Nothing guides you to go to Exile's Reach as a new player

Guides New Player Help and Guides
1

A friend of mine started playing for the first time and I mentioned there’s a new player starter experience that’s really good. I then found out they had started in the normal race start zone instead of Exile’s reach. When I asked them how come, they said they picked Sunstrider Isle because it looked more inviting.

I then realized there’s nothing telling a new player where the best start is for them, or anything at all for that matter. You get to pick from two names that mean nothing to you if you are new.

2

See, I would believe you, but new players quite literally CAN’T choose that option.
They are forced to play Exile’s Reach.
And beyond that, even if he wasn’t locked to only Exile’s Reach, basic reading of when you create a new character, ANY new character, new player or not, quite literally gives you a description of what both options are. Any altoholic like myself can confirm that.

This is a self-inflicted issue. Also how everyone pre-BFA played anyway (race starter area). So I really don’t see how this is an issue outside of your friend just being dumb.

So two options
Either your friend didn’t want to play a tutorial
or your friend is just an idiot.

“when creating a new character in World of Warcraft, experienced players are given a choice screen that includes descriptions for both the Exile’s Reach starting zone and the character’s racial starting zone. New players making their very first character are automatically sent to Exile’s Reach without seeing this choice.”

3

Interesting.

It WAS the case, at least, as Lumysol says, that a new player COULD NOT choose anything; they were sent to Exile’s Reach automatically. I wondered whether Blizzard changed that recently.

So I checked the latest official information:

https://us.support.blizzard.com/en/article/296577

and it is still the same.

Now, I personally think Exile’s Reach is Very Very Bad. I have ranted about it before, so I won’t repeat, but I call is Cardboard Isle.

DKs and DHs go to their own starter zones regardless, but neither of those are Sunstrider Isle, so I assume thatis not what happened with your friend.

If your friend truly was a new BattleNet, maybe it was a bug? or maybe he started another character first, and got mixed up?

I don’t know, but what you describe is not intended behavior. Which is a pity.