World of Warcraft: Midnight Devs Discuss the Prey System, Split Raids, Zul’Aman, and More in Pre-Launch Interview

With exactly a week left before the official launch of World of Warcraft: Midnight, here's a semi-exclusive interview with Blizzard where four members of the development team open up on the key areas of the game's eleventh expansion, such as dungeons, raids, delves, the Zul'aman zone, and the new Prey system.

I said semi-exclusive because I shared the remote interview session with Carrie Lambertsen from Screen Rant, so you'll see her name pop up as well throughout the transcript when she was the one asking questions. The following Blizzard developers were involved: Associate Game Director Paul Kubit, Lead Encounter Designer Dylan Barker, Game Designer Jake Shillan, and Senior Game Designer Kim Flack.

World of Warcraft: Midnight goes live on March 3 for PC and Mac. Hopefully, John Romero doesn't slip back into his addiction...

In this interview:

1. Pre-Launch: Twilight Ascension and Welcome Back Weekend
2. Raids and Dungeons in World of Warcraft: Midnight
3. The Worldsoul Saga Trilogy
4. Housing
5. Zul'Aman: From Raid to Zone
6. All About The Prey System

Carrie (Screen Rant): What are you most excited for players to see in World of Warcraft: Midnight?

Paul Kubit: Oh my gosh. Some of it is behind spoiler territory. So, some of the things that I'm most excited about are still things that have yet to be uncovered on beta or yet to be shared anywhere, really. One of the things that I'm most excited about is the Prey system. I have been playing Prey on the beta daily.

I had an experience yesterday where I was playing on Nightmare mode on a Survival Hunter. For your audience, if they are unaware, Prey is an outdoor opt-in system where you can go on a hunt against a dangerous enemy, but that enemy is hunting you as well. It can ambush you while you're fighting anything. As you escalate in difficulty from Normal mode to Hard mode to Nightmare mode, there are additional torments that can happen along the way—pools of damage appear by your feet, ghostly followers chase after you, and whatnot.

Anyway, I had this experience where one of the torments is "kill something now," where you have a limited amount of time (15 or 20 seconds) to kill something, otherwise you take a big DoT [Damage over Time]. There were no enemies nearby. I looked over into the water off the coast of Zul'Aman, and there was an eel in there. So, I jumped off a cliff, did my harpoon pull to get myself onto the eel and kill it in time. And then, while I was underwater, I was ambushed by my target. In addition to dealing with pools of water appearing underneath me, it was the exact type of moment you want to have happen in Prey. It adds this level of chaos to the outdoor world, where you could normally fall into a routine of completing world quests and doing your special assignments, which are relatively cozy and simple. If you're not feeling really cozy that day and you want to be hunted, Prey is a new feeling. That's one of the things I'm most excited about. What about you, Dylan?

Dylan Barker: I'm somewhat strange in that I love to jump between different classes a bunch during the expansion. So I have two things I'm really looking forward to. First off, a whole slate of new Delves and new activities that have learned from what went well in Delves in The War Within and improve upon that. Just a bunch of fresh delve stuff so that when I'm playing a class where I'm not necessarily familiar with their buttons yet, I can just jump in and feel that out.

Dovetailing into that, I kind of want to try and tank this expansion. I think it'll be fun. We've put in an affix for Mythic Plus called "Lindorm's Guidance". The easiest way to understand it is like a highlight on a creature in a pack to indicate the series of packs that you'd pull in a Mythic Plus run for a reasonable line. It's not necessarily the fastest. It may not be optimal for your group, and at higher levels of Mythic Plus, it might lag behind, but when you're getting your feet wet in Mythic Plus as a tank, it can be very stressful. It's nice for the designers to say, "Actually, if you just do this, you'll be doing a reasonable job." All you have to worry about is how the mobs interact with you and how you survive, rather than "what route do I need to be going?" and "will I get flamed for going the wrong way?" So yeah, definitely looking forward to that.

Pre-Launch: Twilight Ascension and Welcome Back Weekend

Alessio (Wccftech): I know that you've activated the Twilight Ascension pre-launch event. How is that going for you, and what's the community's reaction so far?

