World of Warcraft is a game well-known for its iconic and legendary characters, some of which have been around longer than the MMO itself. One of these hugely popular characters is being recognized by three new cosmetic items that make up The Guardian Pack. This raven-themed transmog pays homage to none other than Medivh, World of Warcraft’s last Guardian of Tirisfal and one of the most powerful mages to ever live.
Medivh was primarily responsible for the events that led to the creation of the Dark Portal and the following orc invasion of Azeroth, which kickstarted the entire Warcraft franchise. This new transmog set is the first to allow players to look like the Guardian himself, featuring a unique feathery aesthetic. That being said, this transmog might also be bad news for World of Warcraft, as its relationship with the Trading Post is a questionable one.
The Medivh Transmog Set Has Sparked Some Controversy About World of Warcraft's Trading Post
One of Medivh’s most recognizable aspects was his ability to change into a raven using his legendary staff, Atiesh. Coupled with a raven-themed cloak and feathery hood, players can really feel like the Guardian whose impact on World of Warcraft endures to this day. The 3-piece transmog set is available in the online Blizzard shop through the 31st of May and will set players back $8. However, what makes players uneasy is the Medivh set’s promised arrival to World of Warcraft’s novel cosmetic store, the Trading Post.
The Trading Post arrived in World of Warcraft: Dragonflight and has remained a popular feature. The main reason for this is that its exclusive currency, Trader’s Tender, can only be earned by playing the game, as it accumulates naturally through a wide range of activities, including raiding, questing, and PvP. Players have praised Blizzard for allowing them to attain a whole host of juicy cosmetics without having to shell out real money, but with the arrival of the Embers of Neltharion patch, many eyebrows were raised.
One of many bugs to plague the arrival of Embers of Neltharion was a glitched version of the Medivh transmog being added to the Trading Post. This was obviously not intended, as not only did the set lack any texture or color, it was quickly removed from the game and the players who had purchased it were refunded. Immediately after, The Guardian Pack was made available in the online store for $8 until the end of May.
Normally this wouldn’t be too problematic, as accidents like this can happen, but the catch came when Blizzard stated that the Medivh set would come to the Trading Post later in the year, some six months down the line. This means that, since a finite amount of Trader’s Tender can be earned and saved up by players each month, those who used real money to purchase The Guardian Pack would have extra Trader’s Tender later on.
It might seem like a small thing, but it does mean that players who spend real cash will inevitably have an advantage over those who do not, which puts the Trading Post’s goodwill on thin ice. If it’s a once-off thing, perhaps because of the opening day bug, it’s sure to be forgiven, but Blizzard must remember that players will only love World of Warcraft's Trading Post so long as it stays far away from real money purchases.
The primary function of the Trading Post is to encourage people to play World of Warcraft, which should be incentive enough for Blizzard to keep any microtransactions away from it. That being said, in recent years the company has earned a dicey reputation and players are always worried that it will slip back into bad habits. If the Trading Post is to be hailed as a wholly beneficial addition to World of Warcraft, then its roster of items must not be attainable by monetary means.
World of Warcraft: Dragonflight is available now for PC.