"games,","session":"A"}']Developers originally explained that it made the world less immersive when players could swoop down on a quest objective or a boss to kill, complete the fight, then fly again.
“At the heart of the initial plan to restrict flight in Draenor, even after players reach level 100, lies the design goal of providing the best moment-to-moment gameplay possible in the outdoor world,” Hazzikostas wrote in a blog post explaining the decision to reinstate it.
“World of Warcraft is full of memorable moments that are only possible when players explore the world by ground. And as we’ve continued to develop content over the years, we’ve focused more and more on providing players with these kinds of experiences.”
Blizzard has a catch, of course: Players must have completed virtually all open-world content in the game in order to earn the right to fly again.
In the post, Hazzikostas explained the requirements, which include completing all quest in the Warlords zones, achieving revered status with factions that will be introduced in the upcoming 6.2 game patch, completing a selection of quests offered in players’ personal towns/garrisons, and other objectives related to exploration and collection in Warlords’ outdoor areas.
In a patch shortly after 6.2, players who complete all the requirements will be awarded flight in Draenor for all their characters level 90-100, which should make it easier to finish up lower-level characters.
Flight has been the subject of a hot debate among players since Blizzard removed the ability; more than 1,600 people had posted comments on the developer blog within hours of its appearance today.