World of Warcraft's Corrupted Blood Bug Returns in Season of Discovery

The infamous Corrupted Blood incident, a notorious event in World of Warcraft history, has unexpectedly reappeared in the Season of Discovery servers. Players have shared videos showcasing the deadly plague spreading through major cities, echoing the chaos of the original 2005 event. While some players find the situation humorous, others worry about the implications for the Hardcore servers, where death is permanent.

The source of the problem is the Zul'Gurub raid, introduced in Phase 5 of Season of Discovery (September 2024). This raid, originally released in 2005 with Patch 1.7, features Hakkar the Soulflayer, whose Corrupted Blood spell inflicts damage over time and spreads to nearby players. While normally manageable with strong healing, the bug allows the spread of the plague beyond the raid, causing widespread disruption.

A recent video on r/classicwow, posted by Lightstruckx, depicts the debuff spreading rapidly in Stormwind City's Trade District. The footage strikingly resembles the 2005 incident, where players deliberately used pets to spread the plague across the game world.

Accidental Recreation and Hardcore Concerns

Some players attribute the reappearance of Corrupted Blood to unresolved issues Blizzard has yet to address. The concern is heightened by the existence of Hardcore servers. Unlike Season of Discovery, Hardcore mode features permadeath, making the accidental spread of Corrupted Blood a potentially devastating issue.

Despite past attempts to address the issue, the legacy of Corrupted Blood persists. With Season of Discovery's seventh phase slated for early 2025, the timing of Blizzard's fix remains uncertain. The question remains: will Blizzard resolve this issue before it significantly impacts the Hardcore experience?