Why WoW Classic is more appealing than Retail World of Warcraft in 2024

I don’t speak for everyone, but WoW Classic is way more fun than Retail World of Warcraft right now. I’ve noticed that this is not a new or exciting sentiment. A higher number of people currently stream Classic compared to retail, and I have the feeling it’s more than just the excitement of Hardcore mode.

It’s something I’ve really had to think about, and after talking to long-time players, I’ve come to a few conclusions about what makes one format more enjoyable.

Of course, this is my opinion; your thoughts may vary. You might prefer Retail World of Warcraft to WoW Classic, and that’s perfectly fine.

I want it to be clear that I don’t hate one mode or the other; it’s just that right now, the older game scratches some itches the retail version can’t seem to reach.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the author's opinions.

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What makes WoW Classic more enjoyable than Retail World of Warcraft?

The good old days are never too far behind (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

How can you tell when a WoW player was active during Classic? Don’t worry - they’ll tell you. Like right now, for example. I’ve been active in Blizzard’s MMO since nearly the beginning.

I’ve seen some incredible things and tackled awesome content with great - and not-so-great - people in my time with Retail World of Warcraft. But I’ve found WoW Classic to be a more enjoyable use of my time.

While I’ve enjoyed the story of Dragonflight, and feel like the gameplay does a lot to lift the title up after Shadowlands, I don’t think it’s quite enough. In fact, I believe that the MMORPG has made a complete U-turn.

As Asmongold quaintly put it in a recent video, the game has too much bloat.

There always seems to be a new task I'm not completing (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

Every major update in Dragonflight has introduced more group activities to add to the already significant amount of stuff to do in the game. While that sounds great on paper, after a few weeks or so, people stop playing this content.

If you’re coming back and trying to catch up, it can be miserable. So much of this content is tuned to group players, and if you don’t have a group for it, you can’t do it.

The content in Retail World of Warcraft just exceedingly piles up. When I go to log into retail, I just get bogged down by how much more stuff I have to do than the last time. Weekly quests undone, faction grinds to work through, gear to get, and the list just goes on.

Sure, WoW Classic has timesinks too, and it’s far from perfect, but we already know what to expect in the classic experience.

It's more, I guess the word would be, relaxing. I can log in, do some leveling for a few hours, and just take my time, and push through familiar but fun content.

A bit of failure from the WoW Classic Hardcore test realm (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

Yes, the Hardcore mode is also very much an enticing factor. I adore it, even if I’m bad at it.

Players in Classic don’t have to worry about tons of new content dropping on them every month or so. This is stuff we already know how to play, and there’s just a certain satisfaction in diving back into the glory days of World of Warcraft.

Some people simply prefer the game to be slower instead of being able to level cap in one or two sittings. You can grab a few friends, roll a new character, and play together for a lot longer than you can in Retail World of Warcraft. It’s so easy to level cap in that game. I don’t think that should be the point, though.

The point of WoW Classic isn’t just to hit the level cap and start getting better gear.

It’s about the experience, the leveling from 1-60, or 1-70, or even 1-80. It’s about the friends you make along the way and the adventures you have. The game doesn’t start at the level cap; the game starts right as soon as you log in.

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This, of course, isn’t to say that Retail World of Warcraft is bad, not by a long shot. But I do feel like many players are taking to WoW Classic more, perhaps in hopes of Classic+ or simply because they like the way the game used to feel.

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Check out our WoW Rune guides for specific classes

Druid Runes in WoW Classic Season of Discovery || Mage || Priest || Paladin || Rogue || Warlock || Warrior || Shaman || Hunter