Paul Kubit: Yeah, Twilight Ascension is the name of our pre-launch event, and it's meant to be a prelude to some of the themes and enemies you might be seeing in World of Warcraft: Midnight. We're seeing the activation of the Twilight's Blade cult sort of arising in Twilight Highlands, as appropriate a place as any for them to be. This is a world group which is going to be particularly relevant as we start adventuring through Eversong Woods and Zul'Aman as well. You're going to see a good amount of cultist activity going on in Zul'Aman.

So, this is the introduction to that story, and also an opportunity for us to see some of the really cool Void enemies we're going to be fighting, not just against those cultists, but also as we enter incredibly voidy spaces like the Void Spire, some of our dungeons, and the raids. Lots of void! So it's been a good opportunity to get people jumping into the story. Also, as players have been going through it, we've found that plenty of folks have enjoyed using this event to get their characters caught up on gear or experience. We've monitored that and made adjustments to rewards along the way to make sure it's efficient and feels appropriate if you've got a character that is falling behind, or many characters (maybe you played a lot of Mists of Pandaria Remix / Legion Remix) that you want to get up to a higher item level so you can get a head start in Midnight.

Alessio (Wccftech): As a quick follow-up, I know that you also hosted a Welcome Back weekend a couple of weeks ago. Did you see many lapsed players come back, eager for World of Warcraft: Midnight?

Paul Kubit: Yeah, for sure. We've done a couple of welcome back weekends in the past, and it's always a good opportunity for people who have played World of Warcraft in the past and are interested in hopping back in to try some of the new features. We saw a lot of people able to experience Housing for the first time because of the welcome back weekend. You can go in and start building out your house, collecting decor, and playing around with that mode, as well as starting to use some of the new transmog systems and the additional stuff which entered into the pre-patch. So yeah, we saw a good number of people come back to see what's new.

Raids and Dungeons in World of Warcraft: Midnight

Carrie (Screen Rant): I was curious about all the changes happening with the add-ons. I know a lot has changed, specifically for raids and dungeons. Can you talk for a minute about how that affected your design going into the raids for World of Warcraft: Midnight?

Dylan Barker: It was pretty foundational. I think the exciting prospect of it is that there are mechanics we've tried in the past that asked raid groups to basically say, "Hey, all of you arrange yourself in this way." We didn't tell you ahead of time, but you knew something was going to happen; we just didn't know in what order or which players were going to get picked. In the past, that was automated [by add-ons], and the way that we had to challenge players at higher difficulties was by shooting a bunch of swirlies or bullets at them to get them to stress while doing something that was otherwise automated.

So, just on its face, we have encounters across the whole spectrum of the raid, from one of the very first ones to the very last one for Midnight, that will ask players to coordinate in a way that is not automated. It will be very neat to see how this plays out. We're able to just change the difficulty of a coordination test using elements of the test itself instead of having to layer multiple pieces over it. From a strict design perspective, that's very exciting for our team. It's also called on us to be clearer and intentional about what mechanics we're showing players. It's not about things being simpler; it's about things being cleaner, easier to read, condensed into a number of mechanics that, when they are happening, they are the serious thing you need to worry about. We've had enough space to do that throughout Midnight.

Alessio (Wccftech): Staying on the raids topic, what was your philosophy behind deciding to split the bosses? Instead of one large raid, you're doing separate raid instances that are being released across Season 1 of World of Warcraft: Midnight. Was that partly because of community feedback over previous expansions?

Paul Kubit: For sure. We have had several raid tiers in the last several expansions where our raid has been a single location with roughly eight bosses. Variety is the spice of life, and the spice of WoW for sure. We want to make sure we always have novel and surprising experiences, and that it doesn't become too standardized. So the feedback of, "Gosh, I miss when we used to have single boss raids like Onyxia's Lair, Magtheridon's Lair, Gruul's Lair," giving you a little more flexibility in how your group puts together its raid evening. That feedback flavored our choice.

