World of Warcraft Takes a Jab at Final Fantasy 14 With Its Housing Plans

Player housing is arriving in World of Warcraft, and Blizzard has offered a first glimpse into its implementation. A recent preview detailed early plans, even including a subtle comparison to Final Fantasy XIV's housing system.

World of Warcraft: Midnight will introduce this highly anticipated feature. A key goal, as stated in a recent developer blog, is to make housing accessible to all players. Blizzard emphasized its commitment to broad availability, stating, "If you want a house, you can have a house. No exorbitant requirements or high purchase costs, no lotteries, and no onerous upkeep (and if your subscription lapses, don’t worry, your house doesn’t get repossessed!)."

Player housing, as the name suggests, allows players to purchase and personalize homes within the game world, inviting others to visit. This is a popular feature in Final Fantasy XIV, where player creativity has led to impressive creations like theaters, nightclubs, cafes, and museums.

However, Final Fantasy XIV's housing system also has its drawbacks. Limited plots per server, high Gil costs, lotteries, and the risk of demolition due to inactivity are common complaints.

World of Warcraft aims to address these concerns. Housing is shared among the Warband, allowing characters to access and share rewards regardless of faction. While a Human character can't buy a house in a Horde zone, a Troll Warband member can, granting access to the Human character.

Although World of Warcraft's housing will initially be limited to two zones with "Neighborhoods" of approximately 50 plots each, these are instanced and offer both public and private options. Public neighborhoods are server-maintained and dynamically created, meaning the number of neighborhoods isn't currently capped.

Blizzard appears committed to long-term development of World of Warcraft's housing system. Alongside "boundless self-expression" and "deeply social" experiences, the team aims for housing to be a "long-lasting journey" with ongoing updates across future patches and expansions. This commitment, while acknowledging the shortcomings of other systems, suggests Blizzard is aware of potential pitfalls.

Further details are expected before the summer reveal of World of Warcraft: Midnight.