World of Warcraft: Season of Discovery has opened the door for substantial potential changes to Classic WoW, and some players finally want to see the return of Game Masters to the fray.
The original version of Vanilla WoW differed from the current iteration of the game in many ways. Though the most apparent change came when the Cataclysm expansion was released and significantly transformed the game world, there was a litany of other alterations over the years.
Quite a few of those came about due to an increasingly large player base and demand for new experiences. One of the more tragic casualties of the relentless march of progress were in-game GMs, who sought to address players’ issues in their adventures across Azeroth.
Now, many members of the WoW community believe Season of Discovery could finally be the right time to bring them back.
Game Masters have a unique and special place in WoW history
Blizzard support staff are no longer authorized to appear in the game, but one player took to Reddit to share their belief that Season of Discovery could be the perfect time for their return.
There’s little doubt that the return of in-game GMs would be a triumph of nostalgia. Their characters are dressed in unique blue and black robes to differentiate them from regular players. Though there are more practical ways to solve issues, the small element of roleplay and the personal touch of a visit from a GM is extremely fondly remembered by the community.
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As such, many quickly agreed with the original post, with one saying: “Yeah, we need in-game GMs back, which will just randomly interact as a mysterious stranger with us. You know, just standing around having fun, spawning some critters, showcasing some inaccessible items, or even triggering some events.”
Many responses to the post were so positive that people began to offer their services as a GM if Blizzard wanted to take them up on it. Others, however, were quick to point out that the practical issues that caused GMs to disappear in the first place are still present.
One criticized the developer, saying: “They worked very hard to remove the GMs and also keep the monthly fee we pay for the GMs. It was a multi-year process. And they did it. There’s no going back. You gotta realize that Blizzard used to be gaming nerds making a game for other gaming nerds. Now, they are a bunch of suits who are making games for literally anyone they can trick into playing to make money for their shareholders. The days of WoW being an amazing game are over.”
With Season of Discovery set to be the most anticipated WoW launch since the original Classic in 2019, the return of GMs remains unlikely. If Blizzard were to push the boat out and finally restore their in-game presence, it would be a hugely popular move with fans.