addons Archives

AppWizard

December 24, 2025

They survived the MMO massacre of 2025, but 2026 is going to be a tense year for WoW and FF14: And for completely different reasons

In 2025, the MMORPG landscape faced significant turmoil with the closure of New World, withdrawal of funding for Greg Street's MMO, cancellation of a ZeniMax title, and the demise of a Warhammer MMO. Despite this, World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy 14 have remained resilient. Final Fantasy 14 has struggled with design and content delivery, lagging behind competitors like World of Warcraft, which has benefited from Microsoft's acquisition. Creative Studio 3's rigid division between casual and hardcore content has hindered player engagement, while World of Warcraft has successfully implemented variable difficulty. Director Naoki Yoshida is addressing job design issues in an upcoming expansion expected in late 2026 or early 2027. World of Warcraft has seen a resurgence with recent expansions but faces challenges in eliminating combat mods that players rely on. Both games are at a critical juncture, with 2026 expected to be pivotal for their futures.

AppWizard

November 30, 2025

Despite Blizzard’s World of Warcraft Midnight changes, the team behind its most iconic mod still has no plans to return

Blizzard Entertainment is implementing significant changes to the information accessible to combat addon creators in World of Warcraft Midnight, which will affect popular addons like WeakAuras. The WeakAuras team has announced they will not support the addon in the upcoming expansion due to the introduction of 'secret values' that conceal combat-related information. The team believes these changes hinder the core functionality of WeakAuras, which relies on tracking personal combat states. Major changes include restrictions on addons' ability to send and receive chat messages during combat, concealment of NPC identities and buffs/debuffs, and obscuring personal combat states. Game director Ion Hazzikostas stated that the goal of these changes is to prevent addons from providing a competitive advantage over players using the base user interface. The WeakAuras team feels that Blizzard's approach is incompatible with their addon’s purpose and has criticized the communication regarding these changes. Players may need to find alternative solutions for their addon needs in the Midnight expansion.

AppWizard

November 6, 2025

World of Warcraft Midnight’s addon confusion strikes again, as game director breaks two-year Reddit silence to address countdown concerns

Recent discussions in the gaming community have focused on the World of Warcraft (WoW) addon landscape, particularly with the upcoming Midnight expansion. Adam 'MysticalOS' Williams shared a video on the official subreddit discussing Blizzard's evolving stance on countdown addons, following a two-year hiatus from game director Ion Hazzikostas. Hazzikostas expressed concerns about players becoming overly reliant on timers during raids, which could diminish engagement with game mechanics. He emphasized the importance of preventing addons from surpassing the base user interface (UI) capabilities, as this could detract from competitive gameplay. Hazzikostas plans to clarify Blizzard's goals regarding addons in an upcoming blog post, aiming to create a level playing field where addons enhance the experience without providing unfair advantages. Specifically regarding audible countdowns, Hazzikostas stated that the concern is not about the countdown itself being automation, but about ensuring all players have access to similar functionalities. He mentioned that if Blizzard's design goals are not met, they might consider integrating an audio countdown feature into the base UI. MysticalOS acknowledged the need for enhancements to be integrated into the stock UI before addon customization. As the Midnight expansion approaches, significant changes to healing mechanics are expected, and experienced modders like WeakAuras' 'Stanzilla' will not update their addons for the new expansion.

AppWizard

November 4, 2025

World of Warcraft’s most expensive mount ever may be making a comeback, and I can already smell the backlash

The Mighty Caravan Brutosaur was introduced in the Battle for Azeroth expansion of World of Warcraft with a price of 5,000,000 gold. It was removed from the game with the Shadowlands expansion but briefly returned during the 20th anniversary event in 2024. Dataminers have found hints suggesting the Brutosaur may return, potentially as a new variant called the Trader's Gilded Brutosaur, which is priced at approximately £60, making it the most expensive mount in the game. The community has mixed reactions to this new version, viewing it as either an aesthetic upgrade or a cash grab. The return of the Brutosaur raises concerns about monetization versus gameplay value, especially for players who invested time in acquiring the original mount.

