The upcoming World of Warcraft: Midnight expansion is set to bring about a monumental shift, as Blizzard plans to disable a host of widely used player-created modifications, known as add-ons. While the company is also introducing new in-game features, the core functionality of many beloved combat add-ons will be entirely removed, a decision that has left the player community deeply unhappy.
This discussion isn’t entirely new. Back in April, the game’s director, Ion Hazzikostas, first hinted at these changes. He spoke about introducing a “one-button rotation” feature, designed to automate optimal combat abilities, alongside other quality-of-life updates. These were presented as initial steps to “rein in” add-on functionalities that offered real-time combat solutions, automation, and coordination that surpassed the game’s native user interface.
For years, World of Warcraft players have relied on add-ons for a vast array of in-combat assistance. This includes everything from tracking buffs, debuffs, ability procs, and cooldowns, to monitoring damage statistics, boss timers, and even providing real-time warnings for boss mechanics. Some add-ons are relatively benign, like those displaying damage numbers or ability cooldowns. However, the development team, led by Hazzikostas, has increasingly voiced a desire to curb add-ons that essentially solve complex in-combat challenges for players, such as precise positioning or quick reactions to boss abilities. Their stated goal is to eliminate the need for such external tools by implementing superior native combat design.
Fast forward to the present: the Midnight expansion is now in its alpha testing phase, with various media outlets and content creators, including our own team, getting a first look. Blizzard has clearly outlined its plans for add-ons in Midnight: all tools that provide real-time combat data will be disabled. This means essential add-ons like BigWigs and Deadly Boss Mods, mainstays for many players, will cease to function once Midnight launches.
Furthermore, a significant portion of WeakAuras, another incredibly popular add-on, is also facing removal. WeakAuras is renowned for its versatility, allowing players to create highly customized visual and auditory cues for countless in-game events. While it’s used for a wide range of purposes, many players depend on it for crucial combat information, such as tracking their own ability cooldowns and procs, or receiving vital guidance during complex boss fights. For example, as an elemental shaman, this reporter relies on WeakAuras to monitor active abilities, and many raid encounters feature custom WeakAura setups designed to simplify mechanics.
“The restrictions are so severe that core functionality, such as Conditions or Actions, or having multiple triggers in one aura or a cloning trigger, would become impossible. Producing a stripped-down version of WeakAuras without these features would require several months of refactoring. The result would be a barely recognizable version. Given that, we have made the difficult decision not to create a WeakAuras version for Midnight.”
Unsurprisingly, these developments have left a significant portion of the player base feeling frustrated, anxious, and even angry. Blizzard has stated intentions to introduce its own in-house tools within Midnight to compensate for the lost functionalities of DBM and WeakAuras. However, with most of these new features currently unavailable for testing, it’s impossible to gauge if they will be sufficient replacements. While Blizzard reassures players that they’ve started Midnight with the most restrictive version of add-on cuts and will adjust based on feedback, the initial impression is one of drastic change. Many players mourn the potential loss of tools they’ve used to play WoW for years and gotten used to. Blizzard’s rationale centers on “leveling the playing field” to prevent competitive play from requiring extensive add-on configuration. Yet, without tangible proof that the game will remain accessible and enjoyable for all, this argument is proving difficult for the community to accept.
Of course, one could argue that World of Warcraft should be perfectly playable without any external assistance. However, for decades, add-ons have been an integral part of the WoW experience, almost universally expected, especially the most popular ones. It’s perfectly understandable for players to feel alarmed at the prospect of a large portion of their personalized UI and combat aids disappearing overnight, potentially disrupting their entire gameplay flow.
In a recent interview with game director Ion Hazzikostas and UX designer Crash Reed, the question was raised: why introduce such impactful changes without first allowing players to experience and adjust to Blizzard’s new in-house updates? Hazzikostas offered his perspective:
“The next few months during alpha and beta testing *are* that opportunity,” Hazzikostas explained. “This kind of change must coincide with an expansion launch; it’s impossible to implement mid-cycle. We need to design entire tiers of dungeons, raids, and even classes around this new environment without disrupting existing content. We’ve aimed for transparency regarding upcoming UI improvements, rolling many out during War Within to gather feedback that’s already influencing the Midnight alpha. We’ll be closely monitoring player reactions to ensure a satisfying outcome. Crucially, we’ve also invited numerous add-on authors to the alpha to provide immediate feedback on any unintended consequences, helping us refine our implementation for the benefit of both creators and players.”
UX designer Crash Reed echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the desire for an open dialogue with the community. He noted that player feedback has already influenced changes, such as those made to the cooldown manager, highlighting that early alpha access is crucial for gathering this vital input. Their goal is to foster an environment where player feedback can be actively incorporated into development.
This reporter then pressed further, asking about players outside the alpha/beta who fear the game becoming unplayable due to these changes. The personal example given involved regular raiding, relying on WeakAuras for ability tracking and DBM for crucial audio cues to avoid visible hazards, particularly in visually challenging raid environments. While playing without these tools is technically possible, it would significantly increase the difficulty of a highly enjoyed aspect of the game, potentially diminishing the overall experience.
Hazzikostas acknowledged the shared concerns of many players. He stated, “Philosophically… if you are standing in something that is lethal and is going to kill your character, and the only way that you are aware of that fact is because you have an air horn that’s playing from an add-on, we have dropped the ball as developers. And that should be on us to fix.” This reporter interjected, citing the common issue of “purple fire in a purple raid,” to which Hazzikostas agreed, noting that such feedback has been well received.
He continued, explaining that addressing this isn’t solely a UI or encounter design problem, but a comprehensive effort involving combat design, artists, and the sound team. “Ultimately, we want to take away this crutch,” he explained, noting that players *without* these tools have been playing a “version of the game that was in some ways unfair.” Blizzard’s aim is to “level the playing field” by ensuring all necessary information is available through the base game experience.
Regarding difficulty, Hazzikostas affirmed their goal is to maintain a similar challenge level. If a guild typically clears content in a certain number of weeks or wipes, that should remain consistent. The focus should be on coordinating, collaborating, and solving the unique puzzles of MMO PvE gameplay, rather than relying on lightning-fast reactions or extensive add-on configuration. He reiterated that rolling out these changes with the expansion and making raid encounters available early in alpha is about gathering data to properly tune the experience. The aim is to adjust mechanics, reaction times, or the number of simultaneous debuffs to make the game manageable for human players without external aids, ultimately delivering fun, challenging, and satisfying encounters.
As for how these changes will ultimately play out, only time will tell. With Midnight slated for an early 2026 release, there are many unknowns. Blizzard’s new in-game tools and encounter designs might prove so exceptional that external add-ons become truly unnecessary. Conversely, a misstep could lead to significant player dissatisfaction, potentially causing many long-time raiders to abandon the game. While Blizzard may yet reconsider some of the more extreme restrictions, the current sentiment within the dedicated player community, accustomed to a particular way of playing for decades, is one of palpable anxiety. The responsibility now lies with Blizzard’s team and their development of Midnight to alleviate these concerns in the months leading up to launch.