We, the undersigned players and supporters of World of Warcraft (WoW) from the Oceania region, write this petition to express our outrage at Blizzard Entertainment’s failure to provide dedicated Oceanic (OCE) servers for the newly launched Fresh Classic WoW realms in 2024. This decision is not only unjust but also represents a significant failure to meet the expectations of a loyal, paying customer base.
Why This Is Unacceptable
Unfair Service Disparity: Players from Australia, New Zealand, and neighboring regions face latency ranging from 150ms to 300ms when connecting to North American servers. This places us at a significant disadvantage in PvP, reaction-based mechanics, and competitive gameplay. For $20 AUD/month, we are being offered an inferior gaming experience compared to our NA counterparts.
OCE Player Base Is Being Ignored: Oceanic players form a dedicated and active community within the WoW ecosystem. Our presence on retail WoW OCE servers demonstrates that we are a vital and sustainable market. By omitting OCE servers in Fresh Classic, Blizzard effectively disregards a substantial portion of their global audience.
Double Standards in Service: Blizzard has consistently supported OCE players in Retail WoW by providing dedicated servers. Why is the Fresh Classic player base being treated as less deserving? This decision contradicts Blizzard’s promise to support its global community and deliver a fair and enjoyable experience to all players.
Premium Pricing, Subpar Support: WoW subscription fees are uniform worldwide, but the quality of service is not. Charging Australian players the same as NA players, while offering significantly worse gameplay conditions, is a clear violation of consumer trust and fairness.
Technical and Financial Feasibility: Blizzard already has operational OCE servers for Retail WoW in Sydney, Australia. Expanding server infrastructure to Fresh Classic would require far fewer resources than establishing new data centers. This is not a question of technical capability but of willingness to invest in player satisfaction.
Our Demands
Immediate Deployment of OCE Servers for Fresh Classic WoW: We demand the launch of dedicated OCE servers to ensure fair gameplay conditions for all players in our region.
Acknowledgment of Regional Disparity: Blizzard must publicly address the decision-making process that led to the exclusion of OCE servers and outline their plan to rectify this oversight.
Commitment to Equal Service: Going forward, we expect Blizzard to provide equal service to all regions, particularly when charging uniform subscription fees.
Why Blizzard Should Care
Player Retention: Many OCE players are reconsidering their subscriptions due to the lack of support. Losing a portion of your player base in an already niche mode (Fresh Classic) is not a sustainable strategy.
Community Trust: Blizzard’s reputation has already been damaged by past controversies. This decision further alienates a loyal segment of the community that has supported WoW for decades.
Competitive Integrity: Fair competition is essential to the spirit of WoW. By forcing OCE players to endure higher latency, Blizzard undermines the integrity of both PvP and PvE gameplay.
Blizzard Entertainment, it is time to recognize the importance of your Oceanic community. We have been loyal, paying players for years, and we demand the same level of respect and support as players in North America and Europe. By providing OCE servers for Fresh Classic WoW, you can demonstrate your commitment to global player equity and restore the faith of a frustrated and underserved community.
Sign This Petition
Add your voice to this movement and demand Blizzard take action. Together, we can ensure a fair and enjoyable experience for every WoW player, no matter where they are in the world.