PCGamer Ion Hazzikostas Interview - More can be Done to Make Dungeon/Raids Satisfying when not Getting Desired Loot
PCGamer recently posted a small interview with Ion Hazzikostas about Shadowlands. It didn't reveal much new information, but the most noteworthy aspect was Ion mentioning that more can be done to make dungeons and raids feel satisfying even when not getting a specific piece of loot that run. Click the banner to read the whole article, and here are some highlights:



  • The article mentions more content later this spring, but it seems to be speculative and not certain as it isn't a quote from Ion.
  • Ion says Blizzard has some big plans for the story of this expansion and is already working on addressing some big points of player feedback.
  • Ion says Blizzard is thrilled to tell epic stories that interconnect the different powers of the Shadowlands, heroes and villains of Azeroth, and the inner workings of Death itself.
  • The team is listening closely to the community as they look to shape future updates.
  • When it comes to PvP itemization specifically, they're really happy with how that's playing out.
  • Ion thinks they can do more to make the experience of running dungeons and raids feel more satisfying when you don't get a specific item you were hoping for.
  • Balance remains an ongoing focus, both through "hotfix" adjustments to the live game and through more involved changes to player abilities, and especially new Shadowlands systems like legendary items and covenants, which will come in patches.

New Battle.net Launcher Live Soon
Blizzard recently revealed that the new Blizzard launcher that has been in beta for quite some time will be going live soon. Click here to see their official post. This new version includes:

  • Improved navigation and layout—you can now favorite your games and arrange them for ease of access
  • A much more expansive layout for news and game content in full-page view
  • A revamped social pane so you can better see your friends and what they’re up to on each game tab
  • Major accessibility improvements—they’ve added the ability to navigate most of the app with your keyboard, increased our screen reader support, and improved the color contrast
  • A new, consolidated notifications hub for messages and download status




Dark Legacy Comics #756
DLC #756 has been released!

This article was originally published in forum thread: PCGamer Ion Interview - Make Dungeon/Raids Satisfying, New Battle.net Launcher started by Stoy View original post
Comments 137 Comments
  1. Aurora's Avatar
    Really hope they just bring back badges, most people were satisfied with the gearing system in WOTLK and everything since has been worse.
  1. Geckoo's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by tomten View Post
    Or just use the bad luck protection from coins. Can't remember exactly but you were pretty much guaranteed to get something if you've failed past 7 or 8 rolls.
    I still dont think you should always get something just for doing a raid or dungeon. Its horrible and one of the biggest reasons I came back after 5 years, was the nerfed loot drops.
    I agree that you should not always get loot from doing a dungeon or raid, but if the player doesn't feel rewarded then at some point doing content is not worth the effort. And that's something that is already happening to a lot of people.

    The idea of having a badge system or point system (let's call it valor, since we are all familiar with that term) is that all those dungeons and raid bosses you kill, no matter how good or bad was your luck, will still contribute towards an upgrade. Not something that you'll get on a day or even a week, but hey, if you cap your valor points two weeks in a row? you totally earned an upgrade.

    As i said, the PvP system is a great example of how it could work.
    - Currency given by completing PvE group content, with a weekly cap (and catchñ-up mechanic already in place).
    - Gear from different venues having different ranks, upgrades available via currency, but only up to the rank that belongs to your top completed content.
    - Possible vendor with some gear, but personally i do not think this is something that pve needs.
  1. Enter Name Here's Avatar
    yeah sure, dry up the drops to make them more satisfying later as a big feature
  1. Sorrowseer's Avatar
    I genuienly miss valor points.
  1. Kallisto's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Grimalkin of Old View Post
    I always wonder what kind of community Hazzikostas listens to
    The one where you put 100 members in a room and instead of coming to a consensus, come up with 200 ideas that can't be in the same game and mesh well. Then instead of coming to a compromise scream at each other forever and some even getting violent until the room is just full of blood, bodies and the ignorant meathead stands there thinking he won the battle for ideas.
  1. chiddie's Avatar
    Can’t speak for raids, but M+ drop rates really need “something”.

    I don’t know what, I’m not a dev, but in the long run running tons of dungeons without any loot feels lsimply bad. Did 5 atm this week and still nothing.

