WoW: Forever controller support could open more platforms, Longdale says

Blizzard executive producer Holly Longdale said native controller support in World of Warcraft: Forever could eventually open the door to more platforms, according to an interview with GamesRadar cited by gamerant.com. She did not confirm an Xbox release.

Longdale described playing games on gamepads as the first step toward broader platform availability. She pointed to Project Helix, Microsoft's next-generation Xbox hardware, as an example of the boundaries between platforms blurring.

World of Warcraft: Forever introduces native controller support, which the article describes as Blizzard's first comprehensive native gamepad experience for the game. Beta feedback on the feature has been positive, with players praising its convenience and asking for better button customization, targeting and inventory management.

The expansion is scheduled to launch on November 4 and is built around the original Azeroth, with new content, modernized visuals and quality-of-life improvements. In beta, Blizzard repeatedly increased server capacity as reception exceeded expectations, according to the article.

Long PC history

World of Warcraft was originally released in 2004 and has remained a PC title without official console versions. Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard in 2023, fueling speculation about the game coming to Xbox, and Microsoft has confirmed Project Helix is designed to run both Xbox console and PC games.