World of warcraft: Shadowlands announced

[Wilian]

But they mate by intertwining their eyebrows.

 

[Boleskine]

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...owlands-is-killing-its-gender-transition-fee/

World Of Warcraft: Shadowlands is killing its gender transition fee
Natalie Clayton

Contributor

9th July 2020 / 5:45PM

By all accounts, changing gender in World Of Warcraf has always been simpler than doing it for real. No appointments, no faff, no convincing Bobby Kotick through two years “lived experience” – just pay Blizzard a small fee and they’d let you rebuild your digital persona from the ground up. With this year’s World Of Warcraft: Shadowlands expansion, even that hurdle is getting the boot, as it becomes yet another option under Azeroth’s increasingly-talented barbers.

Prior to the in-game barbershop, the only way to alter your character’s hair, skin colour, facial features or gender was through a paid character customisation service. Popping to the hairdressers from Wrath Of The Lich King onwards soon made much of that redundant, but you’d still need to fork out £13 to change gender or skin colour.

Speaking to our pals at Eurogamer, however, executive producer John Hight explained that the cost of transition is being removed in World Of Warcraft: Shadowlands. “As we were adding things up in Shadowlands, we realised, ‘Gosh the only way you can change your gender in World of Warcraft is to go through this paid service,” Hight explains. “And we felt like that’s not the right message.”

While he admits it’s something they “right now”, expect this change to arrive when Shadowlands rolls around later this year. Granted, even 13 quid was still a damn sight cheaper and more timely than trying to achieve the same means via the UK’s healthcare service. Damn, Nat, got ’em.



The conversation apparently came up after discussing a minor Shadowlands character named Pelagos, who – according to a forum post last week – many reckon may be the game’s first openly trans character. As community manager Kaivax explained: “A key part of the Bastion storyline is that Aspirants are able to choose a physical form that represents their true self. Pelagos, who presented as a woman in his mortal life, chose to be a man in the Shadowlands”.

Listen, though. As a queer person who’s been in a love/hate relationship with World Of Warcraft for the better part of two decades, I’m hesitant. I wouldn’t be the first to start messing with gender identity in Blizzard’s monolithic MMO, and seeing that reflection by the fiction would be a welcome recognition of that. But the text of that game has deeply troubled politics. Limited customisation options mean player characters are split between hunky guys and busty women, while races like Trolls and Tauren struggle to escape their roots in real-world stereotypes. The studio’s gender politics are also a bit weird, as critic Nico Deya wrote for Vice regarding Blizzard’s uneasy, fearful approach to their female leads.

I’m not sure that I trust Blizzard with a trans narrative right now, even for as seemingly minor a character. Honestly, though, I’m not sure what them pulling one off would even look like. But hey, maybe they’ll manage it. I’d not be averse to seeing more varied voices in that world, after all. It’s just a shame your man had to die before transitioning – that’s a damn sight more costly than a tenner-and-change.

Our on-call World Of Warcraft expert Christos Reid has been plugging away at Shadowlands for the last few weeks. With a massively revamped new player experience, the ageing MMO might finally be something you can recommend to pals without signing them up for a months-long trawl through decade-old questing. Nice, that.

Obligatory author twitter pic:

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Listen, though. As a queer person who’s been in a love/hate relationship with World Of Warcraft for the better part of two decades, I’m hesitant. I wouldn’t be the first to start messing with gender identity in Blizzard’s monolithic MMO, and seeing that reflection by the fiction would be a welcome recognition of that. But the text of that game has deeply troubled politics. Limited customisation options mean player characters are split between hunky guys and busty women, while races like Trolls and Tauren struggle to escape their roots in real-world stereotypes. The studio’s gender politics are also a bit weird, as critic Nico Deya wrote for Vice regarding Blizzard’s uneasy, fearful approach to their female leads.

I’m not sure that I trust Blizzard with a trans narrative right now, even for as seemingly minor a character. Honestly, though, I’m not sure what them pulling one off would even look like. But hey, maybe they’ll manage it. I’d not be averse to seeing more varied voices in that world, after all. It’s just a shame your man had to die before transitioning – that’s a damn sight more costly than a tenner-and-change.

Reminder that it is never enough. It doesn't matter ho much pandering you do, it is never enough for them.

 

[Dawkinsfan69]

I was high and i preordered this stupid shit and blizz won't refund my preorder they were like
'we are not responsible for your purchasing decisions when ur high kid'
well fuck you then blizz

Spoiler

also getting rid of gender change fee is good they should also remove race change fee for some reason all of my characters are blood elf females and I dont wannt play that cringe shit I wanna change em all to troll or undead males

not that i play this garbage game tho
its the thought that counts

 

[Russia is over. The end.]

