It’s time to recognize Dragonflight as the savior of WoW’s soul

There was a time when World of Warcraft seemed like it would never wain in popularity. As players took on the Lich King for the first time in 2008, it was difficult to see how Blizzard could do anything to damage what was already one of the most beloved games of all time. 

Fast forward to 2022, and everything was different. Shadowlands was drawing to a close and the game was in the worst state it had ever been. Though the WoD era was seen as a disaster, it was a misstep in otherwise laudable company. By the time we reached Shadowlands, several disappointments had brought the community to breaking point, and as an expansion, it almost pushed the game itself to the brink.

The issues with Shadowlands are too numerous to name here, but in broad strokes, a major content drought, needlessly convoluted systems, and a less-than-compelling narrative left fans feeling apathetic at best. Player counts dwindled, and the initial announcement of Dragonflight did little to change player sentiment. Without a fairly drastic turn, this could have been the beginning of the end for the biggest and best MMO ever.

What followed is a remarkable success story – not one built upon spectacular set pieces and high fantasy but instead rooted in smart game design and a top-down reimagining of what it’s supposed to mean to play World of Warcraft. In one stroke, Blizzard delivered an expansion that saved the game and laid the foundation for a future-filled promise. Dragonflight rekindled hope and enthusiasm among the WoW community, so with The War Within’s release, it feels only right to work out just how the developer pulled it off.

Dragonflight brought major System changes

Blizzard Entertainment

World of Warcraft and games like it live and die by the systems players have to operate within. From classes to specializations to professions and PvP, if the game’s fundamental building blocks are ineffective or convoluted, it’s already doomed. In that sense, WoW had reached a real tipping point during the death throes of Shadowlands. 

When first announced, the Covenant system had the hallmarks of an exciting evolution, but it had become a nightmare. Rather than creating a new way to play, it too often restricted access to some of the game’s content. Additionally, players of each class were often forced to select a specific Covenant to remain competitive in PvE and PvP rather than being allowed to experiment freely. 

Additionally, talent trees creaking with age quickly buckled under the pressure of these new systems. This created an overall environment where the game had a bunch of features, almost none of which worked.

In this respect, Dragonflight’s work is centered around executing an efficient evolution of the game’s fundamentals rather than a drastic revolution. At its core, leveling and gearing in WoW is now a relatively simple prospect, with paths to good gear regardless of what you like to do in the game. It’s possible to get solid gear options from out in the world, via dungeons, raids, or by doing PvP, with plenty of choices to keep the game fresh.

The Great Vault was one of the best additions during Shadowlands, perfected during Dragonflight. The cadence and quality of the rewards made the day after the weekly reset the most exciting time to log in. Talent trees were reimagined in a way that made a lot more sense, with them now in the right state to be built upon via The War Within’s Hero Talents.

Most classes were also drastically improved throughout (though Shaman players may contest this) and, above all else, each feels fun to play again. As with any expansion, certain specs went through periods where they were objectively the best at what they did, but many remained competitive options throughout. The emphasis was again placed on making each class enjoyable before attempting to balance everything on a minuscule scale. 

The expansion that rejuvenated the story

Blizzard Entertainment

As much as in-game systems are the most important factor in whether players keep logging in, don’t underestimate the importance of WoW’s narrative. Over the years, the main story became diluted as Blizzard tried to emerge from an era where everything was centered on the war between Horde and Alliance. Though Legion showed it was possible, every expansion since struggled deeply with its own identity.

Shadowlands introduced characters players had very little pre-existing relationship with. Aside from the “good guy” stalwarts who appear in every expansion, the overarching threats and even the Jailer himself were a huge disappointment. Once again, up steps Dragonflight to steady the ship and focus the game’s story without resorting to cheap cameos or a return to the ways of Classic WoW (which should always remain a distinct game).

Having Alexstrasza, the Aspect of the Red Dragonflight, serve as the familiar face throughout (alongside solid support from Wrathion et al.), was inspired. It gave players something rooted within WoW’s lore as they expanded their knowledge throughout the Dragon Isles. It also put the game in a holding pattern as they worked out what exactly they needed to do with the Old World and the overarching narratives that remain unresolved there. 

The initial campaign offered plenty for players to do as they leveled to 70 for the first time (again). This was followed up brilliantly by the Embers of Neltharion patch 10.1, which served as the zenith for the story in Dragonflight, linking the new with the old expertly. With the pre-patch launch on July 23 set to serve as the opening salvo of The War Within’s story, WoW is in perfect shape to embark on its next chapter.

More to do, less that needs to be done

Blizzard Entertainment

One of Dragonflight’s most subtle direction changes is also where its true stroke of genius comes to the fore. From Battle for Azeroth onward, WoW had seemingly been defined by busy work designed to force players into spending as long in the game as possible.

Dragonflight flipped that on its head, providing plenty for players to do without forcing them into tasks that had to be completed to remain competitive. World Quests were reduced and made more worthwhile, offering a greater net benefit to players while simultaneously asking less of their time. 

Borrowed power, followers, Covenants, and other extraneous systems were largely removed, refocusing the entire expansion around its major set pieces and activities. Across each patch, there was plenty to get involved with, even for those with very high daily playtimes. Equally, those with weekly commitments who wanted to raid competitively at the weekend, could.

Skill is a legitimate reason to bar entry to something in an MMO (as long as it isn’t for accessibility reasons), but not being able to sink 25+ hours a week is going to be a common experience and shouldn’t stand in anyone’s way. This was the only logical course of action for a game that is, after all, designed to be “massively multiplayer.”

It’s easy to become dewy-eyed and sentimental as an expansion fades into the past, but there is ample reason to do so with Dragonflight. Few games can claim to have had such a monumental influence as WoW, and, for a little while, it was in danger of going out with a whimper. Whether The War Within can pick up this momentum and keep building on it across three expansions remains to be seen, but it has more than a fighting chance, and that’s something worth celebrating.