Also, a lot of it came from the narrative. As we were putting together the story of what happens at the end of this first chapter of Midnight, we looked at the Void Spire, where the culmination of the void storm happens. We bring down the shields and open up—I won't spoil too much—but you take the fight to Xal'atath by bringing a big Light army against her big Void army. That raid is, in every sense of the word, a war between Light and Darkness.

At the culmination of that raid, there's still a little bit more story that has to happen. So we have some questing after you complete that raid. If you are someone who doesn't normally raid with a group, you'll have Story Mode available to play through it on your own with followers. After completing that raid, you have additional questing which leads into a second raid at a second location: the March on Quel’Danas raid. That story necessitated us having the raid take place in two different places and at two different times. The unlock of those raids will be separated by two weeks for Normal/Heroic difficulty, or a single week for Mythic difficulty. We're really excited to see how players respond. And of course, there's that last raid, which is not part of the campaign: the Dream Rift raid. That's a single boss lair where we're fighting a big spooky monster.

Carrie (Screen Rant): Since you mentioned the Story Mode raids, I absolutely love them as someone who doesn't like being part of a giant raid group all the time. Going forward, is the Story Mode raid mechanics continuing to evolve, or has it changed going into World of Warcraft: Midnight?

Paul Kubit: It's changed numerically in a couple of different ways. We're looking at the final boss of a raid, which is the main loadbearing story boss. The things we see changing are that, well, there are two this time. We have two campaign raids (the Void Spire and March on Quel’Danas), and both of the final bosses will be available on Story Mode. The Dream Rift does not have Story Mode because it's not really part of the campaign.

The second thing is that we've gone backwards in the leveling experience. We identified that Dragonflight is actually a pretty good expansion for new or returning players to learn the ropes. It's entrenched in WoW fantasy (dragons), has varied spaces, and a cool story. We've added Story Mode raids to be able to fight Raszageth, Sarkareth, and Fyrakk as a leveling player while playing through the entire story of that expansion. We're taking the technology that made it possible to use followers and bringing it into Midnight and backwards. For whatever reason, from preference to accessibility and social anxiety, things like follower dungeons and Story Mode raids enable more players to enjoy the story.

The Worldsoul Saga Trilogy

Alessio (Wccftech): World of Warcraft: Midnight is the middle chapter in the World Soul Saga trilogy. Some creators believe the middle work is the hardest one. Do you agree? And how do you plan to tell a satisfying story for Midnight while serving the larger trilogy arc?

Paul Kubit: It has been a challenge. Not only is it our first middle chapter, but this is the first time we've intentionally framed multiple expansions as a trilogy. There's been connective tissue before (Gul'dan carrying from Warlords of Draenor, Sylvanas, etc.), but this is the Worldsoul Saga. The Arathi set up in The War Within. We are now exploring their story. The saga between Xal'atath and Alleria has led us to where we are right now, where the Voidstorm is going to attack the Sunwell.

It's been a challenge to make sure players feel comfortable hopping in. If you just want to play Midnight, the story stands on its own. You'll understand who the good guys and bad guys are. If you want to catch up on The War Within, we have a recap feature where you can play through an abbreviated version of that story (major moments, cinematics). We also have "story so far" videos available online and in-game. Second chapters are also often some of the most epic—the dark middle chapter where events from the previous chapter come to full fruition, with unexpected twists and climaxes.

Alessio (Wccftech): It's not going to end on a cliffhanger, right?

Paul Kubit: It's not the end of the story. I can tell you there will be more story after Season 1 and after Midnight. Call it a cliffhanger or "to be continued," but we're going to have more strings to pull on by the time we're done.

Carrie (Screen Rant): I know we're coming up to the end of our time with you two. What is your favorite raid, dungeon, or delve for this new expansion that you are most excited for players to see?

Dylan Barker: I think right now I'm probably most interested in the Den of Narak dungeon. I got to work alongside the designer responsible for that. The art pitch was really cool: entering the mindspace of a bear that hibernates and survives winter, forcing a group of players to endure those same trials in a surreal landscape. It's you against the environment as well as the enemies. It's not in Season 1 for Mythic Plus, but it will be available at launch. Even the way the sub-zones are named is more like what the bear is dreaming about. It's very evocative.

