As the World of Warcraft Classic adventures continue, it is only natural that Mists of Pandaria would be the next one in line. Announced at the Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct, players will soon be venturing back into the mythical lands of Pandaria as if it is 2011 again. Much like every other World of Warcraft Classic before it, there will be some new additions, but for the most part, it will be that core experience players loved all those years ago. And while that is great to see, this version of Classic may be in a bit of a rough spot.
Mists of Pandaria is often fondly looked back upon, so players may very well be excited to jump back into its quests. However, unlike every other World of Warcraft Classic before it, players have already revisited this story through the WoW Remix: Mists of Pandaria event. Of course, the experience was changed a bit for the event, but that core experience was still relatively the same. So, it may be way too soon for players to go down memory lane once more.
20 Years Ago, World of Warcraft Wrote the Book on MMORPGs
When World of Warcraft released in 2004, it codified what an MMORPG could and should be, establishing a mold that shaped the gaming industry.
Mists of Pandaria Classic May Struggle to Make Its Mark
Mists of Pandaria Remix Already Gave Players the MoP Experience
Since its inception, the World of Warcraft Classic line has been a way for players to experience the earliest days of this massive MMO. The original WoW Classic let them revisit the game and how it first launched, Burning Crusade Classic put them up against the vile Burning Legion once more, Wrath of the Lich King Classic delivered all that Northrend goodness, and Cataclysm Classic let them see the destruction of Deathwing as if it was happening for the first time. Now, Mists of Pandaria Classic will be doing the same thing for that expansion, yet players already got that experience earlier this year.
Before the launch of The War Within, Blizzard introduced a brand-new event in the form of WoW Remix: Mists of Pandaria. This event had players create a fresh character and plunged them into Pandaria once more. This time around, they were given the powerful Cloak of Infinite Potential, which would grow in strength as players pushed further through the story. Leveling would speed up, abilities would be mixed-and-matched, and stats would reach incredible levels. This made for a wild adventure, the likes of which the game has never seen before. But, at its core, it was also still Mists of Pandaria.
Mists of Pandaria Classic Does Not Have the Same Nostalgia Factor
While World of Warcraft has explored older dungeons through timewalking, expansions tend to be left behind in favor of newer ones. Because of this, there is often immense nostalgia for the game's earlier days. This nostalgia is what World of Warcraft Classic has tapped into, as it has been more than a decade since players have experienced these expansions. However, with Mists of Pandaria Classic, that is changing.
Unlike every other Classic expansion before it, Mists of Pandaria Classic is hardly the grand return of the expansion, as players just spend months exploring the same content through WoW Remix. Of course, the adventure was a bit different, but that still means that the story and zones are fresh in players' minds. So, although it may be popular, it does not really feel that old or forgotten. And if Blizzard continues to explore WoW Remix, then future Classic expansions may suffer the same fate.
It is great to see all of these old stories and zones get the spotlight again, and players will likely spend hours exploring Mists of Pandaria Classic when it finally launches. That being said, there is a chance that this expansion does not match the success of the last couple. The entire adventure is just too recent for players to really feel that sense of nostalgia for it. But only time will tell.
World of Warcraft
- Released
- November 23, 2004
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood and Gore, Crude Humor, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence (online interactions not rated)
- Developer(s)
- Blizzard
- Publisher(s)
- Blizzard
- Engine
- Unreal Engine
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- pc, ps
- Cross Save
- yes
WHERE TO PLAY
World of Warcraft is an incredibly successful MMORPG that has been going strong for almost two decades. It's one of the highest-grossing franchises in history and is widely considered the most popular MMORPG ever made.
