Blizzard Explores Console Port Possibility for World of Warcraft: Forever
- Blizzard’s World of Warcraft: Forever beta shows strong support, introducing controller support.
- Vice President Holly Longdale suggests potential future expansions to more platforms.
- World of Warcraft: Forever is set for official launch on November 4.
Blizzard Entertainment is intensifying discussions around a console port for its long-standing PC MMO, World of Warcraft, following over two decades of dominance in the genre. The beta for World of Warcraft: Forever has been reportedly well-received by fans, marking a fresh entry in the franchise alongside the existing Classic and Retail editions.
World of Warcraft: Forever introduces several improvements, including the notable addition of controller support, marking the first time players can use gamepads in the game. Highlighting this development, Blizzard’s vice president and executive producer, Holly Longdale, discussed the decision to initially keep the game exclusive to PC, stating the compatibility with gamepads signals a larger shift.
In an interview with GamesRadar, Longdale explained, “Play it wherever you want and, at some point, on whatever you want. But the first leg of that journey is getting gamepads working really well with World of Warcraft, and we thought Forever was the perfect place to start.”
Longdale expressed her belief that gaming platforms may become increasingly “ubiquitous.” She referred to Xbox Project Helix, anticipated as a PC-console hybrid, which could further blur the lines between gaming systems. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma had indicated earlier in the year that the next-gen console would support PC games.
“Honestly, we just want to be able to play it anywhere,” Longdale remarked, also mentioning users successfully running the game on devices like the ROG Ally X. She emphasized that ongoing development in gamepad functionality will enhance flexibility beyond traditional consoles.
The official launch date for World of Warcraft: Forever is set for November 4. Despite challenges faced by the Xbox division, the beta was noted to be the “largest” in series history. Longdale acknowledged that not all decisions made by the development team would please every player, stating, “You don’t listen to the loudest people in the room.”
News Courtesy of Eurogamer
