Blizzard has exciting news for World of Warcraft fans: player housing is on its way with the upcoming expansion, World of Warcraft: Midnight. In a recent preview, the WoW team shared early insights into this much-anticipated feature, even taking a playful swipe at Final Fantasy XIV's housing system in the process.

One of the key goals outlined in the recent dev blog is "A Home for Everyone." Blizzard emphasized their commitment to making housing accessible to all players. "As part of our focus on wide adoption, we wanted to ensure that Housing is available to everyone. If you want a house, you can have a house," Blizzard stated. They promise no exorbitant requirements, high purchase costs, lotteries, or onerous upkeep. Plus, if your subscription lapses, your house won't be repossessed.

Player housing in MMOs allows players to purchase and personalize their own homes within the game world, which other players can visit. This feature has been a hit in Final Fantasy XIV, where it has spurred creativity, resulting in theater productions, nightclubs, cafes, and museums. However, Final Fantasy XIV's housing system has faced criticism for its limited plots, high costs, lottery system, and the risk of house demolition if left unattended for too long.

World of Warcraft aims to address these concerns. Housing will be shared among the Warband, allowing characters to access homes across factional lines. For instance, while a Human character can't buy a house in a Horde zone, a Troll character in the same Warband can, and the Human can then use it. The housing system will be divided into two zones and "Neighborhoods" of about 50 plots each, with both Public and Private options. These neighborhoods are instanced and maintained by game servers, created "as needed," suggesting no strict limit on the number of neighborhoods.

Blizzard is committed to making housing a "long lasting journey" with its own roadmap and updates planned for future patches and expansions. Alongside "boundless self-expression" and "deeply social" experiences, this shows a strong dedication to evolving the feature over time. While taking a jab at Final Fantasy XIV's system, Blizzard also demonstrates an awareness of the potential pitfalls and is striving to create a more inclusive and sustainable housing experience.

More details are expected to be revealed as we approach the summer unveiling of World of Warcraft: Midnight.