Activision Blizzard recently unveiled the upcomingWorld of WarcraftexpansionDragonflight, and since then, many questions about the constantly evolving MMO have emerged. One thought on the minds of someWorld of Warcraftfans is whether the game will end up on consoles likeFinal Fantasy 14.
ManyWorld of Warcraftfans have wanted the popular MMO on consoles since the beginning, and over the years, despite gaining significant traction, that never happened. Rumors started to spread when gamepad controls were implemented into the game withWorld of Warcraft:Shadowlands' alpha, but despite somecontroller support, the game won’t be moved to console hardware. While speaking to IGN,World of WarcraftDirector Ion Hazzikostas shut down the rumors when asked if the MMO would make the jump to gaming consoles in the near future.
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During a recent interview with Ion Hazzikostas, IGN asked if the Activision Blizzard game would be receiving a console port in the future. Hazzikostas spoke candidly about the future ofWorld of Warcraftby stating the game is “designed from the ground up for PC.” Another problem with playingWorld of Warcrafton consolesis the MMO’s reliance on add-ons to customize the experience for each player, which Hazzikostas speaks to. Although add-ons exist for some console games, such asFallout 4andSkyrim, there may be add-on related issues, according to Hazzikostas. “I think we’ve just been looking at the ways in which add-ons have at times felt increasingly required.”
Maintaining his honest tone, Hazzikostas admits thatWorld of Warcraftplayers often recommend others download add-ons to change aspects of the game, and there are add-ons like Deadly Boss Mods that have become a staple of most raid groups. According to the Game Director, Activision Blizzard wants to do better for its community, and this is reflected in UI changes highlighted during the recentDragonflightexpansion reveal. Alluding to the add-ons that makeWorld of Warcraftplayable with a gamepad, Hazzikostas didn’t discuss if the gamepad additions with theShadowlandsalpha will be improved upon in the future.
Most players that have triedWorld of Warcraftwith a controller have done so with the aid of add-ons in the past, but some have experimented with the Steam Controller in an effort to find the optimal gamepad for its layout. Hopeful Xbox players spread rumors thatWorld of Warcraftwould eventually come toXboxin competition withFinal Fantasy 14since Activision Blizzard was acquired by Microsoft, but that’s likely not the case, given Hazzikostas' statement. However, while Hazzikostas has stated thatWorld of Warcraftfor consoles isn’t currently in the works, the MMO may still eventually make its way there in the future given, its longevity.
