To the Esteemed Developers and Executives at Blizzard,
I write to you not just as Moonwing, a Druid of many seasons, but as a voice for the thousands who call the Australian realms their home. Your recent decision to close down these realms cuts deeper than any blade Ragnaros has ever wielded. This decision threatens to sever the community that has flourished here, a community built on the joy of playing together in harmony, with low latency and shared time.
The Australian realms were more than just servers; they were sanctuaries where players could experience Azeroth in sync with their own world. The sun rose and set as it did outside their windows. With this closure, we face the disorienting prospect of server times that no longer align with our own. The rhythms of Azeroth’s day and night cycle will now feel alien, forcing us to adventure in perpetual twilight or dawn, disconnected from the world we’ve come to know.
Additionally, playing on an American server when the bulk of its population sleeps leaves us in desolate zones. The cities that were once bustling at our peak hours will now be eerily quiet. We’ll find ourselves shouting into the void for allies to join us in dungeons or raids, only to be met with silence. Those who wish to see our names in the world, to carve out our own identities, will be forced to compromise, caught between the fear of missing out on that chance and the heartache of a fragmented community.
The situation is further complicated by the current state of the game. Many of us are well-geared, and with fewer new players joining the fray, groups grow scarce. People are disheartened, questioning whether to continue investing in a world where the social fabric seems to be fraying. The influx of new players is already a rarity in this version of the game; this decision risks turning that rarity into an impossibility. It feels as though the spirit of adventure is being choked out, not by the trials of Azeroth but by this looming shadow.
We implore you to reconsider this decision, not just for us but for the longevity of this world we all cherish. The Australian realms represent more than just a segment of your player base; they are communities, friendships, and memories. Without them, many will lose the heart to continue, feeling as though they’ve been cast adrift on an ocean too vast and indifferent.
Let us not forget that at the core of World of Warcraft is community—the true magic that draws us all back, year after year. Please, Blizzard, let us keep our lands and our time. Let us continue to play in a world where the sun rises and sets with us, where we can shout for comrades and hear the call answered.
In hope and moonlit resolve,
Moonwing
Royal Resto Supreme of the Order of the Silver Star,
Moonwing of the Ratchet Rum Company