- Games
- MMO Games
- World of Warcraft
"We have a bigger vision than simply being an MMORPG"
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Activision Blizzard)
- Copy link
- X
Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Every Friday
GamesRadar+
Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.
Signup +
Every Thursday
GTA 6 O'clock
Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.
Signup +
Every Friday
Knowledge
From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.
Signup +
Every Thursday
The Setup
Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.
Signup +
Every Wednesday
Switch 2 Spotlight
Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.
Signup +
Every Saturday
The Watchlist
Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.
Signup +
Once a month
SFX
Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!
Signup + An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletterWorld of Warcraft has been in the limelight recently, thanks to new expansion pack Midnight and Blizzard's plan to remove World of Warcraft combat mods – but developers have an even greater future in mind for the MMO.
They'd like for it to boast a bigger, more diverse audience, with executive producer and vice president Holly Longdale revealing as much to The Game Business during a recent interview. This extends to the Warcraft name in its entirety – not just the 2004 MMO. "It's a fantastic IP. In my humble opinion, it's been underutilized, and I just want to bring it to as many people as possible," Longdale explains. How would Blizzard go about doing that?
One way, as Longdale puts it, would be to make it more "approachable" to folks. "And that means evolving what Warcraft means, what it is, and where it's going," she says. "We want it to be approachable." The Warcraft name, however, doesn't make it sound too… well, welcoming to outsiders – and the IP executive creative director is well aware, apparently. Longdale describes how he brings it up to fellow devs.
You may like-
World of Warcraft lead says Blizzard has "a bigger vision" than simply just being an MMORPG
-
World of Warcraft lead thinks the MMO will still be "kicking" in 10 years, but despite having ideas for "the very long run," Blizzard is currently focusing "on the next 5 years"
-
Blizzard isn't "walking back" axing of World of Warcraft add-ons: "Our goal was never to stamp out the addon ecosystem"
"Chris Metzen is sometimes like, 'I wish we hadn't called it Warcraft. It sounds intimidating.'" Longdale doesn't necessarily agree, though: "But I'm like, nobody really thinks that about Warhammer. It's an understood name." I'd argue she's correct here – not to mention the fact that Warcraft doesn't really have to sound "friendly," anyway. The storylines often deal with difficult topics, and, yeah, war. It's central to the IP, and I'm not alone in thinking so.
Reacting to Metzen's words, one fan uses official art from Blizzard in a post to argue that Warcraft is a fitting title. Featuring "one of the most badass orcs in Warcraft history with alliance heads hanging off his belt," the argument checks out – and, uh, the orc in question is literally named "Grommash Hellscream," so I personally get it.
"I wish we hadn't called it Warcraft. It sounds intimidating."meanwhile this is the OFFICIAL ART from blizzard of the one of the most badass orcs in warcraft history with alliance heads hanging off his beltretail is chopped bros https://t.co/oHkpjMPvXU pic.twitter.com/KPleaSOXWTFebruary 5, 2026
Comments show fellow fans agreeing with the sentiment, although I do also understand where Metzen is coming from. With games like Final Fantasy 14 as competition, it's hard to present yourself as just a dark, gritty fantasy without some of the flair that makes other games so beloved. Longdale gets into this a bit, stating, "We want people to come in, hang out, and have birthdays, weddings, raids, grand adventures, play with their friends, meet new friends" – you know, the more chill social activities MMOs are known for, too.
She concludes that Blizzard is "never going to stop doing the things people love, but at the same time, we have a bigger vision than simply being an MMORPG." Here's hoping that vision pans out nicely over the next decade or so of WoW.
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ NewsletterContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over."Made without crunch": World of Warcraft Midnight is the "the fastest expansion" Blizzard has ever made, with "no sacrifices to team health"
TOPICS Blizzard Entertainment Activision Blizzard CATEGORIES PC Gaming Platforms
Anna KoselkeSocial Links NavigationStaff WriterAfter spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.
View MoreYou must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
Logout Read more
World of Warcraft lead says Blizzard has "a bigger vision" than simply just being an MMORPG
World of Warcraft lead thinks the MMO will still be "kicking" in 10 years, but despite having ideas for "the very long run," Blizzard is currently focusing "on the next 5 years"
Blizzard isn't "walking back" axing of World of Warcraft add-ons: "Our goal was never to stamp out the addon ecosystem"
World of Warcraft lead assures worried MMO raiders that Blizzard removing add-ons is "to set ourselves up for being able to build content that will better serve all of our players"
World of Warcraft director says the MMO's addon changes have been a long time coming, but better late than never
World of Warcraft lead teases "a lot of death" for "important characters" in the Worldsoul Saga, so pray for your faves
Latest in World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft Midnight is the "the fastest expansion" Blizzard has ever made, with "no sacrifices to team health"
World of Warcraft lead says Blizzard has "a bigger vision" than simply just being an MMORPG
The spirit of Garry's Mod takes residence in World of Warcraft with a 5v5 Prop Hunt mode set to hit the MMO this year
World of Warcraft lead teases "a lot of death" for "important characters" in the Worldsoul Saga, so pray for your faves
Blizzard says WoW players can keep selling services for in-game currency unless their business is "non-traditional"
World of Warcraft Midnight pre-patch adds colony of bugs, filling the sky with dragons and turning hills into gray lumps
Latest in News
World of Warcraft lead sometimes wishes Blizzard "hadn't called it Warcraft" because "it sounds intimidating"
Star Wars fans have uncovered a new dimension to Qui-Gon and Darth Maul's Phantom Menace showdown
Saw creators wanted to kill Jigsaw and move on after Saw 3 because they didn't want to be "one-hit-wonders"
Fallout 4 Switch 2 release date leaks ahead of Nintendo Direct, but it looks like the RPG is a code-in-box release
I never thought my Astro Bot PS5 controller needed a case, until I knew it'd come packaged with a plushie
Blizzard says Overwatch's sexier heroes are more down to "technical hurdles" than a desire to make everyone hotter
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS
1Nioh 3 review: "Brutal clashes across wide maps avoid retreading Elden Ring – this is all demon killer, no filler"- 2This Lord of the Rings card game is a puzzle-solving masterclass
- 3Highguard review: "A fresh but muddled FPS genre mashup that needs refinement if it's to have any staying power"
- 4This hidden role board game makes me feel like a puppet master, so Traitors fans should listen up
- 5Cairn review: "This climber has a grip on me – even when it loses its footing with awkward systems"
1Return to Silent Hill review: "Neither an impressive adaptation nor coherent enough to act as a standalone film"- 228 Years Later: The Bone Temple review: "The wildest and weirdest entry into the franchise yet"
- 3Avatar: Fire and Ash review: "Still a technical marvel, with some of the year's best action filmmaking"
- 4Five Nights at Freddy's 2 review: "We have waited two years for a Five Nights at Freddy's 1.5"
- 5Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery review: "Brings Knives Out back to its roots for a sequel that's almost on a par with the original"
1Wonder Man review: "A low-key gem that's up there with the MCU's best"- 2Starfleet Academy review: "It may feel a little different to what we're used to, but this is Star Trek through and through"
- 3A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms review: "This Game of Thrones spin-off is a surprisingly heartfelt and fun return to Westeros"
- 4Stranger Things season 5 finale review: “Shows off both the best and the worst of Hawkins”
- 5Stranger Things season 5, Volume 2 review: “All set up for a finale that has so much to deliver”
