Blizzard has introduced Hearthsteel, a new premium currency for purchasing housing items in World of Warcraft, set to launch in December. While most items will remain earnable in-game, the addition has sparked significant player backlash over microtransactions. The announcement highlights a shift in the game's monetization strategy.
Announcement Details
Blizzard revealed the Hearthsteel currency in a blog post on Friday evening, ahead of the housing system's arrival in December. The currency allows players to buy select items and furniture for their in-game homes using real money. However, the blog emphasizes that "the VAST majority of Housing items are (and will continue to be) earnable in-game."
This model mirrors the existing mount system, where a limited selection is available for purchase, but the majority must be earned through gameplay. Race- and class-specific housing options, such as undead-themed buildings for undead characters, will not be purchasable with Hearthsteel.
Player Backlash
The announcement quickly drew criticism from the World of Warcraft community. As of the report, the official blog post had amassed over 500 comments, while the forum thread exceeded 2,500. Players expressed frustration with the introduction of microtransactions into a long-anticipated feature.
Forum user Uddermassage commented, "Absolutely not. You need to go back to the drawing board. This microtransaction crap can go jump in a lake." Another user, Rambush, added, "I can't believe someone seriously typed this up and thought to themselves, 'Yeah, that's reasonable, they’ll go for that!'"
This marks the first dedicated premium currency in World of Warcraft. Previously, players could buy gold or individual items like mounts, but separate currencies were limited to in-game options like Trader's Tender for the Trading Post system.
Broader Context
Suspicions have arisen regarding Blizzard's motivations, potentially influenced by parent company Microsoft's reported push for a 30 percent profit margin in its gaming division. World of Warcraft, sustained by monthly subscriptions, remains a key revenue source.
Despite the controversy, the housing feature itself has been in development for years and promises innovative elements like neighborhoods and social interactions. Blizzard described it as "a kind of a sociological experiment."
The full impact will become clear with the December rollout.