August 29, 2023

Game Devs Talk WoW Classic Hardcore

August 24 marked the launch of the long-awaited WoW Classic Hardcore servers. And Forbes’s journalist, Heather Newman, managed to secure an interview with the devs. Game Producer Linny Cooke Saverline and Assistant Lead Designer, Tim Jones were in the spotlight. Together, they discussed the title’s features and plans for its future.

Below are the most notable points from their conversation:

The developers aim for the Hardcore mode to have enduring popularity. They are open to any ideas and suggestions from the community. Players might have thoughts or feel that certain elements are lacking. But don’t fret. Everything can be added. Just because something wasn’t present at the game’s launch doesn’t mean it won’t appear in the future.
Among the upcoming changes on the horizon, a notable addition is the introduction of the “Self-Found Mode.” It’ll impose certain restrictions on players’ social interactions. Specifically, they will find themselves unable to utilize the mail system and the auction house. Once a character is in this mode, a marker will be displayed to the others so players won’t be confused.
The Hardcore mode came to life through the developers’ observations of the events and challenges made by the community. The team took notice of the substantial enthusiasm surrounding this mode. And so, they felt compelled to furnish players with an “official” experience.
The Hardcore PTR servers became the most popular among all WoW versions. That alone is enough to show the immense interest from players in this mode. Even on the PTR, players organized various entertainments like tournaments and massive battles. So, there will likely be even more exciting activities in the live version of the servers.

At the heart of battlegrounds lies PvP combat. To emerge victoriously means the elimination of opposing characters. And everyone knows how important is a character’s life in the Hardcore mode. So, the developers have deliberately deactivated the battlegrounds. After all, enabling character resurrections within this context would diminish the experience. The team aimed for players to engage in PvP primarily to resolve conflicts with each other, rather than solely for the sake of obtaining rewards.
Speaking about PvP rewards, the developers agreed that some offer substantial benefits to players. So, players will have the option to acquire these desirable rewards. However, they can directly buy them with gold instead of having to participate in PvP ranking.
All of the game’s content was available from the start of the Hardcore server launch. Gamers can play at their own pace and immediately embark on any raids if they wish to.
Deceased characters in ghost form have certain limitations. For instance, they can’t enter dungeons and raids. However, the developers know that players are very creative. There’s no doubt that they will find ways to entertain themselves even in this spectral state. Perhaps in the future, ghosts will have additional abilities, like joining a raid as an “invisible” participant.
Character transfers from Hardcore to non-hardcore are completely free. Players can even use this function when their character is still alive.
Currently, the developers are solely focused on WoW Classic. But there might be Hardcore modes for other versions of WoW, including the retail one. There have yet to be definite plans, as everything depends on player interest.