Battleground Blitz PTR Update & Fresh Brawl with the Blues on October 13th

Blizzard has recently released a detailed update on the upcoming changes for the popular Battleground Blitz Brawl in the Dragonflight PvP. These changes are aimed at improving the gameplay experience by introducing proper cross-faction support, implementing a deserter penalty, and revamping the rewards system. In addition to these updates, Blizzard has also announced an exciting new event called Brawl with the Blues, which will take place on Friday, October 13th!

Brawl with the Blues this Friday, Oct 13th

Calling all World of Warcraft enthusiasts! Join us this Friday, October 13th, as we bring you Brawl with the Blues—an exclusive PvP event on the Guardians of the Dream Public Test Realms. Take part in playtesting the all-new Battleground Blitz, an exhilarating 8v8 solo queue Battleground experience. This event serves as our initial exploration into the possibilities of solo queue Rated Battlegrounds in the future. To learn more about this thrilling Brawl, check out our in-depth dev article.

The event will commence at 3:00 p.m. PDT (5:00 p.m. CDT, 6:00 p.m. EDT), and will last for two adrenaline-packed hours of Battleground Blitz action. To participate, simply log into the Guardians of the Dream Public Test Realms, open the Group Finder (default hotkey: i), select Brawl: Battleground Blitz Battlegrounds, and click Join Battle. We recommend taking a moment to ensure your character is fully prepared for battle by visiting the gear and profession vendors in Orgrimmar and Stormwind. Gear up with the latest trinkets, PvP gear, and class sets in Guardians of the Dream, to optimize your chances of victory.

We eagerly await your participation in this exciting playtesting event, and value your feedback. Let your voice be heard—see you on the battleground!

Feedback & Updates coming to Battleground Blitz

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the players who actively participated in the recent PvP with the Blues event, and also to those who have provided valuable feedback on Battleground Blitz thus far. The input received has proven to be immensely helpful in making necessary updates and tuning adjustments over the past few weeks on the Public Test Realms (PTR). These updates are listed in our comprehensive development notes.

In order to further clarify the features of Battleground Blitz, address common concerns, and share additional information, we would like to discuss some key points that have been raised regarding the upcoming updates. Battleground Blitz will be introduced in the highly-anticipated Guardians of the Dream expansion, and will function as a permanent brawl in the rotation. This approach will enable us to gather crucial information, data, and player feedback, which will help us gauge the potential for implementing a solo queue Rated Battleground mode in the future.

• Upcoming Updates

As we continue to refine the gameplay experience, there are several updates currently in the works, which will be available in the upcoming PTR builds:

• Cross Faction Queueing: During the PvP with the Blues event, players may have experienced their faction being changed, as the mercenary mode was applied to maintain balance and minimize queue times. However, we understand that some players were unhappy with this forced race change and we are actively working on implementing cross-faction support for Battleground Blitz. We are aware of an issue where cross-faction groups are currently unable to enter Battleground Blitz, but rest assured, we are actively seeking a resolution.
• Item Level Scaling and Requirements: For Battleground Blitz, the item level of equipped gear above 312 will be scaled down to 472, which is 4 item levels below the honor gear of Season 3. This scaling is in line with the existing system employed in other unranked modes. The purpose of this scaling is to prevent any potential issues that may arise from over-scaled item stats from previous expansions. We will continue to monitor player progression and adjust this scaling accordingly as the season progresses.
• Average Minimum Item Level: To ensure a fair and balanced gameplay experience, a minimum item level requirement of 330 will be enforced for queuing in Battleground Blitz. This requirement guarantees that players will be equipped with 312 item level gear for each slot, thus promoting an evenly matched play environment.

• Rewards

In our quest to offer suitable rewards for participating in Battleground Blitz, we have made the following enhancements:

• Conquest Points: The amount of Conquest points awarded for wins has been increased. These points will also be awarded for close losses, where matches are tightly contested. The rewards are as follows:
  • First win of the day - 100 conquest points
  • Following wins - 50 conquest points
  • Close loss - 25 conquest points
• Achievements: Exciting new achievements have been introduced specifically for participating in and winning Battleground Blitz matches. These achievements can be found under the “Player versus Player” tab, providing an additional layer of challenge and a sense of accomplishment.
• Weekly Quests: In addition to the existing weekly "Something Different" brawl quest, two more weekly quests have been added exclusively for Battleground Blitz. Speak to Malicia in Valdrakken to discover these quests, with the second quest unlockable only after completing the first one for the week. These quests offer additional opportunities for rewards and progression.

• Miscellaneous Updates

To ensure fairness and a balanced gameplay experience, the following changes will be implemented:

• Deserter Penalty: Previously, the deserter penalty only applied to Solo Shuffle matches. However, we are updating this penalty to also apply to Battleground Blitz, discouraging players from leaving matches prematurely.
• Restricted Items, Spells, and Toys: Items, spells, and toys that are currently disabled in Rated Battlegrounds will also be restricted in Battleground Blitz. This ensures that gameplay remains balanced and prevents any unfair advantages.

As mentioned earlier, we are approaching the introduction of Battleground Blitz with caution. We understand that the addition of a new PvP format is a significant undertaking. Our primary objective is to implement this feature as a PvP Brawl initially. This will allow us to experiment with the format, identify any potential issues, and gather valuable player feedback. If the response to this brawl is positive, we will proceed with further development to refine all aspects of the rated mode. This will include implementing rating changes, designing the ladder system, defining rewards, addressing issues related to leavers, and enhancing team matching.

To facilitate further testing of Battleground Blitz and to fine-tune general PvP settings, we will be hosting another PvP Brawl with the Blues event on the Guardians of the Dream PTR, scheduled for Friday, October 13th, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. PDT.

Once again, we express our gratitude to all the players who have shared their valuable feedback on Battleground Blitz. We eagerly await your continued thoughts and opinions as you venture into the exciting world of PvP!