World of Warcraft: Eternally, Blizzard’s subsequent evolution of WoW Traditional that may see vital modifications and content material additions, is absolutely playable on controller.
I received to expertise WoW: Eternally’s new Skyborne elf beginning zone with the management scheme throughout a hands-on demo at BlizzCon 2026. A immediate outlining the controls famous controller help was in an “alpha” state, however regardless of supposedly nonetheless being in early growth, it labored surprisingly nicely.
That is a primary for Blizzard’s MMORPG. Although Blizzard has added barebones help for controllers in recent times, a wholly mouse-and-keyboard-free setup depends on unofficial, player-made add-ons like ConsolePort to ship a real console-like expertise.
From what I performed at BlizzCon, Blizzard including a completely featured controller choice might be a game-changer. Regardless of having performed WoW on a mouse and keyboard for 22 years, I used to be shocked at how pure it felt. Biking via pleasant or enemy NPCs is completed with the shoulder buttons. Interacting and leaping are executed with the face buttons. Talents and spells are certain to each the d-pad and the face buttons, with further keybinds accessible by urgent one or each triggers. Every set off supplies entry to eight keybinds, with one other eight from holding down each triggers on the similar time. Mixed with the d-pad, you will have 28 buttons at your fingertips.
That seems like lots of buttons, however in some situations, notably in WoW Traditional or WoW: Eternally, it may not be sufficient. Sure lessons, notably spellcasters, are infamous for accessing an nearly comical variety of abilities and skills in WoW Traditional. That is largely as a consequence of many spells having a number of ranks, with decrease ranked variations doing much less harm or therapeutic but additionally costing much less mana. That makes them nonetheless helpful in sure conditions, however undoubtedly clutters up one’s motion bars.
Outdoors of the particular fundamentals of utilizing fight talents and speaking to NPCs, WoW: Eternally’s controller help felt a bit extra cumbersome. On keyboard and mouse, opening your stock is as straightforward as hitting the “b” key after which clicking what you need. On a controller, it requires mentioning a radial menu, sliding over to the stock part, after which biking via all of the objects in your bag till you attain the one you are in search of. Contemplating gamers can have dozens of things of their luggage without delay, attempting to pick out what you need undoubtedly feels slower and fewer easy than is good.
Finally, full controller help for WoW: Eternally is likely to be extra fitted to some lessons or specific playstyles over others. The fashionable “retail” model of WoW, at present in the course of its most up-to-date Midnight enlargement, would arguably profit from controller help much more than WoW Traditional or Eternally. Trendy WoW typically has fewer buttons to press and fewer stock administration to do, and I might see this controller setup working wonders for individuals who wish to run some delves on their sofa or casually full world quests.
Blizzard’s full plans for WoW controller help aren’t at present clear. The demo labeled controller help as an alpha, and Blizzard introduced in the course of the present Eternally will likely be absolutely playable with a controller come launch on November 4. It made no bulletins relating to if the characteristic will ultimately come to retail, although contemplating how a lot DNA is now being shared between the a number of variations of WoW, it appears protected to imagine it should. GameSpot has reached out to Blizzard for remark and clarification about its plans for controller help, and can replace this submit if we hear again.
The elephant within the room is whether or not Blizzard’s controller initiative will pave the way in which for an eventual console model. Blizzard is, after all, at present owned by Microsoft, the proprietor of Xbox. Followers have speculated given WoW: Midnight’s user-made add-on restrictions (one thing that may carry over into Eternally) and its pruning of many class talents final yr that Blizzard was setting the desk for a console model.
It would not be too surprising to see WoW in the end make its debut on Xbox, although Blizzard made clear final yr that if it had been making a console model, it could inform followers about it. Handheld PCs, together with Xbox-branded ones, are additionally extra common than ever earlier than, and WoW receiving full controller help would open the way in which for the MMO to be formally playable on these units as nicely.
No matter whether or not a console model ultimately occurs, having a completely functioning controller choice nonetheless feels lengthy overdue from a easy accessibility standpoint on PC. Seeing that Blizzard is lastly exhausting at work delivering one is nothing however excellent news. From what I performed, it is easy, intuitive, and maybe even simpler in some methods than taking part in on mouse and keyboard, although I am positive there are situations, like stock administration, the place it’d go away one thing to be desired. No matter Blizzard’s full plans for controller help are, it could’t come quickly sufficient.