World of Warcraft News and Raiding Strategies

As we previously mentioned, our initial intention was to release the Enigma Crucible with a unique mechanic, a central button that allowed players to manipulate the pillar configuration throughout a match. During implementation, we found some concerns like pathing and line-of-sight issues that could have sporadically affected players and some of their class abilities. So to provide the best play experience and avoid potential frustrations, we have decided to go forward with the version that is currently available on the 9.2.5 PTR which has a single pillar configuration that remains locked throughout the match. We do not plan to pursue the initial version at this time.

Thank you for your understanding and we’ll see you in the Arena.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve observed an unprecedented event in World of Warcraft: an unserviceable number of Burning Crusade Classic players have continuously attempted to play on a single realm.

This has always been possible, of course. At any time over the last 17 years, players in a region could have collectively decided to create characters on a single realm and then all attempted to play on that realm. All realms have a cap on concurrent players (this is configured to be the same number on all realms), and if that many players are in-game on the realm, additional players who come along are placed into a queue. The queue itself also has a cap, and if even more players than that attempt to log into the realm, they are denied access entirely.

By the measurement of its daily total number of players logged-in, Firemaw is the largest realm in the world. To give that some context, the 24th largest realm in the world (Benediction-US) has about 67% as many daily players as Firemaw does.

The reason we’ve never seen such a large population on a realm for more than a few days is something we call “queue pressure”. The game is much more fun if you’re actually playing it, even on a smaller realm, so in the past, players have always eventually chosen to move to other realms. For quite some time, free character transfers have been available from the Firemaw realm. Any player with characters on Firemaw can move to the following realms for free:

• Amnennar
• Ashbringer
• Earthshaker
• Golemagg
• Mandokir
• Mograine
• Patchwerk
• Razorgore
• Sulfuron
• Transcendence
• Venoxis

As always, we encourage players on Firemaw to alleviate the population issue by transferring to one of those realms.

It’s worth mentioning that the subject of layering is not related to this issue. Layers are automatically created or collapsed based on the number of players who are outside of instanced content, and the layering configuration is exactly the same on all WoW Classic realms. Lately, Firemaw has consistently needed 4 layers to accommodate all players who are not in instanced content. Smaller realms have fewer layers, but this is related to the number of players congregating outside instances, not the total number of concurrent players the realm can serve. Adding more layers would not increase the total number of players allowed on a realm at the same time. That maximum is bounded by the limitations of hardware.

We’re currently evaluating all realms’ populations and the necessity for more or different free character transfers. We’ll let you know as soon as we determine whether we need to take additional steps there.

Thank you!

The Season 4 Mythic+ Affix is now available for testing on the PTR.

SHADOWLANDS SEASON 4

• Mythic+
  
  • New Seasonal Affix: Shrouded – Nathrezim infiltrators have disguised themselves among the enemies throughout the dungeon. Cartel Ta will reward you handsomely for assisting in their capture.
  • New Dungeon Rotation
    
    • Tazavesh: Streets of Wonder
    • Tazavesh: So’leah’s Gambit
    • Operation Mechagon: Junkyard
    • Operation Mechagon: Workshop
    • Return to Karazhan: Lower
    • Return to Karazhan: Upper
    • Iron Docks
    • Grimrail Depot

With scheduled maintenance in each region (earlier today in this region), we’ve made the following tuning adjustments to the Sepulcher of the First Ones Raid:

• Anduin Wyrnn
  
  • Blasphemy duration increased to 12 seconds in all difficulties.
  • Lost Soul duration increased to 40 seconds in all difficulties (was 35 seconds).
  • Wicked Star now targets one player at a time in Mythic difficulty.
  • Players are now invalid targets for Blasphemy for 20 seconds after the effects of Lost Soul expire (was 10 seconds).
  • Reduced the health of Grim Reflections by 15% in Mythic difficulty.
• Rygelon
  
  • Rygelon’s health has been reduced by 5% in Mythic difficulty.
  • Collapsing Quasar Fields now last 8 seconds (was 6 seconds) in Mythic difficulty.
  • Dark Collapse damage has been reduced by 25% in Mythic difficulty.
  • Unstable Quasar radius reduced by 25%, and damage reduced by 20% in Mythic difficulty.
  • Cosmic Ejection damage-over-time reduced by 33% in Mythic difficulty.
• The Jailer, Zovaal
  
  • Azerite Radiation increased Arcane damage is now 80% (was 100%) in Mythic difficulty.
  • Meteor Cleave damage decreased 10% in Mythic difficulty
  • Torment initial explosion damage decreased by 10% in all difficulties.
  • Shattering Blast damage over time decreased by 33% in Mythic difficulty.
  • Chain Breaker damage decreased by 10% in all difficulties.