Bringing popular PC titles to console platforms has become increasingly common in recent years. Games like Cities: Skylines, Civilization VI, and Anno 1800 have made the transition from PC to console quite successfully. Now, Xbox owners are playing Age of Empires II and IV, which have worked well on console. Another massively popular PC title that console gamers would love to get their hands on is World of Warcraft.
World of Warcraft is a hugely influential MMORPG from Blizzard Entertainment that first launched way back in 2004. Set in the rich Warcraft universe that debuted in the 1994 real-time strategy game Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, World of Warcraft has amassed a loyal following over its long lifespan. The game continues to receive new expansions, with the upcoming one titled “The War Within” set to take players beneath the surface of Azeroth to explore subterranean worlds. As World of Warcraft nears its 20th anniversary while still going strong with new content releases, it’s clear the game remains deeply beloved. However, console players have not yet had the chance to experience this legendary MMORPG.
So could Blizzard potentially develop a console port for World of Warcraft? Recent comments indicate it’s not out of the question. In an interview with Gamesradar at BlizzCon 2023, World of Warcraft’s executive producer Holly Longdale was asked specifically whether bringing the game to consoles was a possibility. Her response: “Of course! Yeah, we talk about it all the time.” With Blizzard now under the Xbox Game Studios umbrella as part of Microsoft, the prospects of finally allowing console gamers to enjoy World of Warcraft seem brighter than ever.
Of course, porting such a massive game designed for PC comes with substantial challenges. The user interface and controls would likely need a major overhaul to work well on controllers. There are also potential technical hurdles in terms of getting the vast World of Warcraft environment to run smoothly on console hardware. However, with Microsoft’s resources now backing Blizzard, these difficulties seem surmountable.
Many console gamers are doubtlessly hoping Holly Longdale’s remarks signal World of Warcraft could finally make its way over in the next few years. Blizzard has already had success bringing classics like Diablo III and Overwatch to consoles. Given World of Warcraft’s enduring popularity and the new Microsoft connection, the door now appears open for console players to soon venture into the incredible World of Warcraft
