Blizzard is Removing all Combat Addons

The Prefessional
May 29
4 min read

Big news, World of Warcraft players! It's official: Blizzard is changing how we play, with the ultimate goal of removing combat addons entirely from the game. If you haven't been keeping up with all the buzz, don't worry, I've got you covered!

News Recap

Last month, Ion, the Senior Game Director for World of Warcraft, sat down on a podcast and later with PC Gamer to discuss the future vision for the game. He revealed exciting new developments, including a DPS rotation assistant and a "one-button DPS tool". While those announcements definitely turned heads, the core message was clear: Blizzard wants to continue making UI improvements to the point where combat addons are no longer necessary, allowing players to find all essential tools directly within the game. This includes integrating their own DPS meters and timers.

Key Changes Ahead

Healer Tracking

Incoming heals will no longer be trackable. For healers, this means a potential return to "old-school" healing assignments and a greater emphasis on direct communication within groups – a change I think isn't that big of a deal, except maybe in PUGs.

Group Cooldowns

The ability to track other players' cooldowns or group abilities will be removed. I believe this is intended to foster more open communication among players.

Buffs & Debuffs

Tracking specialized buffs and debuffs will also be phased out, as these functionalities are expected to be built directly into the default UI. I have high hopes for the cooldown manager to become a suitable replacement for popular tools like WeakAuras.

Tank Swaps

For tanks, the game will provide clearer information regarding tank swaps, reducing reliance on addons like DBM that currently yell "taunt now". The idea is for players to understand mechanics inherently, rather than relying on an addon to dictate actions – I see this primarily targeting DBM users.

Crowd Control (CC)

Stun and other CC diminishing returns will be made more visible within the game's UI.

PvP Changes

PvP addons will no longer display enemy cooldowns. While the full impact isn't clear yet (as I don't PvP), I assume this is a significant and likely negative adjustment for PvP enthusiasts.

Nameplate Customization

While visual customization of nameplate style and scale will remain, conditional logic (like changing a bar's appearance based on a buff/debuff or an interruptible spell) will likely be restricted. Improvements to the default nameplate system are expected to address current issues like clutter in large pulls, which is something I hope they continue working on.

What Addons are Staying

Good news for crafters, quest-lovers, and roleplayers! Auction House addons, quest helpers, gathering addons, and roleplaying addons are not expected to be affected by these changes. I'm super glad they're not getting rid of those; they're incredibly valuable and useful.

Blizzard is actively working to improve the base UI, the cooldown manager, the HUD (Heads-Up Display), and the overall audio-visual clarity of important mechanics. I see this commitment to a clearer, less cluttered experience as a major win for the game's future.

When Can We Expect These Changes?

Blizzard has indicated that these changes won't arrive in immediate patches like 1.7 or 11.2. My projection is that third-party combat addons will be phased out with the launch of the next major expansion, **Midnight**. This aligns with the roadmap, as Midnight is expected to launch after Season Three of The War Within concludes.

The Good, The Bad, and The Future of WoW

I'm personally thrilled about the removal of combat addons, I view them as a horrible thing for the game that contributes to overly complex encounters. My hope is for a game that is still challenging but simpler in design, reducing the burden of tracking numerous mechanics simultaneously. I constantly have to reiterate that this isn't about "dumbing down" the game, but making it challenging through simpler, more engaging design.

The Positives

Levels the playing field

Reduce the gap between players who heavily rely on addons and those who don't.

Encourage mechanical understanding

Push players to learn boss mechanics rather than just following addon prompts.

Improve system performance

Reduce the resource drain that many complex addons can cause, making for a smoother user experience.

Improve new player experience

Make the entry into World of Warcraft much smoother and less overwhelming for new players by standardizing the combat experience.

The Negatives

Massive Growing Pains

Players are accustomed to their highly customized addon setups (like WeakAuras) and will face a significant adjustment period. I will greatly miss my current Luxthos setup, especially if the customization isn't there for Blizzard's cooldown manager.

Less Accessibility

Many players rely on third-party addons for accessibility features due to visual, auditory, or motor impairments. Blizzard will need to make this a focal point of their native UI improvements.

Polish and Updates

There's a risk that Blizzard's built-in features might be less polished or slower to update compared to the rapid bug fixes and iterations of independent addon developers.

Closing Thoughts

Despite these potential hurdles, my overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive. I see this move as a huge step in the right direction for the long-term health of World of Warcraft. I can't be more excited about it! It's crucial for us to remain open-minded and understand that the game will evolve into a very different, yet hopefully still challenging, experience.