World of Warcraft: Dragonflightis the next expansion pack for Blizzard’s massively multiplayer online experience that took the world by storm 17 years ago. After thecosmic scale ofShadowlands,Dragonflightrepresents a return to the old and the familiar – not just in terms of setting, but in terms of its design philosophy as well. One can’t help but wonder what this means for new systems that have come to define modernWorld of Warcraftin ways that Mythic Keystone dungeons have.
As the third expansion to feature Mythic Keystone dungeons,Shadowlandsshed light on the limitations of the system, as well as means on how to push those limits further, and expand upon the system in meaningful ways that still kept the format that has captured the hearts of so manyWorld of Warcraftplayers. ReintroducingLegionMythic Keystone dungeons intoShadowlandswas but the first step in this journey, and Blizzard Entertainment seems ready to take the next, logical step.
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World of Warcraft: Dragonflightwill be launching with four leveling zones, and eight dungeons from the get-go. However, unlike its predecessor,Dragonflightwill feature a mixed selection for its Keystone seasons. The first season will feature one half ofDragonflight’sdungeons, and four other reworked dungeons from older expansions – with the second half ofDragonflight’sdungeons arriving with the second Keystone season at a latter date.
On paper, this opens up many new possibilities and serves to prolong the longevity of the Mythic dungeon scene on an expansion level. WhereasShadowlandsSeason 4 decided to shake things up by offering players eight dungeons from the past fourexpansions ofWorld of Warcraft, the JudgeHype interview with Ion Hazzikostas seems to imply thatDragonflightwill not only continue that system – but that it will very much be the baseline going forward.
While it is too early to tell the exact selection of returning dungeons forDragonflight, it is reasonable to hope that players might see the return of old classics such asMists of Pandaria’sScholomance or Cataclysm’sZul’Amanredone asMythic Keystone dungeons.
With the return of talent trees, and a lack of borrowed player power that has plagued the design of recentWorld of Warcraftexpansions, Blizzard’s message to the playerbase is crystal clear:Dragonflightwants to bridge the disparity between old and new, taking the best of both worlds. The jury’s out on how successful this approach will end up being.
