InShadowlandsPatch 9.2.5,World of Warcraftfinally began allowing Alliance and Horde players to play together. Now thatWorld of Warcraftis in alpha testing forDragonflight, players are starting to see that change reflect in the story, as evidenced by the friendship between a familiar orc and human NPC.WhenShadowlandsfirst launched,World of Warcraftcreated a new starting experience for normal races and classes called Exile’s Reach. During the experience, Alliance players work with the human Captain Garrick, while Horde players fight alongside the orc Warlord Breka Grimaxe.RELATED:World of Warcraft: Slime Cat Mount Finally Appears as Shadowlands Season 4 RewardBoth of these characters have returned inDragonflight, and can be found in a sidequest in the Waking Shores zone. However, in thetime betweenShadowlandsandDragonflight, it seems these characters have fought alongside each other and become close friends. Alliance and Horde players both have access to different versions of the quest where they work with their opposite faction’s counterparts. The interactions themselves are wholesome. Garrick is teaching her son how to speak Orcish, and Grimaxe shows her daughter the honor to be found in the Alliance expedition members.
World of Warcraftgame director Ion Hazzikostas had previously confirmedthe faction warwas well and truly over. While PvP and War Mode will likely always stick around, Hazzikostas confirmed the story would not escalate the conflict between the Alliance and Horde again as it did inBattle for Azeroth. With friendships like the one between Garrick and Grimaxe now appearing inWorld of Warcraft, it is easy to believe Azeroth is moving towards an era of relative peace between the two factions.
Players are relievedWorld of Warcraftis making a shift away from the faction war. Though the history ofWarcraftoriginated with conflict between orcs and humans, fans are more than eager to put aside the fight after 30 years. The characters from Exile’s Reach were also incredibly charming and were well-received, so players are happy to see them not only return, but spearhead the newfound peace between the Alliance and the Horde.
Of course, some fans aren’t as happy with the peace between the Alliance and Horde. The faction war hascreated interesting world states inWorld of Warcraftfor years, and its world PvP has always been one of its most popular, dynamic, and unpredictable aspects. However, after years of dividing the community in half both physically and spiritually, even these players must agree closing the gap is objectively better for the longevity ofWorld of Warcraft.
World of Warcraftis available now on PC. TheDragonflightexpansion is set to launch later this year.
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