AppWizard

October 26, 2025

Blizzard throws World of Warcraft healers and tanks a bone as Midnight’s UI falls short

Blizzard has decided to eliminate combat modifications in World of Warcraft Midnight, impacting the use of addons that players have relied on for successful raiding. The alpha testing began with strict limitations on addons to address competitive advantages, but some restrictions have since been relaxed. Improvements to the group user interface will focus on healer specifications and tank benefits, with enhancements to default raid frames while still allowing for addon customization. The aim is to prevent addons from automating combat decisions while enabling information presentation customization. New features include a 'boss warning' timeline, enhanced enemy cast bar animations, and text-to-speech alerts for crucial combat events.

AppWizard

October 16, 2025

Total War Warhammer 3 dev “sorry” as it confirms second DLC delay, admitting “it’s been a frustrating year” for the strategy titan

Creative Assembly has delayed the release of the Tides of Torment expansion for Total War: Warhammer 3 for the second time, now scheduled for December 4. The team is addressing ongoing campaign AI issues and bugs affecting factions like the Beastmen and Chaos Dwarfs. A new update, TWW3 7.0, will accompany the expansion, introducing significant enhancements and a free legendary lord, The Masque of Slaanesh. A new Total War mod manager is nearing completion, allowing players to manage addons more efficiently. A 25th-anniversary showcase on December 4 will reveal the future of Total War and feature discussions and gameplay reveals.

AppWizard

October 7, 2025

The best MMOs and MMORPGs 2025

Gaming serves as a refuge, a means to connect with others, and a way to forge friendships, particularly through MMOs and MMORPGs. These genres offer expansive realms filled with adventure and the opportunity to interact with fellow gamers. 1. Old School Runescape: Features a skill cap of 99 for all abilities, has a vibrant community, and the recent Varlamore expansion has attracted record player counts. 2. World of Warcraft: Known for its continuous evolution and the latest expansion, "The War Within," which makes the game more accessible for players with limited time. 3. Final Fantasy 14: Transformed from a lackluster launch to a beloved MMORPG, praised for its epic tales and the recent "Dawntrail" expansion. 4. Destiny 2: Offers immersive gameplay and narrative, with the recent "Edge of Fate" expansion improving the onboarding experience for newcomers. 5. Guild Wars 2: Features a horizontal gear progression system and episodic updates, with the upcoming "Visions of Eternity" expansion promising new content. 6. Elder Scrolls Online: Allows players to explore Tamriel's landscapes and engage in combat, with ongoing expansions and content updates. 7. Albion Online: Combines crafting, farming, and PvP action, with the recent "Abyssal Depths" update enhancing PvP elements. 8. Dune Awakening: An MMO-survival hybrid set in an alternate timeline of Arrakis, with the recent "Lost Harvest" DLC adding new cosmetic options. 9. Black Desert Online: Known for stunning visuals and fluid combat, offering a diverse array of classes but can be daunting for newcomers. 10. Lost Ark: Players recover relics in a beautifully crafted world, with recent updates streamlining the onboarding process. 11. Star Wars The Old Republic: Set in the Star Wars universe, featuring various classes and regular updates to keep content fresh. 12. Lord of the Rings Online: Immerses players in Middle-earth with quests and expansions, despite aging graphics. 13. Eve Online: Renowned for its player-driven economy and intricate narratives, featuring massive space battles. 14. New World Aeternum: Blends sandbox survival with RPG mechanics, encouraging character development and exploration. 15. Palia: Focuses on gardening, decorating, and community-building, with recent updates expanding features. Upcoming titles include Chrono Odyssey, promising time-based combat, and Ashes of Creation, currently in playtesting.

AppWizard

October 5, 2025

WoW’s most beloved addon dies at Midnight, as any new version “wouldn’t be worthy of the WeakAuras name”

World of Warcraft Midnight is implementing significant changes to its combat mod landscape, impacting popular addons like WeakAuras. The WeakAuras team has decided to cease support for the mod with the upcoming expansion, citing Blizzard's new restrictions that prevent access to essential combat data. The alpha phase of Midnight began on October 2, and while some addon creators plan to adapt, the WeakAuras team does not expect to release a version for Midnight, although they will continue supporting WeakAuras Classic. The core issue is Blizzard's introduction of 'secret values,' which obscures crucial player combat state information, rendering WeakAuras unable to function as intended. Stanzilla, the project lead, expressed skepticism about any reversal of these restrictions and noted that a simplified version of WeakAuras would not meet user needs. Blizzard has made some adjustments to its changes, but these do not resolve the fundamental issues faced by WeakAuras. Stanzilla remains uncertain about his engagement with Midnight, depending on how the situation evolves.