    I’m having fun nonetheless because I like healing but 90% of my guildmates are complaining and I can’t tell them they are wrong.
  1. Greyvax's Avatar
    simple solution = valor points from mythic+, scaling up by the level completed. put a weekly cap on it so crybabies don't complain about being "forced to grind 24/7 to stay competitive".
  1. Kazlehoff's Avatar
    interview with Ion? how long did it take for him to shoehorn in his Waifu?
  1. Doffen's Avatar
    My bet on the whole raid and dungeon reward topic is that the anima you get when not getting loot will be increased.
  1. Kuja's Avatar
    Yeah. There's conquest points which gets you gear guaranteed. So would be only fair if PVE players also get Valor Points from Mythics and Raids to buy those guaranteed items.
  1. Gasparde's Avatar
    The team is listening closely to the community as they look to shape future updates.
    Man, can't wait to get my hands on these in 11.3!
  1. vilememory's Avatar
    HA HA! Yeah, gotta love those carriages in Revendreth.
  1. Kazlehoff's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Zka View Post
    Loot not rewarding enough? You shouldn't have whined WF/TF out of existence.
    WF/TF doesn't add anything but further randomness to the issue people are already having.
  1. mrgreenthump's Avatar
    Cant wait to buy low ilevel loot with badges I get from M+ and then go PvP for actual loot I need for raiding which doesn't drop any loot.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by Kazlehoff View Post
    WF/TF doesn't add anything but further randomness to the issue people are already having.
    Original concept had us being able to upgrade items that didn't WF to same Ilevel. And that server a purpose of making the content last longer. Then they removed upgrading and it became a shit show.
  1. kaintk's Avatar
    valor point farming
    titan forged (heh, i know that "elitist" people dont like it but 90% of the gamers who are casual loved it, so stop being jerk about it)
    token on dice
    reforging stat system

    give at least all of this and you will make the dungeon raiding more fun to do

    they seriously should do a boss point system where after x kill you choose any item from this boss freely, it would beat the stupid rng the game is in
  1. Sentynel's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Darknessvamp View Post
    And with the new launcher I bet we are still unable to hide the Call of Duty Icons and notifications that keep flashing if you don't open them up...
    Actually, you can do just that. I've been using the Beta launcher for more than a year now only to hide Activision games.
  1. Aggressive's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by tomten View Post
    Nah, they shouldn't and I'm very happy they wont.... 4 pieces of loot per dungeon? Almost guaranteed to get something every single dungeon.... Its bad for the game.
    Be happy if you get 1 loot every other dungeon. That would be in severe cases 1 item per 90 minutes spent... You gotta be serious entitled if you want and think you'll get more lol....
    Same with raids, 3 is a pretty good spot... I want to meet you in the middle with 4 because i did not get loot from 17 bosses but then I remember I got 3 boes and made 1.2 million gold so it balances out.

    - - - Updated - - -



    Or just use the bad luck protection from coins. Can't remember exactly but you were pretty much guaranteed to get something if you've failed past 7 or 8 rolls.
    I still dont think you should always get something just for doing a raid or dungeon. Its horrible and one of the biggest reasons I came back after 5 years, was the nerfed loot drops.


    Let me see if I get this correct. Cause the raid bosses drop three pieces of loot that is why you returned. So if Blizzard raises it back up to 5 pieces per boss or makes some kind of badge loot system then you will leave the game. That is the dumbest shit I have ever heard. So do realize that not everyone likes the loot system that is why they are willing to try other things. At this point I better say Good Bye to you now. Not everyone is on board with the shitty loot system of just 3 pieces of loot per boss. It sure as fuck does not feel great at all. So far since this raid has opened I have gotten 2 pieces of loot from bosses. That has been in the month that the raid has been out, the rest of gear has come from the great vault and bought gear from the AH. Sorry but that is unacceptable....Why raid then??
  1. tomten's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Aggressive View Post
    Let me see if I get this correct. Cause the raid bosses drop three pieces of loot that is why you returned. So if Blizzard raises it back up to 5 pieces per boss or makes some kind of badge loot system then you will leave the game. That is the dumbest shit I have ever heard. So do realize that not everyone likes the loot system that is why they are willing to try other things. At this point I better say Good Bye to you now. Not everyone is on board with the shitty loot system of just 3 pieces of loot per boss. It sure as fuck does not feel great at all. So far since this raid has opened I have gotten 2 pieces of loot from bosses. That has been in the month that the raid has been out, the rest of gear has come from the great vault and bought gear from the AH. Sorry but that is unacceptable....Why raid then??
    Way to make it hyperbole bro... As said, one of the big reasons I did come back was the reduced loot drops across all content. And not the loot fiesta that was BFA where nothing really felt good getting.
    Where did I say I would leave the game?
    Exactly.... Not everyone liked the loot rain, so they made changes, sucks that its not what you wanted but the irony of you not seeing the opposite spectrum is hilarious.

    I dont believe you. If you've killed 10/10 on both normal and heroic, you would have gotten more than 2 items in 4 resets, thats 80 kills lol... Stop lying man....
  1. sephrinx's Avatar
    when you don't get a specific item you were hoping for.
    More like when you don't get any item at all for all of normal and heroic and 10 M+...
  1. javierdsv's Avatar
    I mean, if all the vault items were really relevant to your character then it would be fine. But getting useless stuff after getting nothing for so long it's just not helping.

    Haven't they learned people like to be able to "Target" their BIS. Even if it means an excruciating grind?

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