Down the Rabbit Hole #4

Mists of Pandaria will be the fourth expansion for the juggernaut that has been World of Warcraft. For veterans it is yet another reset, but perhaps most interesting is that this time around the majority of the population will have been through an expansion launch before. The number of new players were relatively thin on the ground in Cataclysm and as a result there is a level of experience and expectation amongst the majority ahead of Mists where there wasn't for BC or WoTLK.

I'd like to suggest that there is some significance to this. I would also venture to categorise this as a positive element. For the first time in years the PVE raiding game is set to remain relatively similar. Cataclysm saw the raiding game change significantly with equal importance distributed between 10 and 25 man raiding. This design change massivley influenced the landscape with 10 man raid teams being far more successful than their 25 man counterparts, many of whom died under the pressure of organising, co-ordinating and performing with two and a half times as many 'variables'. Yet, interestingly, the elite resisted and most world first kills were still claimed by 25 man guilds.

This time around however the equality factor is not a new change. In Mists we will see guilds who have committed to their format with advanced knowledge of the differences in raid size. Preparation for the expansion has been made with the lessons learned in Cataclysm firmly in mind. I can't wait to see how it all turns out.

On the PVP front Blizzard has sworn to make a concerted effort to bring World PVP back from the brink. A litany of nostalgic posts have covered the forums reminiscing of battles for Southshore / Tarren Mill as highlights of time spent in Azeroth. Whether they are successful or not, Blizzard have at least recognised a past element of their game that was instrumental in cementing its burgeoning popularity over half a decade ago. Rated Battlegrounds are in for a second run and I sincerely hope that they have addressed the rating exploitation issues that have been omnipresent throughout Cataclysm.

Of course Mists brings with it unique toys and gameplay similar to that of previous expansions. Pet Battles are likely to be a curious minigame which could become very popular. As interesting as it is to discuss these elements, WoW will always be a game that lives and dies on its PVE experience. Anticipation is high that in Mists, with a brand new continent to explore, we will see a more satisfied player experience. I can only hope it recalls the wonderful stages of early Burning Crusade.

General speculation is fine but of far more interest for most readers of this blog is what this will mean for Saurfang as a realm itself. I plan to devote my next article to this very topic. As an advanced suggestion of tone, I believe it will be a very interesting next few months...