World of Warcraft Dragonflight begins its first alpha test, previews the Azure Span and crafting updates

By
Chris Neal
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8
It's cool.

World of Warcraft has taken its very first step in bringing Dragonflight to the wider world. Today begins the expansion’s very first alpha test phase as the studio makes its apparent dash towards a release this year.

This first alpha round will focus on features like the Dracthyr race and its Evoker class, UI adjustments, updates to alchemy and blacksmithing professions, and talent revamps for several classes, along with access to the new Azure Span zone and (of course) dragonriding.

For those who aren’t invited to this alpha round, WoW has also put out a couple of dev blogs that grant previews of the Azure Span zone and a preview of more crafting profession tweaks, the latter of which showcases new crafting stations, inventory updates like a new reagent bag, new gear slots specific to professions, and the ability to recraft gear.

Activision-Blizzard is considered a controversial gaming company owing to a long string of scandals over the last few years, including the Blitzchung boycott, mass layoffs, labor disputes, and executive pay fiasco. In 2021, the company was sued by California for fostering a work environment rife with sexual harassment and discrimination, the disastrous corporate response to which compounded Blizzard’s ongoing pipeline issues and the widespread perception that its online games are in decline. Multiple state and federal agencies are investigating the company as employees strike and call for Bobby Kotick’s resignation. As of 2022, the company is being acquired by no less than Microsoft.
sources: Twitter, official site (1, 2)
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