Wowhead's Exclusive Interview with Anne Stickney & Tina Wang at Blizzcon 2023

This year at BlizzCon 2023, WowCarry was fortunate enough to have an exclusive interview with Senior Narrative Director Anne Stickley and Associate Game Director Tina Wang. During the interview, they discussed various aspects of the upcoming expansion, The War Within, including the introduction of the Arathi humans, the use of the Holy Flame, and the role of the sword.

Exploring the Arathi Humans

The interview started with a question about the Arathi humans and why they were being introduced in this expansion. Anne Stickney explained that the Arathi humans are a splintered tribe from the original Arathi Empire, which was the first empire of humanity. They left the empire and formed their own kingdom across the sea. The Arathi in The War Within are a group from this splintered kingdom that received a vision about a falling star, leading them to Harrowfall. Their devotion to the Light made them a natural fit for the expansion's theme.

Tina Wang added that the team was excited to focus on the human culture and history, as it had been a while since a human-focused expansion had been released. They wanted to explore the Arathi's unique culture and their connection with animal companions.

• The Power of the Holy Flame

One interesting tidbit revealed during the interview was that the Arathi use the Holy Flame to power their airships. This power source plays a significant role in their fight against the darkness and their clashes with the Nerubians. Anne Stickney mentioned a dungeon called the Priory of the Secret Flame, which has a Cathedral-like appearance and showcases the Arathi's use of the Holy Flame.

• The Sword and its Role

The interview then moved on to the sword featured in The War Within's key art. When asked about the sword's role in the expansion, Anne Stickney explained that it is part of the larger Worldsoul Saga, with the World Soul calling out to individuals for a reason. While she couldn't reveal too much about its specific role in The War Within, she confirmed that it is an essential part of the overall saga. The sword's significance will be explored throughout multiple expansions.

The War Within and Character Development

The conversation shifted towards the main characters of the expansion, particularly Anduin and his potential connection to Arthas. Anne Stickney clarified that while there may be some similarities in their poses and the presence of Domination magic, there is no Arthas in Anduin. However, the power of Domination did leave a lasting impact on Anduin, causing him to question his worthiness of the Light and grapple with his inner darkness.

Anne Stickney emphasized the theme of "The War Within" both on Azeroth and within the characters themselves. Anduin is facing a personal battle, questioning whether he is truly the person he aspires to be or whether he is easily swayed by darkness. The expansion will delve into Anduin's story, exploring his journey to reclaim his identity.

The Arathi humans will play a crucial role in helping Anduin navigate this internal war, providing him with support and joining him in Hallowfall, the new hub introduced in The War Within.

Expansion Release Schedule

During the interview, the release schedule for future expansions was also discussed. Tina Wang revealed that Blizzard is planning to increase the cadence of expansion releases. They want to find a responsible pace that keeps players engaged and constantly provides them with new content. The goal is to avoid long periods of downtime between expansions, as experienced in the transition from Mists of Pandaria to Warlords of Draenor.

The team behind World of Warcraft is dedicated to delivering content that respects the players' time and provides a consistent stream of new experiences. They are focused on keeping players engaged and motivated to continue exploring the game world.

Additional Features and Systems

The interview touched on various other features and systems coming with The War Within. These include the addition of hero talents and warbands, account-wide progression and renown, updated character screens, and the introduction of delves as new outdoor endgame content.

Hero talents will provide players with customizable talent trees for each spec, allowing them to further specialize in their chosen playstyle. The heroes will also have access to warbands, which are groups of allies that can be customized and leveled up to aid the player in various activities.

Account-wide progression and renown will allow players to unlock transmog options with any character, providing more flexibility and giving players a sense of accomplishment across all their characters.

The character screen will be updated to visually represent the player's characters as a warband, reinforcing the idea of camaraderie and teamwork among the different characters.

Furthermore, delves will provide short-form content that can be completed in around 15 minutes. These delves will have their own progression system, allowing players to engage in challenging content at their own pace and without the pressure of timers. The delves will also offer a track on the great vault, providing players with valuable loot on a weekly basis.

Conclusion

The interview with Anne Stickney and Tina Wang shed light on various aspects of The War Within and the direction of World of Warcraft as a whole. The team's focus on storytelling, meaningful character development, and player engagement was evident throughout the discussion. Players can look forward to a rich and immersive experience in The War Within, with new features and content that cater to different playstyles.

BlizzCon 2023 has given World of Warcraft fans plenty to be excited about, and the upcoming expansion promises to deliver an epic adventure that will keep players entertained for years to come.