Even though WoW Classic is, surprise, a classic version of World of Warcraft, the game director believes that the Hardcore version of WoW is much closer to that classic feel thanks to how it forces players to play.
Introduced last year, Hardcore WoW is a mode that, while using the same servers as WoW Classic, adds a permadeath mechanic, challenging players to reach the end of the game without dying once. While this mechanic certainly didn't exist in the early days of WoW, in an interview in Edge issue #405, game director Ion Hazzikostas confirms that he believes it best captures that classic experience.
“It's definitely not for everyone,” he clarifies, although he feels it “captured the actual feel of World of Warcraft 2004 or 2005 better than the 2019 Classic release.” Rather than reflecting the game itself, Hazzikostas believes that the permadeath mechanic causes players to devote more importance to their adventure as a whole, rather than simply focusing on late-game content.
“Every step of the way mattered,” Hazzikostas says of the early days of World of Warcraft, while today, “all that matters is the end.” For him and many other players, Hardcore WoW allowed them to rediscover a love for the game as a whole. “It wasn't just about being alone on that journey, it was like this group of players taking on the world, trusting each other.”
World of Warcraft has received criticism from players in recent years, and more recently regarding its handling of loot from events. WoW Hardcore, however, has been a particularly bright spot in the game's recent history, and the mode has proven extremely popular among the game's player base.
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