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"

1. Games
2. MMO Games
3. World of Warcraft

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" News By Anna Koselke published 20 November 2025

"Our goal here is to level the playing field"

Comments (0) ()

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Blizzard)

As World of Warcraft developer Blizzard prepares its decades-old MMO for new expansion pack Midnight, fans continue to grapple with the news that handy combat add-ons are no longer going to work next year – but the decision to disable them didn't come lightly.

For anyone out of the loop regarding add-ons' removal, Blizzard previously admitted its plan to remove World of Warcraft combat mods – downloads that have been a part of the beloved MMO for years now – and begin phasing them out when Midnight, the game's upcoming expansion, releases. Although the developers stated that this removal will happen to "level the playing field," players are split in how they feel.

According to game director Ion Hazzikostas in an interview with Game Informer, add-ons' removal comes after much deliberation from Blizzard. Put simply, the team couldn't find a way to comfortably introduce content for both players who employ the use of combat add-ons and those who don't. It was a struggle to consider instances that were "going to be adequately challenging, adequately stimulating, adequately understandable" for all fans.

You may like

• Blizzard says removal of popular World of Warcraft combat mods "needs to happen" in Midnight to "level the playing field" for the long-running MMO
• Final Fantasy 14's Yoshi-P breaks silence following latest add-on drama, says Square Enix has no choice but to act if mods threaten the MMO itself as costs rise and regulations grow stricter
• World of Warcraft design lead says the upcoming housing feature is a "challenge" for performance and accessibility because it's not "anything like existing zones and the kinds of content that we've had before"

"If we design something that just ignores the existence of add-ons, people who use those add-ons will trivialize a lot of what we've designed and say either, 'well, this is boring, this was dull, there wasn't anything for me to pay attention to or do,' or just, 'this was too easy.'" On the other end, players without combat add-ons might "feel overwhelmed." It's almost a lose-lose situation, where someone always misses out.

As Hazzikostas puts it, "our goal here is to level the playing field and to set ourselves up for being able to build content that will better serve all of our players." Understandably, though, the change will come as a bit of a shock to fans of combat add-ons. He addresses this with an assurance that things won't be too different. Blizzard is working to ensure as much, but it obviously won't all be the same in the coming post-Midnight world.

World of Warcraft: Midnight's Director Addresses Add-On Change Feedback - YouTube Watch On

"We are trying to do everything possible to preserve the aesthetic customization, the choices of where you want information displayed on your screen, the convenience and organizational tools people use to track their collections or questing or professions or whatever," explains the dev. "We want to disrupt basically none of those." There will be a bit of "collateral damage," of course, but it'll hopefully be minimal.

Addressing concerns regarding whether the disabling of add-ons was rushed, Hazzikostas says Blizzard has actually been planning it for "two to three years" now – and it came about from fans' feedback: "What we heard from a lot of players was, 'Yeah, I shouldn't have to download these third-party tools in order to feel like I'm playing the game correctly." As a Final Fantasy 14 stan myself, I know that feeling all too well.

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

Contact 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.

"They feel like the game should be playable out of the box without needing to turn to external assistance," he later reiterates. As for whether Blizzard will be able to pull the changes off well, Hazzikostas seems confident that the devs know what they're doing, especially "with all the attention that we've had focused on this – this has been the number one priority for every one of our user interface engineers and UX designers over the last year plus."

Should things go wrong at all, Blizzard will pick up the pieces. "And where we are falling short, we're going to react and prioritize quick action and quick response based on what we're hearing from our community that they need most," to quote Hazzikostas. "This is going to be an ongoing effort." It sounds, judging by everything the game director reveals, like Midnight and World of Warcraft's subsequent disabling of add-ons should go smoothly.

It's never a simple matter, taking tools away from players who have had them for years, but devs clearly think it's in the community's best interest ultimately – and Hazzikostas' responses to fans' worries certainly help ease any stress, too.

World of Warcraft's $90 dinosaur mount is back again for a limited time ahead of Midnight's launch, and WoW Tokens have already sold out: "Costs more than the expansion. Company is trash."

CATEGORIES PC Gaming Platforms Anna KoselkeSocial Links NavigationStaff Writer

After 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.

You 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 Blizzard says removal of popular World of Warcraft combat mods "needs to happen" in Midnight to "level the playing field" for the long-running MMO    Final Fantasy 14's Yoshi-P breaks silence following latest add-on drama, says Square Enix has no choice but to act if mods threaten the MMO itself as costs rise and regulations grow stricter    World of Warcraft design lead says the upcoming housing feature is a "challenge" for performance and accessibility because it's not "anything like existing zones and the kinds of content that we've had before"    World of Warcraft has always asked us to call Azeroth home, but Midnight's new player housing is the first time you'll have one to call your own – and it's the best feature to come to the MMO in years    Former Microsoft and Blizzard exec says new Xbox consoles are "just PCs," and that might be why World of Warcraft is "killing addons"    World of Warcraft: Midnight's riff on Monolith's The Lord of the Rings Nemesis System was spurred on by a War Within feature Blizzard doubted: "We weren't sure how people would react"    Latest in MMO Games MMO players get a sailing skill, immediately become pirates channeling a famous 2006 disaster: "Piracy as emergent gameplay is honestly perfect"    MMO players are unstoppable: Handed a new skill after 19 years, Old School RuneScape fans instantly force the devs to hotfix a Sailing XP flood over "Daddy's Special Water's special water"    World of Warcraft's $90 dinosaur mount is back again for a limited time ahead of Midnight's launch, and WoW Tokens have already sold out: "Costs more than the expansion. Company is trash."    Final Fantasy 14 lead Yoshi-P reportedly teases another "rebirth" for the MMO as Dawntrail continues to suffer "Mostly Negative" Steam reviews over 1 year on    Indie single-player MMORPG that's not actually an MMO is still "on track" to hit its 1.0 launch target, but that might still be 2 years away    Baldur's Gate 3 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 star "cannot wait" to join the cast of Warframe developer's new fantasy MMO Soulframe    Latest in News 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"    Arc Raiders players were already grumbling, and after another patch of nerfs a fierce debate brews: crafting UI is definitely a mess, but should the stash actually get buffed?    The future of Westeros looks bright as House of the Dragon season 4 and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 2 get confirmed by HBO    The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping's first teaser promises Midsommar aesthetics, Haymitch's backstory, and a really weird David Bowie reference    inZOI is getting multiplayer, and the Sims 4 competitor's director says it's all thanks to South Korea's president: "He suggested I make inZOI a multiplayer game"    EA claims Battlefield 6 is the "best selling shooter game of the year," but that's actually selling it short according to sales data    GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS

1. 1This enthralling team board game is perfect for playing with family this Thanksgiving
2. 2Kirby Air Riders review: "This racer is also equal parts fighting game, minigame collection, and roguelike – and I'm shocked at how well that works"
3. 3Demonschool review: "This Persona-inspired RPG is full of fun, flair, and ready to chomp away at your free time"
4. 4Morsels review: "The Binding of Isaac style roguelike shooting gets somehow grosser, but struggles to set itself apart"
5. 5Dispatch review: "Critical Role fans rejoice – episodic gaming has been superheroically saved by this incredibly charming band of misfits"

1. 1Wicked: For Good review: "Builds to an incredibly cathartic conclusion, but isn't quite as captivating as Part 1"
2. 2The Running Man review: "Some fun action and Glen Powell's star power aren't enough to energize this disappointing Stephen King adaptation"
3. 3Predator: Badlands review: "Die-hard fans may be disappointed, but as a blockbuster action-adventure, Badlands kills it"
4. 4Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc review "Storytelling just as compelling as the chainsaws, devils, and visually excessive fight scenes"
5. 5Tron: Ares review: "Misses out by swapping the Grid for the real world"

1. 1Pluribus season 1 review: "Easily one of the year's best dramas"
2. 2The Witcher season 4 review: "The Henry Cavill-less fourth season is the best yet"
3. 3IT: Welcome to Derry review: "A supremely confident step back into the history of Stephen King's cursed town and killer clown"
4. 4Splinter Cell: Deathwatch review: "A pale imitation of the long-dormant stealth franchise"
5. 5Marvel Zombies review: "A fun expansion of the What If episode with delightful MCU Easter eggs and truly gross R-rated kills"