Faction Identity

[Adanowa-shuhalo]

@Sarm-malganis

It already sucks to be “repped” by two species of elf if you liked the horde for its monster races, but I think combining or removing factions would just make it worse.

Factions definitely should not be removed.

[Myzrym-area-52]

@Jhaella-maladath

The game just becomes “Humans and friends” vs “Orcs and friends”.

And merging them would just make the game “Elves and friends.”

[Jhaella-maladath]

@Myzrym-area-52

And merging them would just make the game “Elves and friends.”

That’s kind of what the game already is for Horde, so no change there.

[Shalemara-moon-guard]

I mean faction identity is still there. It’s not like they deleted content like SoO or all of BFA from the game. Plus, we of course still have faction specific cities, allied races etc. PVP is still a thing, with a new BG that just dropped in TWW. Player housing will also be uniquely represented for both factions. Just seems they’re making most content primarily fused these days to add a bit more bulk to patches.

There are actually quite a few players who only play one faction. I can definitely tell you that I’ve met players who absolutely refuse to play the opposing faction. So, in that sense, some of those players might’ve felt in the past there was nothing to do because they’d quickly finish their faction content without realizing development time was split to create unique experiences for both.

[Adanowa-shuhalo]

@Jhaella-maladath

That’s kind of what the game already is for Horde, so no change.

I think many players do not enjoy elf and friends.

[Myzrym-area-52]

@Shalemara-moon-guard

There are actually quite a few players who only play one faction. I can definitely tell you that I’ve met players who absolutely refuse to play the opposing faction.

I feel seen.

@Shalemara-moon-guard

So, in that sense, some of those players might’ve felt in the past there was nothing to do because they’d quickly finish their faction content without realizing development time was split to create unique experiences for both.

But never cared about this. That was a story for another person to enjoy while my faction’s was for me. Worked out fine imo.

[Jhaella-maladath]

Something like 30-40% of all Horde characters are Blood elf, with everyone else on Horde being splintered up among other races. Blood elves together with Night elves, are probably the majority of players in this game.

[Schlepprock-aggramar]

Well , there probably wouldnt be much uproar in the real world if someone as inconsequential as the King of Zandalar was killed.

[Adanowa-shuhalo]

@Schlepprock-aggramar

Well , there probably wouldnt be much uproar in the real world if someone as inconsequential as the King of Zandalar was killed.

You don’t seem to understand how alliances and politics work.

[Asterithel-moon-guard]

Yup, I care a lot more about the race I play than the faction I play in. Faction pride has never really been a thing for me. Especially since the factions are so stuck in their themes. Orc for Horde, Human for Alliance. So much so that if feels less like faction pride and more Orc/Human pride.

I would rather smaller, racial stories for each of the races, and one central story everyone can play together.

[Dollfacê-area-52]

Completely agree with op

This is one of the many reasons I think I’m going to switch to strictly playing classic era.

This company has listened for too long to people who never cared about what made this game great in the first place.

[Shalemara-moon-guard]

I think player feedback to BFA was what primarily killed faction unique content and the faction war. Though I’m not dismissing issues with Azerite and Magni, a lot of it also had to do with the cries of favoritism between factions. Horde screaming they’re getting the villain bat. Alliance screaming they’re having another city destroyed. Plus, it seemed a lot of people felt there was nothing to do at the initial launch of BFA, without realizing that you were kind of meant to play both factions to get the whole experience.

Idk, maybe they’ll go back to faction specific content and the faction war again someday but feels like they were only listening to player feedback back then which is what landed us in the position we’re at today. If you only play one faction, you’re going to be missing out on half of the content drops in those scenarios sadly. Also, many faction specific players get too personally invested and expect their faction to always be seen as perfect or on top, I think. I don’t know if there was any narrative scenario Blizzard could’ve written to give both sides of those playerbases satisfaction.

I think Blizzard just primarily want to play it safe. Does it get stale knowing we’re all friends now and we’ve put the war behind us? Sure. However, maybe that’s better than having a wholly dissatisfied playerbase that feels they’re being mistreated because one of their favorite characters died or their faction lost territory or their faction didn’t get as much content in the patch from their perspective. Basically, unified content leaves less room for accusations of favoritism and player division in Blizzard’s eyes I think.

[Dommont-saurfang]

If by factions, you mean Alliance and Horde, that’s dead as a doornail - at least from a Horde player’s perspective. Blizzard killed it when they replace Thrall as Warchief. I did not sign up to serve under his loony successors - Blizzard loss my “buy in”. The Horde should have splintered long ago.

[Adanowa-shuhalo]

@Dollfacê-area-52

Completely agree with op

This is one of the many reasons I think I’m going to switch to strictly playing classic era.

This company has listened for too long to people who never cared about what made this game great in the first place.

This is why Blizzard is losing money. The majority of players who have been playing since Classic hate what they are doing with faction identity. Currently the game has 7.25 million players. At the peak it had 12 million subscribers. If Blizzard keeps this up the game will fail.

[Asarielle-saurfang]

@Adanowa-shuhalo

That does not mean the players should except that.

Hell yeah dude. The problem is when the game becomes streamlined, the horde narrative gets lost. Alliance story will always take precedence and it’s sad. The horde have always had a different perspective, and I’ve always enjoyed it.

Not to turn it political, but being an indigenous person irl whose people still struggle with colonization and the expected assimilation of my people and our language being endangered - I’ve always felt connected to the Horde story and their point of view.

[Adanowa-shuhalo]

@Asarielle-saurfang

Not to turn it political, but being an indigenous person irl whose people still struggle with colonization and the expected assimilation of my people and our language being endangered - I’ve always felt connected to the Horde story and their point of view.

I completely understand where you’re coming from. The Horde’s story, with its themes of survival, resistance, and holding onto cultural identity despite overwhelming forces. I love the Horde for similar reasons.

[Phlynch-sentinels (Phlynch)]

The Horde’s story is about picking fights they can’t win, and then pinning said fight on a convenient patsy.

That’s why the Horde doesn’t get story anymore. They’re out of people to blame their attempted genocides on.

[Naughtymoon-proudmoore (Naughtymoon)]

I’ll take Dark Iron Dwarves and maybe male Humans for eye candy from Alliance for Horde but the rest yeah no.

[Ilovemilk-area-52]

Did you just copypaste this from ChatGPT?

[Kholgrimm-wyrmrest-accord]

it would be nice if we got questlines in zones featuring 1 horde/1 alliance leader, especially ones that may have absolutely nothing in common together, like if rokhan and mekkatorque had to team up or if jaina and gazlowe had to team up. it could be interesting to see what each character brings to take table and how even if they don’t become friends by the end of it, they might learn something new about themselves. also just to give spotlights to each faction rather than passing the baton between ally/horde