World of Warcraft has remained primarily a PC experience throughout its more than two-decade history (there are fan-made ports, but it’s only Windows and Mac in any official capacity). That may soon change, as Blizzard appears to be taking a step toward making the MMORPG easier to play on other devices. With World of Warcraft: Forever launching on November 4, its expanded gamepad support is once again raising questions about whether an official console version could eventually happen.

Speaking in a recent interview with GamesRadar, World of Warcraft Executive Producer and Vice President Holly Longdale discussed Blizzard’s goal of allowing players to experience the game wherever they want. While she stopped short of confirming a console release, she said the first part of that journey involves getting gamepad support working properly with World of Warcraft.

“Play it wherever you want, and at some point on whatever you want. But the first leg of that journey is getting game pad working really well with World of Warcraft. We thought Forever was the perfect place to start.”

Executive producer and VP Holly Longdale

Gamepad support is one of the biggest hurdles

Forever appears to be Blizzard’s testing ground for that idea. While the main version of World of Warcraft already offers basic native controller input, World of Warcraft: Forever takes things further with a controller-focused interface, dedicated action bars, targeting controls, and menu navigation. This means players won’t need to rely on third-party add-ons such as ConsolePort to make the game more comfortable with a gamepad.

Longdale explained that Blizzard wants players to eventually be able to play World of Warcraft on whatever device they prefer. She also mentioned Microsoft’s upcoming Project Helix while discussing how gaming platforms could become more flexible in the future. Given that Blizzard is now part of Microsoft, the comment raises the possibility of World of Warcraft eventually making its way to Xbox hardware, although nothing has been officially announced.

The controller improvements aren’t only useful for a potential console version. They should also make Forever much more practical on Windows gaming handhelds. Longdale specifically mentioned seeing the game running on the ROG Ally X, and the improved interface should make it easier to play on similar devices without constantly reaching for a keyboard and mouse.

About the Author

Abdul Haddi

Abdul is a tech writer and Editor for PC Guide, specializing in all things tech, gaming, and hardware.