Paul Kubit: I gotta go with a couple of the Delves. The Shadow Enclave in Eversong Woods—these are darker spaces where we're fighting against dark cultists. You are redirecting light through this space by using mirrors to point light from one pool to another. The designers put together this really cool, easily understood mechanic that feels natural. Another one is Fungal Folly. It is our smallest delve; basically a big arena where you're fighting against Fungarians. As opposed to winding through hallways, the enemies come to you in waves. It flips the script on its head. Plus, Fungarians are silly, and I'm silly.

Alessio (Wccftech): Housing is perhaps the defining feature of World of Warcraft: Midnight. So far, the reception is very positive. Is there a concern that it might overshadow other content or systems for a while, though?

Paul Kubit: I'm sure for some people it already has! One of the great things about World of Warcraft is the diverse audience. If you took 15 diehard WoW players and asked what they do, you'd get 15 different answers: raiding, Mythic+, collecting transmogs, and now housing. If you're looking to roleplay, collect decor, and express yourself artistically, then housing might take the spotlight for you. For others, it might not be for them, and that's fine too. The goal has always been to have a lot of fun stuff so you can always feel like, "This is my way to play."

Zul'Aman: From Raid to Zone

Carrie (Screen Rant): Old Zul'Aman was one of my absolute favorite zones. How has it changed with its significant glow-up in World of Warcraft: Midnight?

Jake Shillan: Physically in world space, we went from an area that was a raid (and eventually a dungeon) to a massive zone. We had to bust down the walls and show you what Zul'Aman, the territory, looks like. We remade that original raid space; it's the first thing you run into when you get past their giant wall at the Amani Pass. It'll definitely look familiar. But we took that architecture and characters and combined it with all the surrounding history of the Amani forest trolls and Zul'jin, and basically went to town. We filled in the blanks and created depth for the entire culture.

Carrie (Screen Rant): Was it harder to design a zone when you already had existing lore and a basic area from the raid, compared to starting from scratch?

Jake Shillan: Both have their challenges and rewards. There is so much depth in Zul'jin; he represents the Amani culture effectively all on his own. We wanted to find out what the stories were outside of Zul'jin. We asked, "Why did Zul'jin do the things he did?" and dove into the history of the Amani specifically. You sort of have to play historian and archaeologist, because a lot of Amani history is told through the perspective of other cultures like the Zandalari, the humans, and the blood elves, who see them as antagonists. We had to extrapolate the real story and fill in the blanks to create context for Zul'jin's actions 17 years ago and who the Amani are now. It was challenging, but so rewarding to add puzzle pieces to a landscape we started 15-25 years ago.

Alessio (Wccftech): Was it hard to tell a story centered on Zul'jin's grandchildren (Zul'jar and Zul'jan) without them living in his shadow?

Jake Shillan: Almost the entirety of the Amani culture lives in his shadow and the consequences of his actions. We will explore that heavily in the campaign narrative and the surrounding local stories in Zul'Aman. They will react to you based on your interactions. If you're playing the same character that adventured through the raid years ago, they'll react to the fact that you slayed one of their most honored leaders. It's interesting to see the after-effects of a raid boss's actions from the perspective of their people.

All About The Prey System

Carrie (Screen Rant): The Prey system feels so novel to World of Warcraft. What inspired it?

Kim Flack: Inspiration came from a lot of places. We started by looking at Delves and the nemesis bosses (like Zekvir/K'yza) who will pop out and jump you unexpectedly. Players really enjoyed that unpredictability. We wanted to bring those experiences to the outdoor world in a rough way. Since it's outdoors, it caters to the more chill audience, but also to high-end Mythic+ and Raiders doing their world quests. That's why Prey has three difficulties: Normal mode for chill players, and Hard/Nightmare for those looking for a lot of challenge. If you AFK in Nightmare mode, you're probably going to come back to a dead character.

