A seemingly simple question from a former Blizzard executive might have inadvertently set World of Warcraft on a different course: “What about the solo players?” Over its nearly 20-year existence, the MMORPG giant has evolved dramatically, and part of that change is due to Blizzard’s increased focus on catering to solo players.

World of Warcraft is undeniably one of the most successful MMORPGs of all time, but its journey has been marked by numerous peaks and valleys. Despite the recent release of The War Within expansion, which has introduced new mechanics and fresh storytelling elements, the game hasn’t been able to surpass its own record of active players—set back in 2010 and 2011 with a staggering 12 million users. It appears this milestone may never be achieved again.

Blizzard’s decision to prioritize solo play stemmed from an internal shift in philosophy, a transformation remembered by Irena Pereira, a former UI designer for World of Warcraft. Her insight into the game’s development from Patch 1.1, through The Burning Crusade, and up to Wrath of the Lich King, reveals that a pivotal moment occurred when Jeff Kaplan, Blizzard’s then-vice president, posed a critical question: “What about those who play solo?”

Reflecting on the game’s evolution, Pereira recalls discussions among developers: “We were talking, I think, about Death Knights and planning a Lich King expansion. And we were discussing power level curves and multiplayer encounters, and Jeff Kaplan said, ‘What about solo players?'” From that moment, a shift toward solo gameplay began—a trend that didn’t immediately alter the game’s philosophy but gradually redefined it. “It was just an overcorrection, but a big overcorrection,” Pereira notes.

This shift had significant consequences. While World of Warcraft saw its highest user count around the release of the Cataclysm expansion, the number of active players has steadily declined since. Pereira points out, “They saw a precipitous drop in the [player] population in a late stage, post-Cataclysm, and WoW’s population was falling, falling, and falling. But [Blizzard was] struggling to figure out how they were going to improve revenue.”

A series of bad choices

The issue wasn’t just about a single bad decision by Blizzard; it was a series of choices that steered the game away from its social roots. Pereira explains, “The pace of leveling is the first factor that, I think, destroyed the initial gameplay and killed the community spaces where people met each other.” The game shifted towards a faster, more solitary experience, diminishing opportunities for social interaction: “The new user experience makes players pay more attention to the game than to others.”

Pereira continues, “Calls to encourage multiplayer gameplay have disappeared. With increased power levels, you can beat most content solo. You don’t need anyone.” And while raids remain a feature of World of Warcraft, the focus on cooperative play has diminished outside of these events. Smaller social goals that once helped build community bonds have lost their appeal. “The grey area, the juicy part of the experience, has slowly been reduced, and there are more and more convenience features for the player to avoid the annoying stuff,” she reflects.

This trend was one reason World of Warcraft Classic was so well received. “When WoW Classic launched, it was a boom. It was more profitable than the current version because it brought back the original game, the slower gameplay, and all those things that made WoW special,” Pereira remembers. Yet, as Blizzard expanded WoW Classic with the Cataclysm content, it began to see similar declines as the main game.

Still, the future of World of Warcraft remains uncertain. Despite changes that have alienated some players, new expansions like The War Within continue to attract others. The question remains: How will Blizzard navigate this evolving landscape, and what surprises still lie ahead?

Source: 3djuegos