After 21 years, World of Warcraft is finally introducing player housing with an early-access launch on December 2, 2025, for those who preorder the Midnight expansion. The feature allows easy access to customizable homes for 1,000 gold, with no scarcity or competition. Blizzard aims to avoid past pitfalls like the isolating Garrisons while addressing concerns over a new premium currency.
Housing Overview
World of Warcraft's long-awaited player housing system arrives via patch 11.2.7, marking a major addition to the MMORPG that launched in 2004. Unlike competitors such as Final Fantasy XIV or The Elder Scrolls Online, where housing involves lotteries, high costs, or taxes, WoW's version emphasizes accessibility. Every player can purchase a house for 1,000 gold—easily earned from a single World Quest in 2025—and expand interiors freely without size-based pricing or scarcity. Players can relocate homes and decorations at any time for a fee, and new players get the cost waived.
The system includes a tutorial quest accessible via the micro menu, guiding users through neighborhoods with varied biomes, from secluded plots to central locations. Decorating tools range from basic grid-snapping to advanced modes allowing resizing, rotation, and collision-free placement. A starter pack of items is provided, with more earned through quests, raids, professions, and vendors.
Progression and Monetization
Housing features a progression system where players level up to unlock additional rooms, decor slots, and unique features like skybox or night rooms. Veteran players start at higher levels to respect their experience, but Blizzard insists on goals to avoid overwhelming new users. Principal game designer Jesse Kurlancheek explained, "On day one, if you came in and literally every option was unlocked... it's overwhelming in a lot of ways."
Some items are available on the in-game shop using a new premium currency, Hearthsteel, which has sparked controversy. Blizzard justifies it for convenience in batch purchases and regulatory compliance, like easier refunds, without a shopping cart. Senior UX designer Joanna Gianulis noted the system's evergreen nature: "We want it to feel like it's always been a part of the game and always will [be]." Kurlancheek added that feedback could lead to iterations, though no immediate changes are planned.
Homes persist during subscription lapses, stored with all customizations for later redeployment. The Midnight expansion follows on March 2, 2026, with housing as a core pillar.