I honestly think I'm just too scared to try my hand at World of Warcraft Classic's Hardcore mode. I'm not particularly great at PvP (ask my EVE Online characters), and to be fair I'm not great at going long stretches without dying in an MMO either to PvE damage.
I think my entire time in World of Warcraft Classic Hardcore would be spent in a fever dream of anxiety, hoping that each blow isn't my last. This tweet by the official World of Warcraft Twitter (I'm not calling it X, Elon) pretty much summed up my feelings yesterday.
— World of Warcraft (@Warcraft) August 23, 2023
Finding the hardcore
I know there is a market out there for this type of challenge. Players do permadeath runs all the time, from Nuzlocke playthroughs of Pokemon games to self-imposed hardcore limitations in some MMO circles. Blizzard is obviously tapping into a ready-and-waiting segment of the player base here.
I just don't think I'm one of them.
It's not to say I don't mind a challenge. I play MMOs where you can lose everything with a simple unlucky hit, seeing hours of work and millions in in-game money dry up in seconds. RuneScape taught me the exhilarating lessons of full loot PvP back in the early '00s, and while EVE is the only game like this I play anymore, losing a ship is vastly different from being locked out of a character entirely.
Related:
Interview: Chatting WoW Classic Hardcore With The Devs
World Firsts
However, while I likely won't be jumping into the foray myself, I'm eager to watch the spectacle of Hardcore Classic players unfold. World Firsts on these servers will be all the more meaningful when you remember just how perilous a grind is now that any member of a raid group could permanently die in-game on the way to that milestone.
It adds another layer to the long tapestry of history that is World of Warcraft. I cannot wait to watch streams of raid groups anxiously take on Ragnaros, whose familiar patterns should be second nature to seasoned veterans - but one mistake could cost someone hundreds of hours of leveling, grinding, and so much more.
I don't think I could take it. I'm trying to imagine myself starting down a boss like Kel'Thuzad, knowing one wrong move could see all my hard work completely wasted. Add on the pressure of being the world first to do these insanely hard encounters on the official Hardcore servers for World of Warcraft Classic, and I'm almost certain my love for the game.
All that said, I'm so happy this playstyle is finally being officially supported. It's going to make WoW Classic even more interesting to watch in the coming weeks and months. And I cannot wait to start watching the community lore be built by the players skilled enough to make it through all of the content Classic has on offer alive to tell the tale.
Are you planning on jumping into World of Warcraft Classic Hardcore today? Let us know in the comments below what excites you the most about this gameplay style and how long you think your first character will last.
