Just hours before the launch of WoW Classic Hardcore, Blizzard Entertainment let a patch go live that brought about a relatively unfavorable update, and many Classic-era players aren’t happy about it.
Earlier today, WoW Classic was patched ahead of the Hardcore launch, and a few changes that altered the backend coding of the game ultimately affected many players’ experiences with server lag, as well as some incompatibility issues with certain addons. Players on the WoW Classic subreddit are reporting that even though the game says that their ping is somewhere in the range of 30ms, it’s closer to about 200ms.
Many players are also upset about the implementation of a new settings interface, as well. The new settings menu for WoW Classic is ripped directly from WoW Dragonflight, adding a touch of modernity to an otherwise locked-in-time game. While we can’t really complain about the extra quality-of-life that comes with Dragonflight’s settings menu (which is complete with a cleaner interface and search bar that allows you to find custom settings), it’s also reasonable that some players don’t want to see the old menu go.
Related: Official WoW Classic Hardcore rules explained: Deaths, PvP, dungeons, and more
We’re more concerned about issues surrounding lag and performance, especially with Hardcore servers coming out later today. One lag spike in a densely populated area is all it takes to lose your character, and Blizzard has been very clear that no mercy is going to be shown to players who die in the game. The developers have already stated that there won’t be an appeals process for players who lose their characters due to lag.
Although Blizzard did make some quality-of-life changes to Classic in advance of the Hardcore launch—such as reducing lag on flight paths—this negatively-received update could throw a wrench into some players’ plans as Hardcore WoW comes to life.
