Greetings, everyone!
Inspired by the mega-thread on the WoW Classic forums, I thought it would be handy to similarly compile all the information we have so far about Warcraft 3 Reforged into a one big thread.
I’ll cite all of the sources for all the information and I will be updating this post when new info is released. Notify me, if you come across something that is not mentioned and be sure to correct me, if I have something wrong or misleading, or whatever. Though, if you decide to do so, point out your sources, like interviews, screenshots or other material that can be confirmed. Leaks and rumors should be taken with caution and I will mention about it on the list, if that’s the case.
Note, that everything in this post may be a subject to change and we cannot know what’s eventually going to end up on the final product, until we get it.
To make the community’s voices heard, there are the several ways:
- Blizzard is reading these Official Forums
- Blizzard is also reading all other fansites, Reddit and Discord.
A few notes and explanations for the terms:
- “A possibility” is a short for something, that was discussed and is mostly up to the community to decide, whether it should be implemented or not.
- “A likely possibility” is a similar case, but was emphasized by Blizzard in terms of something like “we’re definitely looking into that”.
- “A cautious possibility” is something Blizzard wasn’t actually planning for, but, again, is up to the community to make their voices heard.
- Confirmed points have been proven to happen by Blizzard clearly stating it themselves or Blizzard giving a clear answer in form of “yes”.
- I bold the latest information from the latest batch of information, italic is just for highlighting.
- Source notes will be marked inside [brackets]. Rumors and other non-confirmed speculation is marked with [*].
- Also, note that I am not a native English speaker, so please point out, if something is confusing, unclear or otherwise oddly phrased.
LIST OF CHANGES by category
Next week:
- Undead and more game modes (3v3, FFA)
- Night elves will be added some time later
- UI changes
Later:
- World Editor and Custom Games coming soon
Reforged:
- Warcraft 3 Reforged will be released at the latest on December 31st, 2019[1]
- US and German law dictate, that a game must be released within a year from the date when pre-purchase was made available
- This was actually a misunderstood line and it merely meant that the release date had to be announced when the pre-orders are made available. It also says nothing that the release date couldn’t be delayed or moved.
- Reforged will be released at some time in 2019, so the release is not delayed, but an exact date was not given[22]
- US and German law dictate, that a game must be released within a year from the date when pre-purchase was made available
- The game engine is still the same Warcraft 3 engine[3][4][5]…
- So far, there’s really no plans for a co-op play[7], but as always, make your voice heard, if this is something the community wants
- No answer on Linux support[5]
Effects to Classic unclear:
- There will be achievements, at least in Reforged[5][15]
- Hotkeys will be customizable and made easier to change (likely something similar to Starcraft 2 style)[5][15]
- There’s going to be several tutorials in a form of mini-games to teach players to play the game (compare to Starcraft 2)[7][9]
- There will be quite some quality-of-life improvements[1][8][9]
Classic & Reforged:
- Warcraft 3 will be moved to the Battle Net desktop application, which will bring in Blizzard’s modern matchmaking and improved netcode[1][5][8]…
- Reforged is compatible with the Classic Warcraft 3, so players playing the Classic version will be able to play against Reforged players and vice versa[5][11]
- LAN functionality confirmed[7]
- Warcraft 3 will have numerous balance tweaks, starting to take effect already[1][5][7]
- There will be bug fixes, which will also already be implemented into the game[7][8][10]
- Ultra-wide screen resolutions a likely possibility
- Sound quality is being updated and possibly the music is also getting some sort of treatment[5]
- The modern system will not affect the players’ ping, as the servers are hosted by Blizzard (unlike the peer-to-peer system, like in Starcraft)[7]
- 12-unit-selection limit will not be removed[4][22]
- There’s a slight possibility that Custom Games may get around this restriction at some point in the future[18][5][7][22]
- Changes to collision, unit pathing and AI are under a cautious possibility[5][10]
- Harder AI opponents a possibility[5][14]
Reforged:
- The Clans system will be implemented in Reforged as well[7][8]
- Automated tournaments will be present in Reforged[5][8][14]
- Your multiplayer progress and stats will carry over to Reforged[8][9]
