Blizzard breaks housing promise with WoW store packs, sparks fan fury
World of Warcraft developer Blizzard is facing a major player backlash after adding housing cosmetics to its cash shop that appear to violate a previous policy.
According to IGN, Blizzard released two packs this week: the Haunted Grimtide Estate pack for $25 and a Grimtide Decor Pack for $10. The nautical-themed items look directly inspired by the Kul'Tiran humans and Stormsong Valley from the Battle for Azeroth expansion.
This reportedly breaks a promise from a 2025 developer blog, which Eurogamer notes stated that housing items "tied to core fantasies of a player's race or class" would not be sold. The outlet reports the items are "almost identical" to existing Kul Tiran furniture.
Influencer BellularGaming called out the move on social media, posting a screenshot of the old policy with a caption criticizing Blizzard's word. On Reddit, a thread with over 660 replies rallied around the criticism, with one user, per IGN, lamenting the game's "greedy and insane monetization."
Eurogamer points out that Blizzard could argue the Halloween-themed, tentacle-adorned items are distinct enough, but concedes they come "close to the red line" the company itself drew. The controversy hits one of the game's most popular recent features.
It's unclear if community pushback will force a change. IGN reports that some players are begging others not to buy the packs to hold Blizzard accountable.
