World of Warcraft is one of the most storied franchises in the world of video games with a lifespan of 14 years that shows no signs of slowing down with Blizzard continuing to provide fans with regular content updates that expand the enormous world of the famous MMORPG even more. The title's seventh expansion, Battle for Azeroth, will be releasing this Fall and fans are anxiously awaiting to dive into the next chapter of the heated feud between the Horde and the Alliance. We were able to sit down and discuss what players can expect from the new expanison with World of Warcraft Producer Daniel Stahl.  

The New World of Island Expeditions

Twin Galaxies: What does the Island Expeditions feature entail? 

Stahl: "Island Expeditions is like finding a treasure map. You and two of your friends from the same faction are going to go out into the South Seas looking for treausre in the form of Azerite. Azerite is this new powerful substance bleeding up from the planet herself after she was stabbed by the sword of Sargeras. This powerful substance is going to be used to power up your armor, so that you will have new weapons and abilities as you fight against the enemy faction." 

Twin Galaxies: We have been told that encounters are a tad different in Island Expeditions. Could you tell us a little more about this difference? 

Stahl: "On Island Expeditions you are going to be running into the enemy faction. This is not PVP (player versus player). This is something different. Typically, in World of Warcraft when you run up to an enemy it might go straight up to you and fight you until you both fall over. However, these advanced NPCs are much smarter than that. They can run away. They can work as a team. They have new abilities and spells they can use, which might not be recognizable as they may be something you have never seen before. They represent a personality and these personalities are going to be trying to defeat you and get to the Azerite first on these Island Expeditions." 

Twin Galaxies: Are the Island Expeditions of a cooperative nature or is there a competitive aspect to them? 

Stahl: "Island Expeditions are a competitive feature where you are facing off against these advanced NPCs. When you first arrive on an island you will be getting off of the ship and not know what is there. It is a very dynamic experience. There are a lot of different islands and a lot of different things that can be on those islands. You might arrive at a different time of day or another side of the island you have never been to. This sense of exploration is really a hallmark for Battle of Azeroth. When you arrive you are going to be looking out over the shore, the forest or the ice wasteland and looking to find those big red Xs that are going to mark the largest sources of Azerite on the island. In a way, it is a competitive race to see who can get the most Azerite. Once you complete this competition, you will be able to power up your Heart of Azeroth, which is a powerful relic given to you by Magni that is going to power your gear." 

Twin Galaxies: How does powering your gear with the Azerite affect your character? 

Stahl: "Azerite armor is a new feature in Battle for Azeroth. Think of something slightly different than the artifact weapons we had in the previous expansion. This is a new way that we are adding an ability for you to make more choices around how you want to power your gear. This Azerite armor is going to be imbued with this Azerite that is pouring out of your neck piece. As you collect Azerite and power up your neck piece, that is going to provide options for you to customize the abilities of the different pieces of gear that you find in the world." 

Twin Galaxies: What kind of group will you be a member of when you take part in the Island Expeditions? 

Stahl: "Islands are meant to be played by three players who will go to one of their faction's hubs and will see three different maps on a treasure table. You will then be able to choose a difficulty or queue for PVP. You will then either be connected with two other players, or you can go in with a pre made group of three." 

What to Expect from Battle of Azeroth as a Whole

Twin Galaxies: What is the story behind the Battle for Azeroth? 

Stahl: "This is the time for the Horde and the Alliance to clash. We are coming off of Legion where we have defeated the Burning Legion, and now it is time to really understand how we are going to survive now that this sword has been plunged into our planet and this Azerite is bubbling up. The tensions are now bubbling up even more between these two factions. As you saw in the opening cinematic, at the start of this expansion, there is an intense battle where you as a Horde or Alliance member are going to be trying to take the court to save Lordaeron." 

Twin Galaxies: What are some noteworthy pieces of gear that you will be able to attain in Battle for Azeroth? 

Stahl: "We are still in alpha right now, so we have not taken a deep look at what items are going to be available as rewards. As we get closer to launch and as you start to play in the Beta, you will begin to see rewards hooked up to dungeons, raids and quests." 

Twin Galaxies: What is the one element of Battle for Azeroth that you have worked on that you are the most proud of? 

Stahl: "The thing that really excites me is Island Expeditions because it is such a dynamic experience, unlike world quests where you know what is going to be there and what you are going to be fighting. On an island you are not sure what is going to be there or what the enemy faction is going to be. You are not sure which monsters or elites are going to be on the island either. It provides this dynamic experience that I am really looking forward to because while I have been able to master the certain parts of it that I have been able to play so far, there is a lot to learn and a lot of different islands out there to explore. There are different sizes, times of day and events that can happen. Honestly, as someone who likes to explore and see what new things I can find, this seems like a never ending source of enjoyment and fun. It is fast paced and has that itch that I really like to scratch." 

Twin Galaxies: What has made World of Warcraft so successful to where you are still creating expansions 14 years after its release? 

Stahl: "There is this mutual respect that happens between the developers and fans. We have this saying that every voice matters, and it is one of our philosphies. When you look at what we are able to do year after year in putting out these content updates, the excitement that happens at Blizzcon, people streaming World of Warcraft and talking about the game, that creates this awesome feedback loop where we as developers, who are also playing the game, have an idea of what is going to be exciting and cool. When we see players engaging with it in either Alpha, Beta or the live version, those bits of feedback and that excitement really fuels development. World of Warcraft also continues to advance with technology. Here is a game that started long ago but has been able to evolve over time. In Battle for Azeroth we are adding new weather and advanced NPCs, which is a giant leap forward in what we have been able to do with encounters, and it really shows that the team has this strong commitment to keeping our expansions and keeping our content updates fresh, while doing them bigger and better all of the time." 

Twin Galaxies: How will the Horde and Alliance evolve in Battle for Azeroth? 

Stahl: "In Battle for Azeroth, you are going to see Anduin as the new King of the Alliance and what it means for him to lead and who is the Alliance under him. You are also going to see Sylvanas as the new leader for the Horde and what it is going to mean to be a member of the Horde under her leadership. These two characters are the leaders who are going to help us learn perspective on what it means to be for the Horde or for the Alliance. In addition, you are going to see more of characters like Jaina Proudmoore, who we saw take off in the last expansion because she did not want to be apart of the joint effort to defeat the Burning Legion. She has a rich history with the Horde and has seen their treachery first hand. You will be able to dive into a character like that and understand what her perspective on the Alliance and the Horde is and why she feels the way that she does. On the Horde side of things you are going to be taking a look at the Zandalari Trolls who have been characters in the game for so long but have always turned away from joining any faction.  As a Horde member, you will explore how you are going to convince them to join your side after everything that has come and gone in the past. This is a great time for anyone who has ever played World of Warcraft and have been for the Horde or for the Alliance to jump in and be that ambassador that will influence the story by convincing these allies to join your side." 

Players will be able to jump into and experience all of the new content that will be coming to World of Warcraft in Battle for Azeroth on August 14th, 2018.

Interested in more developer interviews? Check out our discussion with Matt Jackson, the Design Director of the upcoming asymmetrical survival shooter Death Garden.

(cover photo courtesy of Polygon)