Upcoming World of Warcraft Patch Removes Support for PowerPC-Based Macs

August 31, 2010 8:10 AM

Although it is possible to assume some of its tremendous success is based on its vast hardware scalability, World of Warcraft will soon close the gap between lower and high-end hardware.

Late last week, Blizzard revealed on its official forum that an upcoming patch, set to release just before the launch of the Cataclysm expansion, will disable support for PowerPC-based Mac computers [via Blue's News].

According to the developer, support for the hardware has slowly been rolled back since the "death of Leopard a year ago." Overall hardware requirements for the insanely popular MMO has increased with the launch of each expansion. World of Warcraft: Cataclysm is expected to launch later this year.

In response to some pushback for the decision, the developer notes in the same forum post that StarCraft 2--and its upcoming Diablo 3--does not support PowerPC at all.

Users with PowerPC processor-based Macs who attempt to execute World of Warcraft after the mandatory patch is released will be treated to an error stating that "the hardware is no longer supported, and the game will not run."

Xav de Matos

Xav de Matos was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

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spinx2

 reply
August 31, 2010 8:12 AM

Incoming lawsuits!
- SurgioClemente
  
   reply
  August 31, 2010 8:46 AM
  
  ...that go no where
- kapellen421
  
   reply
  August 31, 2010 9:29 AM
  
  FAIL!
- rtrson
  
   reply
  August 31, 2010 9:36 AM
  
  its their program. they can do whatever they want to with it.
- txfeinbergs
  
   reply
  August 31, 2010 9:41 AM
  
  What if you are 3 months into a 1 year subscription and now the second half of your year you won't be able to play? I assume they will be offering refunds to those people? That might be cause for a lawsuit if not.
  - mobab
    
     reply
    August 31, 2010 9:46 AM
    
    You can still play as your account is still active. Just upgrade your system.
  - Nehvrook
    
     reply
    August 31, 2010 10:34 AM
    
    You wouldn't expect a refund if your PC broke, this isn't much different to that. You can still play on another machine. However, I don't know why they don't just stop supporting it and let it be slow/buggy/unstable but still let people run it. Putting in an auto "You're not even trying to play" seems a bit stupid.
    - pseudomelon
      
       reply
      August 31, 2010 1:46 PM
      
      Probably because it simply would not be able to load due to some new way of handling the code. It's much better to know that your hardware is no longer compatible than to get ERROR MESSAGE 1278317231981.