Blizzard has announced that player housing is on its way to World of Warcraft with the upcoming expansion, World of Warcraft: Midnight. In a recent dev blog, the team shared their vision for this much-anticipated feature, emphasizing inclusivity with the goal, "A Home for Everyone." This means that housing will be accessible to all players without the barriers of high costs, lotteries, or stringent upkeep requirements. Blizzard assures that even if a player's subscription lapses, their home won't be repossessed.

Player housing in MMOs, like in Final Fantasy XIV, offers players the chance to purchase and personalize their own space within the game world, fostering creativity and social interactions. In Final Fantasy XIV, players have transformed their homes into theaters, nightclubs, cafes, and museums. However, the game has faced criticism for its housing system, which includes limited plots, high costs in Gil, a lottery system, and the risk of demolition if neglected.

In contrast, World of Warcraft's approach aims to address these concerns directly. Housing will be shared across a player's Warband, allowing different characters to access and utilize the same home, regardless of factional boundaries. For example, while a Human character can't purchase a house in a Horde area, a Troll character from the same Warband can, and both can use it. The housing system will feature two designated zones, each divided into "Neighborhoods" of about 50 plots, with options for Public and Private instances. Public instances are dynamically created by the game servers to meet demand, suggesting no hard cap on the number of Neighborhoods.

Blizzard is committed to making housing a "long lasting journey" with ongoing updates planned for future patches and expansions. This approach not only takes a playful jab at Final Fantasy XIV's housing issues but also demonstrates Blizzard's awareness of potential pitfalls and their dedication to providing a more inclusive and enduring housing experience. More details are expected to be unveiled this summer as World of Warcraft: Midnight approaches.