World of Warcraft

Faction-Change Service in the Works

Posted Jun 29, 2009 by Kody
Filed in World of Warcraft

Faction-Change Service in the Works

Quote from: Nethaera (Source)

We wanted to give everyone a very early heads-up that, in response to player requests, we’re developing a new service for World of Warcraft that will allow players to change their faction from Alliance to Horde or Horde to Alliance. There’s still much work to do and many details to iron out, but the basic idea is that players will be able to use the service to transform an existing character into a roughly equivalent character of the opposing faction on the same realm. Players who ended up creating and leveling up characters on the opposite factions from their friends have been asking for this type of functionality for some time, and we’re pleased to be getting closer to being able to deliver it.

As with all of the features and services we offer, we intend to incorporate the faction-change service in a way that won’t disrupt the gameplay experience on the realms, and there will be some rules involved with when and how the service can be used. The number of variables involved increases the complexity of implementing this service, but we plan to take the time needed to ensure that it lives up to expectations before officially rolling it out. We’ll go into much more detail on all of this here at http://www.WorldofWarcraft.com as development progresses. In the meantime, we wanted to let you know that because this type of functionality requires extensive internal testing well in advance of release, you may be seeing bits and pieces of the service in the test builds we use for the public test realms moving forward.

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  • Stelindo said
    Tue, Jun 30 2009 3:58 AM ()

    what if I have more than one character on the same realm?

    they'll be all converted to the opposite faction or I'll have to pay for everyone?

  • Tue, Jun 30 2009 1:49 AM ()

    "The thing that amuses me is that I distinctly remember them saying that this is a feature they would NOT allow into the game. My guess is that they will add in the ability to change your race - as well as your name and gender - after this has been implemented. They will also charge for it."

    Ummm dude... the Name/Race/Gender change is already in place UNLESS you're meaning that you can do this along with changing your faction as well.

  • leaman474 said
    Tue, Jun 30 2009 1:23 AM ()

    Finally, i had to go with ally for my friends and we all wanted to be horde, but were already ally. We can finally change to the good side (As in pwnage not morally good) :D!

  • Mon, Jun 29 2009 6:53 PM ()

    The thing that amuses me is that I distinctly remember them saying that this is a feature they would NOT allow into the game. My guess is that they will add in the ability to change your race - as well as your name and gender - after this has been implemented. They will also charge for it.

    It's a very sly process that we've seen with WoW. Blizzard seems to be implementing the core ethics of micro-transaction based gaming over the top of the subscription based nature of the game. I am starting to wonder whether this is all in line with a long term goal that Blizzard may have set aside for World of Warcraft? Potentially, when the new MMO is released, WoWs numbers will start to dwindle and then decline (although I anticipate that this may happen prior to the release of their new MMO). Perhaps they are working under the assumption that a large portion of players will move to the new MMO when it is released? If this is the case, they may be trying to prolong WoWs longevity as a game by slowly phasing in an MT based payment system.

    I wouldn't be surprised if, in the next couple of years, Blizzard drop the subscription fee in increments and then do away with it all together, giving way to a fully fledged F2P MT based game. We have to remember that WoW was originally going to be F2P and they have probably already got a system in place to make money off it.

  • Wowza1 said
    Mon, Jun 29 2009 5:32 PM ()

    Im stunned as well.. So ideally you can play one type (which tends to be easier), get yourself to 80 and then switch over.. Heck, why don't they just allow alliance to talk to horde and understand one another.

  • ChaosInc said
    Mon, Jun 29 2009 4:48 PM ()

    I've wished this since I was forced to roll a certain faction just to play with friends.  Later, we all regretted it but didn't want to start all over.

    In all honesty, I never thought it would happen.

  • Kody said
    Mon, Jun 29 2009 4:38 PM ()

    It's going to take me a bit to actually digest this news -- especially with the fact that there's a new PTR build today -- but I'm frankly stunned this was announced.

  • Mon, Jun 29 2009 4:30 PM ()

    Just wow. My guess: $15, 60 day cooldown, you get to choose your race from those races available to your class, and you get to redesign the aesthetics (hair, skin color, face) of your toon. All reps but faction racial reps (Cities/Outland faction affiliated/Northrend faction affiliated) will carry over.