- There will not be a proper competitive ladder at release, it will be included in the first major post-release patch[22]
Classic & Reforged:
- “Smurfs” and multiple multiplayer accounts are a possibility[7]
- Single account system confirmed
- Reconnecting to a game after a disconnect is a likely possibility[5]
- Ladder system is being revamped[5][7]
- Dividing the ladders into two, the traditional and a progressive ladder, is possible[7]
- Race-based matchmaking, as well as own matchmaking rating for different gamemodes
- There’s going to be an observation mode, where other people can watch other players play[7]
- Observation mode will have a zoom out feature[22]
Reforged:
- Old campaign is still playable (most likely even with the new graphics)
- Both Reign of Chaos and The Frozen Throne campaign missions will be reforged[1][5][9]
- The map layouts will be redesigned to be similar with the world we know from World of Warcraft (look at the BlizzCon Culling of Stratholme demo[5])[4][8][10]
- Dalaran and Silvermoon will be remade
- The demo campaign is also possibly remade[14]
- All in-game cutscenes will be remade with the new graphics[1] and they use the new World Editor’s camera system[4]
- Most parts of the in-game cutscenes will stay the same[22]
- All nine campaign cinematics will be remastered, but not fully redone[4][5][13]
- Arthas’ and Illidan’s battle in the Icecrown will be redone in the game engine, thus will not be remade into an actual cinematic
- All voice acting will be re-recorded[2][4][5]… and you will be able to switch back and forth between the new and the old voices[5][7][8]
- Many of the voice actors from World of Warcraft will be doing their respective roles in Reforged[4][5]
- Some of the jokes and other comments units make when clicked multiple times will be slightly changed[2]
- There will be no new voice lines[21]
- Many of the story retcons are not confirmed, however they are building a little bridge between Warcraft 3, World of Warcraft and the novels[2][3][8]…
- The emphasis is still on the Warcraft 3’s story and increasing the depth of that original story[3][12][14]
- In general, they want to make it to be in line with World of Warcraft[2] and the overall Warcraft universe lore and fix up some confusions[5], but “there are parts, that make Warcraft 3, Warcraft 3…”[14]
- Dialogue will be “cleaned up” and few lines added here and there[2][4][7]
- Some of the lesser characters, like Jaina and Sylvanas, may get some more screen time[2][4][12]
- Some of the originally cut-out dialogues, that were left as placeholders, will now be added in and voice-acted[4]
- Apparently, the story of the campaign won’t be changed at all after all[20]
- An easy difficulty mode (or “story mode”) will be added[16]
Classic & Reforged:
- –
Reforged:
- –
Classic & Reforged:
- The Upgraded World Editor is still the same editor, but it will have a plethora of new features[1][5][10]. The known features so far:
- The ability to increase inventory size a likely possibility[5]
- Bigger maps confirmed[4]
- Whether this means map file size or the actual size of the playable map area is unclear
- New triggers[4][8]
- LUA support[4][7]
- New JASS commands[8] and natives
- The UI is now modular, so parts of it can be moved[7] and hidden[9][10]
- The terrain and tiling system will be revamped[7]
- The camera system will receive some sort of changes[4]
- Map makers can control where each player spawns in melee maps, meaning, for example, that in a 2v2 map team members can be forced to spawn next to each other
- The updated Editor is going be fully compatible with Classic Warcraft 3, so it should be able to open up old maps and they will be automatically updated to the new graphics and assets[8][9][10]…
- However, if the old map uses a lot of exploits, hacks or third-party-tools, there might be some problems
- Many of these will be fixed and/or made useless with the added features of the new Editor[3][5][10]…
- All maps will be playable in both Classic and Reforged Warcraft 3[3][9][10]…
- However, if the old map uses a lot of exploits, hacks or third-party-tools, there might be some problems
- There will be better filtering for searching custom games[4]
- Custom games will utilize cloud services[4]
- The model editors Blizzard uses to make the new models will be available with the new World Editor[4][8]
- There will be tutorials to these new tools[4] and guides to make the custom models look the same as the Blizzard ones[8]
- Also the World Editor will get tutorials and guides to get new players started with it[8][9][10]
Notes:
It is actually unclear how exactly the World Editor will work with the new graphics, for example. It is unknown, if there is even going to be separate World Editors for Reforged and Classic, considering we should be able to get our hands on the updated Editor long before the release of Reforged.
