World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth could have a progression problem

Earlier this week, Blizzard Entertainment released a new patch for World of Warcraft that implemented class changes and added new features ahead of the August 14 launch of the new expansion, Battle for Azeroth. This pre-patch experience is usually an exciting one for fans. But this time, it’s filled with a good amount of apprehension.

World of Warcraft is a lot of things. But it is mostly a multiplayer role-playing game. Progression is a key component of RPGs. The more you play, the more powerful you become. This isn’t just represented by increasing numbers — your stats and damage output — but by earning new abilities and better gear. When you level up in World of Warcraft, you’ll occasionally unlock new spells or talents that give you new buttons to push. These change the way you play the game.