Alessio (Wccftech): Is the Prey system a spiritual successor to Dragonflight's Great Hunts?

Kim Flack: It's not going to feel too similar. The vibe of hunting is there, but Prey is much more focused. I refer to it as a really messed-up bounty hunt. Alor isn't asking you to hunt respectfully like the Centaur; he's asking you to harvest their anguish for his dark Blood Elf magic research. You have a hunt phase where you engage with the outdoor world, and then a final encounter that feels like a really high-tier Delve boss.

Alessio (Wccftech): So the goal was to inject a bit more thrill and tension into the open world?

Kim Flack: Yeah, the hope is to break up the flow state of routine gameplay. On the higher difficulties, you have to think about moment-to-moment gameplay and your talents, flasks, things you don't usually think about in the outdoor world.

Alessio (Wccftech): Was it challenging to design content that could serve such a wide range of players without feeling watered down either way?

Kim Flack: Definitely. We had to figure out how to make players of all skill ranges and classes feel like they can engage and progress. Putting this in the outdoor world was a big challenge. In a dungeon, you're in a controlled space, but outdoors, you have to worry about a random player walking past who isn't on Prey. We had to ensure a smooth progression across the three modes so players wouldn't jump straight into Nightmare, get destroyed, and decide Prey wasn't for them.

Carrie (Screen Rant): How does it work if you are out in the world doing Prey, and there are other players near you who aren't part of it? If a giant mob ambushes you, does it affect them?

Kim Flack: Figuring out how to make this feel very personal in an open world was a fun challenge. On Nightmare mode, when an ambush happens, the creature fixates on you. Someone can't just stand on top of you and take aggro. There might be a little AoE splash damage, so they should stay away, but they can help you kill it if they want. It creates spontaneous cooperation. For torments, like an invisible creature fixating you or a puddle of gore appearing under your feet, other players aren't going to see those and won't be affected by them. You might look a little crazy dodging invisible things to other players, but it's a very personal experience.

Alessio (Wccftech): Did you design the Prey system to be expandable in future seasons or expansions?

Kim Flack: I can't speak to future plans, but the Prey system definitely lends itself to all sorts of expansion. We've got 30 different targets across three difficulties in four different zones at launch. It's incredible grounds for reimagination. We'd love to hear what players like about it going forward.

Carrie (Screen Rant): How easy is it to get out of Prey if you've opted in and suddenly decide it's too much?

Kim Flack: It's very easy. Prey acts like picking up a quest from Alor. If you get into Nightmare mode and realize it's too rich for your blood, you just abandon the quest. Also, if you just want to pause your progress to go do a Mythic+, join a raid, or step away for pizza, you can port out, go to a different zone, or pop into an inn. As soon as you aren't in the zone where your target is, Prey effectively turns off. Your progress is paused, and you can come back to it at any time.

Carrie (Screen Rant): What is your favorite thing about the new expansion?

Kim Flack: Mine is tangential to Prey. Alor, the guy who gives you your Prey quests, his base is in Murder Row. If you remember old Silvermoon, Murder Row was that one little dark, nasty alleyway with warlocks and rogues. It has been expanded into this massive area in New Silvermoon. I just love walking around there, listening to the ambiance, looking at the rogues holed up in the crannies. That dark Blood Elf vibe is perfect.

Jake Shillan: All of my favorite things are in Zul'Aman! But there's a feature we created called "Abundance." It's an endgame, repeatable feature rooted in Zul'Aman, though found in each zone. The Loa of Abundance is a floating, glowing green rat who acts like a game show host. He wants you to harvest abundance for him in return for professions-themed rewards. It's a very fast-paced, arcade-y romp where you're collecting orbs and triggering jackpots. For something calmer, the ambiance in Midnight is incredible. Hang out in the Temple of Akil'zon or Halazzi in Zul'Aman, or the hot springs at the shrine of Shirvallah with the capybara creatures. For something darker, go to the Myzrael/Myzara cavern dungeon and just listen to the troll necromancer theme music.

Thank you all for your time.

Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.