I preordered too, in hopes of getting a beta. And I got jack shit for my generosity.

 

[Hoaxmetal]

I preordered too, in hopes of getting a beta. And I got jack shit for my generosity.

You hoped to get a beta but alas you were the beta. Daily reminder that pre-ordering is simping.

 

[Dawkinsfan69]

feel u dude i've had an account forever and haven't received a single beta invite for anything
may or may not have something to do with the fact that I sub to the game maybe one or two months each year and constantly ask for refunds because I'm always disappointed with the garbo blizz puts out tho

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Remember when Sylvanas was just some dumb bitch that got gutted by Arthas in WC3?

When the fuck did she become a comic book character?

Prolly when SHE DID!

Spoiler

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

So this jailer takes souls, like the demons of the burning legion do. Is he a demon type monster? An elemental lord? Shadow elemental? What is it with horde and working for demons?

Look no further than politics like The Demoncrats working with hordes of idiots to burn, loot, murder, and cause chaos. Games imitate life.

 

[Dawkinsfan69]

ayy they delayed shadowlands
which means I was able to get a refund of my preorder
wooooo!

 

[Myobi]

Question, when does BFA becomes F2P? I know that Blizz makes the old xpacks free, I just would like to know when, is at the release of the new one? with the pre-patch?

 

[1451]

October 13th.

 

[Myobi]

October 13th.

Is that for me? It's with the pre-patch then, right? Fankz.

 

[1451]

Also corruption stops working then, no more op specs.

 

[fizzelopeguss]

Ion is a retard that needs sacking.

 

[Dawkinsfan69]

no, streamers who play the game 80 hours per week and think that every game design decision should revolve around them are retards who need sacking

 

[Russia is over. The end.]

Ion is a retard that needs sacking.

Why? Because some youtuber said so?

 

[Dawkinsfan69]

Ion is a retard that needs sacking.

Why? Because some youtuber said so?

based bester

 

[Delterius]

damn we wouldn't want mmo players stuck at home during a pandemic now would we

 

[fizzelopeguss]

Ion is a retard that needs sacking.

Why? Because some youtuber said so?

No, because his expansions are shit.

 

[J1M]

Ion is a retard that needs sacking.

Why? Because some youtuber said so?

No, because his expansions are shit.

The problem with WoW since WoD is wonderfully illustrated by this 2017 Blizzcon panel.

Look at how many cooks are in the kitchen here. It isn't even on their radar that this is a phenomenal amount of overhead for a mid-dungeon boss. They are proud of the consensus-paralysis and they measure the ideation of something like this in days. Just imagine how much bike-shedding takes place for things that actually matter, like class abilities.

 

[GrainWetski]

Ion is a retard that needs sacking.

They merely forgot to add Thrall fucking Arthas up the ass.

https://global.techradar.com/en-za/...in-a-more-lgbtq-inclusive-future-for-the-game

 

[Deleted member 7219]

 

[J1M]

The only people willing to work for battle.net bucks are danger-hairs. They can't stop it from seeping into the game, so they are calling it intentional.

 

[Generic-Giant-Spider]

"This is an expansion centered around death and the hellish afterlife that you, yes you, are going to be delving into because kicking the shit out of previous expansion bosses from a better time is all we can come up with these days. Any questions?"

"Yes, will there be homosexual representation?"

The state of 2020.

 

[Dexter]

http://www.wolfsheadonline.com/worl...oduces-blizzards-first-transgender-character/

https://eu.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/gay-night-elf-marriage-is-now-part-of-lore-spoilers/176744

Stormwind City Guards and Civilians Receive Updated Diverse Appearances in Shadowlands
posted 26 days ago by perculia
As announced by Blizzard at the Shadowlands Press Event, Stormwind City Guards and civilians will receive updated appearances in the expansion, reflecting greater representation in Azeroth.

Today's Shadowlands build added more skin tones for male and female Stormwind Guards, as well as new appearances for various vendors and civilians around the city such as Naomi, Larimaine Purdue, Suzanne, Stormwind Fisherman, and Allison Potts.




Blizzard is also starting to add other Shadowlands customization options besides skin tones to old NPCs. For example, Ithurian Whitespire has new Night Elf eyes, facial hair, and tattoo options while Sarana Damir has a new Human Female haircut and necklace.

Also saw this going around - apparently these are some of the people writing WarCraft lore for Blizzard now

https://boundingintocomics.com/2020...covery-of-racist-anti-white-anti-male-tweets/

 

[Russia is over. The end.]

Good stuff: