The winds of change are blowing through Azeroth, but they might not be carrying World of Warcraft to your living room TV just yet. Recent announcements from Blizzard about the upcoming The War Within saga and its second expansion, Midnight, have sent the community into a speculative frenzy, with a key point of contention being the planned removal of certain combat add-ons.
This move, intended to streamline the new-player experience, has reignited long-standing rumors of a WoW console port, especially in the wake of Microsoft's monumental acquisition of Activision Blizzard. However, in an exclusive interview, Game Director Ion Hazzikostas is pushing back, stating clearly that consoles are not a current priority for the legendary MMO.
The Spark: Why the Console Rumors Ignited Again
Since Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition was finalized in 2023, the question on every Xbox fan's mind has been: "When will World of Warcraft come to console?" The logic seems sound. Microsoft now owns one of the most successful PC gaming franchises in history, and bringing it to the Xbox ecosystem, potentially even a new Xbox console rumored for 2026 or 2027, would be a massive coup. A WoW port could follow other Microsoft titles like Sea of Thieves and Grounded onto rival platforms like the PS5 or a potential Nintendo Switch 2, fitting neatly into the company's cross-platform strategy.
The recent developer updates have only added fuel to this fire. Blizzard has been consciously making the game more accessible, simplifying talent trees, and introducing features like the "Dynamic Combat" system in Midnight, which aims to reduce button bloat. The most significant change, however, was the announcement that powerful combat add-ons like WeakAuras would be made obsolete by new, built-in game systems.
For many veterans, this felt like a clear move to level the playing field for a potential controller-based audience. After all, managing complex WeakAura setups is a fundamentally mouse-and-keyboard endeavor.
The Denial: Hazzikostas Sets the Record Straight
In a candid conversation, Hazzikostas directly addressed the elephant in the room. He stressed that the design decisions are being made purely for the health of the game on its native platform: the PC.
"If we were actively working towards bringing World of Warcraft to consoles or a bunch of other platforms, we'd be saying: we're actively working towards this," Hazzikostas explained. "We have a lot of work to do but it's a place where we want to land."
He elaborated on the reasoning behind the add-on changes in his in-depth interview with Windows Central, arguing that the goal is to avoid overwhelming newcomers and create a more consistent experience for all players.
"The power of add-ons is a blessing and a curse," Hazzikostas noted. "We want to get the game to a place where the out-of-box experience is as good as it can be, so you don't feel like you need to go and download a bunch of third-party UI elements just to be able to play the game at a high level."
Despite this clarification, the changes have been met with mixed feelings. While some applaud the effort to lower the barrier to entry, others feel a core part of the high-level WoW experience is being diluted.
The Technical Possibility: Could WoW Still Come to Console?
Even with Hazzikostas's comments, the technical path for a console version is more plausible than ever. Industry insiders have long speculated that the next Xbox console might run on a Windows-core architecture, similar to handhelds like the ASUS ROG Ally. This would theoretically allow players to install Battle.net, run the native PC version of WoW, and even install add-ons directly.
The bigger hurdle has always been control scheme, but here, too, Blizzard has made significant strides. The game's default UI now includes excellent native support for controllers, a feature that has been a boon to the Steam Deck community and proves that a comfortable console experience is already technically feasible.
The community's reaction to the changes has been a topic of hot debate, a point highlighted in a recent official Warcraft post on X (formerly Twitter) that sparked thousands of replies from passionate fans.
The Bottom Line: PC Remains the Pillar of Azeroth
For now, Hazzikostas's words are a clear signal that the team's focus is squarely on evolving World of Warcraft as a PC-first experience. The changes coming with The War Within and Midnight are a bold attempt to redefine the game's complexity for a new generation, not a covert preparation for a console launch.
While this may be disappointing news for PlayStation and Nintendo players hoping to finally set foot in Azeroth, it reaffirms Blizzard's commitment to its core platform. The world of Azeroth may be expanding narratively with its new Worldsoul Saga, but its physical home, for the foreseeable future, remains on the PC.
In Midnight, we’re working closely with addon authors and taking in community feedback to create a more streamlined and engaging combat experience for everyone.
— World of Warcraft (@Warcraft) October 23, 2025
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