“[Reforged World Editor] is not a separate new editor and it is not the SC2 editor in WC3! It is strictly the current World Editor upgraded.”[18]
Reforged:
- All visuals, including textures, models and animations, are rebuilt from the ground up[1], supporting up to 4K graphics[8][15]
- You are able to switch back and forth between the old and the new graphics[3][5][8]…
- Heroes will have cosmetics skins[5][6][10]… for melee games[7], including:
- Lore characters from the campaign[5][6][7]…
- Female versions of some of the male heroes and vice versa[7][11]
- Individual units will have different variations[10]
- Unit skins also hinted and a likely possibility[10]
- There will be around 1,000 completely new assets (like unit, hero and doodad models) created for Reforged[17] on top of the 4,000 redone assets
- All unit variations will have totally unique, not just re-colored, models (for example, two different type of murlocs will actually look different, not just two colors of the same model)
- The UI will be updated (as shown in the BlizzCon Culling of Stratholme demo[5])[1]
- There will be no new UI, but the old one will be remastered[22]
- All icons will be remade
- Ray tracing confirmed[8]
- Anti-aliasing will be turned on all the time[8]
Effects to Classic unclear:
- New units / unit skins confirmed so far:
- Female zombie[10]
Classic & Reforged:
- The old UI will be remastered with HD textures[7]
- All the old graphics, like model textures, will have higher resolution[7][8]
Reforged:
- Warcraft 3 Reforged will be available in two editions: the standard, which includes all the features presented, and the Spoils of War Edition, which will also include extra content:[1][6][9]…
- 4 unique hero skins for Reforged itself
- Pets, card backs, mounts and heroes for other Blizzard games
- For more details, see:
https://us.shop.battle.net/en-us/product/warcraft-iii-reforged?blzcmp=wcr_shop_hpsticky%2F
- System requirements are yet to be announced
- A boxed, physical copy of the game is not confirmed[7]
- There are no plans for the Spoils of War Edition having a physical copy at this time[4]
- Beta is live!
- First waves of Beta invitations will go to those, who pre-ordered the Spoils of War Edition and later other players will be invited, such as those who pre-ordered the Standard version[19]
- Everyone who pre-ordered will have access to the beta within two weeks
- The Beta will most likely focus on the aspects, that have changed from original Warcraft 3, such as the Culling of Stratholme[4]
- First waves of Beta invitations will go to those, who pre-ordered the Spoils of War Edition and later other players will be invited, such as those who pre-ordered the Standard version[19]
- Reforged will be available in 13 Languages: English, German, French, Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish (Latin American), Spanish (European), Polish, Italian, Russian, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Thai[1][3][5]
- Those languages that already exist, will get a re-recorded voice acting, same way English gets[5] See: Campaign section
- So far, there is no plans for future content[3][4][7], but if the game is successful, the Classics Team is looking forward to it[7][8][14]
Classic & Reforged:
- All Reign of Chaos, The Frozen Throne and Reforged are merged into one client[9][10][11]
- From now on, you can’t buy only Reign of Chaos or The Frozen Throne, instead they both will be included in Reforged[9][10][11]
- The Classic version will still be available to owners of Reforged[1][10]
- The Classic Warcraft 3 will already be available to those, who pre-purchase Reforged[1]
- You will not get a new account, if you already own Warcraft 3 and then buy Reforged, instead your current Warcraft 3 account (i.e. classic CD-keys) will work just same and can be used to play Classic Warcraft 3. To access Reforged, you use your Battle Net account[8][9]
- The Classic Team is also looking towards eSports, but not much was revealed[7][9]
- Back2Warcraft assured “you don’t have to worry”[15]
- Warcraft 3 not likely coming to consoles[10]
Sources:
- [1]
https://playwarcraft3.com/en-us/ - [2]
https://www.gameinformer.com/exclusive-interview/2018/11/07/how-blizzard-is-updating-warcraft-iiis-fiction-for-reforged - [3]
https://www.wowhead.com/news=288379/wowhead-interview-with-warcraft-iii-reforged-team-at-blizzcon-2018 - [4]
https://www.mmo-champion.com/content/8179-Warcraft-III-Reforged-Interview-How-Women-Came-to-Rule-the-World-of-Warcraft-DLC - [16]
https://wow.gamepedia.com/Forum:BlizzCon_2018_questions - [17]
https://warcraft3.info/articles/216/press-conference-with-rob-bridenbecker-and-brian-sousa - [18]
https://www.hiveworkshop.com/threads/reforged-recap-the-future-of-warcraft-part-ii.316817/ - [19]
https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/warcraft3/23150112/warcraft-iii-reforged-s-multiplayer-beta-begins-this-week - [20]
https://www.polygon.com/2019/11/1/20944518/warcraft-3-reforged-story-retcon-world-of-warcraft-wow - [21]
https://www.pcgamer.com/warcraft-3-reforgeds-story-isnt-changing-to-fit-wow-because-people-love-the-voice-actors/
[5]
[6]
[7]
[8]
Transcript by BlizzPlanet: http://warcraft.blizzplanet.com/blog/comments/blizzcon-2018-warcraft-iii-reforged-panel-transcript
http://warcraft.blizzplanet.com/blog/comments/blizzcon-2018-warcraft-iii-reforged-panel-transcript/2
http://warcraft.blizzplanet.com/blog/comments/blizzcon-2018-warcraft-iii-reforged-panel-transcript/3
[9]
[10]
[11]
[12]
[13]
[14]
[15]
