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Wrath of the Lich King Classic devs talk bringing the expansion to World of Warcraft

World of Warcraft Classic continues to be popular in the community and the developers at Blizzard are preparing for the next entry: Wrath of the Lich King.

Sam Chandler

May 10, 2022 8:00 PM

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It can be difficult to accurately summarize the massive impact World of Warcraft has had on the video game sphere. Since its release until now, players have experienced a multitude of stories and events as the game has evolved. Recently, the team at Blizzard released World of Warcraft Classic, a version of the MMO that matches its original release. This has allowed veterans and newcomers alike to experience the game as it was almost 20 years ago. With the upcoming release of the Wrath of the Lich King Classic expansion, we sat down with a few developers from Blizzard to discuss what goes into bringing an original experience into the modern world.

Shacknews Head of Video Production Greg Burke (and famed World of Warcraft aficionado), sat down with Lead Producer Holly Longdale and Senior Software Developer Kevin Vigue to talk about all things World of Warcraft Classic and the Wrath of the Lich King Classic expansion.

This 25 minute interview dives into how the team brings back these old expansions and how the team considers the community’s wants. Burke asks what the goal for the team is and how long they will continue to bring back this older content. Longdale highlights the importance of listening to the community and how the team is guided by them. After the success of the base game and Burning Crusade Classic, Longdale notes that Wrath of the Lich King Classic was, “Absolutely a thing we should do.”

It’s highly unusual for a developer, especially one responsible for one of the largest MMOs in the world, to re-release the original retail version of its game and then the expansions almost 20 years after its launch. The games have experienced decades of evolution and advancements, so revisiting the start of the journey could be jarring – but in the case of World of Warcraft, it works.

The whole interview with Longdale and Vigue is illuminating and gives valuable insight into the mindset and processes of the team over at Blizzard. There’s even more exclusive developer interviews over on the GamerHubTV YouTube channel, so make sure you swing on over for more.

Sam Chandler

Guides Editor

Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler brings a bit of the southern hemisphere flair to his work. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and entering the video game industry, he's found his new family here at Shacknews as a Guides Editor. There's nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can message him on X: @SamuelChandler