(Image credit: Blizzard)
Blizzard has taken an unexpected step, announcing it will revive certain World of Warcraft Classic Hardcore characters that perished during recent DDoS attacks. These attacks have disrupted raid stability, causing headaches for dedicated players.
For those enjoying WoW Classic, the recent DDoS attack (distributed denial-of-service) has been more than just a nuisance. Typically, during such interruptions, players are simply disconnected. But on Hardcore servers, death is permanent as characters become ghosts, effectively ending a player’s progress.
After some members of the renowned guild OnlyFangs lost characters due to these mishaps, the guild declared, “If this is just how it is, then yeah, that’s the end,” signaling a halt to their raids. However, hope was restored when Blizzard‘s associate production director, Clay Stone, noted on the forums: “In the future, Blizzard may elect – at our sole discretion – to revive Hardcore characters that perish in a mass event which we deem inconsistent with the integrity of the game, such as a DDoS attack.”
This decision delights Hardcore enthusiasts previously resigned to losing characters from unforeseen events. But Stone cautions: “Our broader stance on character restorations or death appeals has not changed. We do not intend to revive characters which have died due to server disconnects, lag spikes, gameplay bugs, or any other reasons. Blizzard Customer Support cannot assist with issues related to characters who have died on Hardcore realms.”
For those hoping for more leniency, the rules remain strict. Hardcore WoW remains a formidable challenge not for the timid.
Community reactions on Twitter are mostly positive. “I’m 100% ok with Blizzard reviving affected players of DDoS attacks,” stated one supporter. Another chimed in, “Extremely rare Blizzard W.”
Still, some perceive this move as biased, with critics claiming it’s only due to OnlyFangs, a high-profile guild, threatening to quit. “Nepotism is alive and well at Blizzard,” tweeted a skeptic. “Thousands of paying customers that lost their characters due to griefers, DCs, and server instability were told to suck it up. But when a bunch of their favorite streamers/friends are affected, they suddenly bend the knee.”
Some players fear this could incite more DDoS attacks to gain recognition. One player commented, “Horrible call, just encourages more of these to happen so they can get their moments of fame. OnlyFangs from the get-go was a bad idea, too many big wigs for trolls to go for.”
For those taking a break from WoW amid this chaos, explore the best online games to play with friends instead.