Blizzard has dismissed rumors of bringing World of Warcraft to consoles, emphasizing its focus on the PC experience. Game director Ion Hazzikostas stated there is no active development for console versions. The speculation arises amid preparations for the upcoming Midnight expansion.
Background on the Speculation
World of Warcraft, the long-running MMORPG that launched in 2004, has faced perennial rumors of a console release. The latest wave is tied to the upcoming Midnight expansion, the second in the Worldsoul Saga trilogy, set for release sometime next year. Fans speculate that Blizzard's efforts to simplify combat and add features like player housing—arriving in December—could be paving the way for consoles. This is bolstered by Blizzard's ownership under Microsoft, which owns Xbox and is pushing cross-platform play, including to PlayStation 5. Additionally, reports suggest the next Xbox will function more like a PC, making WoW's adaptation seem feasible.
Other MMOs have successfully transitioned to consoles, such as Final Fantasy 14 and The Elder Scrolls Online, highlighting improved console capabilities since WoW's debut. Consoles now offer robust internet infrastructure and network services, and Blizzard already supports multi-platform titles like Overwatch.
Blizzard's Response
In a recent appearance on the Unshackled Fury podcast, WoW game director Ion Hazzikostas poured cold water on the idea. "There's no reason for us to hide anything about this," he said. "If we were actively working towards bringing WoW to consoles, or a bunch of other platforms, we'd be saying, 'We're actively working towards it; we know we have a lot of work to do but it's a place where we want to land.' Our focus remains right now on the PC-based experience."
A year ago, executive producer Holly Langdale offered a more ambiguous reply when asked about consoles post-Microsoft acquisition: "I will say nothing's impossible," she said with a smile, before catching herself and adding, "No, that's all I'll say."
Despite Blizzard's denial, the debate persists, given WoW's massive scale compared to other cross-platform MMOs. The addition of player housing, described by Blizzard as "a sociological experiment," adds excitement to the PC version ahead of Midnight.