WoW: Players Uncover Ancient Bug

Summary

• The infamous Corrupted Blood incident from World of Warcraft has unexpectedly reappeared in the Season of Discovery.
• The Zul'Gurub raid, introduced in Phase 5 of Season of Discovery, inadvertently reintroduced the Corrupted Blood spell, causing widespread chaos.
• Players are replicating the 2005 Corrupted Blood incident by intentionally spreading the plague in Stormwind City, mirroring the original event's uncontrolled spread.

The notorious Corrupted Blood incident, a significant event in World of Warcraft's history, has resurfaced in the Season of Discovery servers, seemingly due to an unforeseen error. Videos circulating online depict the deadly plague spreading through major cities, sparking both amusement and concern among players, particularly regarding the potential impact on Hardcore realms.

Originally launched in September 2005 with Patch 1.7, Rise of the Blood God, the Zul'Gurub raid, a 20-player instance, featured Hakkar the Soulflayer, a powerful deity worshipped by Gurubashi trolls. Its return in World of Warcraft: Season of Discovery during Phase 5 (September 2024) brought back the Corrupted Blood spell. This spell inflicted damage over time and spread to nearby players, creating a contagious effect. While normally manageable with sufficient healing, its uncontrolled spread became a major issue.

For almost a month following Zul'Gurub's release, Corrupted Blood affected both players and their pets/minions. This allowed players to spread the plague outside the raid, causing widespread disruption. A video posted on r/classicwow by Lightstruckx showcases the debuff's rapid spread in Stormwind City's Trade District, mirroring the 2005 incident where "pet bombs" were used to spread the plague across the game world for an extended period before Blizzard intervened.

World of Warcraft Players Unintentionally Recreate the Corrupted Blood Incident

Some players attribute the Corrupted Blood debuff's return to unresolved issues, while others voice concerns about its potential weaponization in Hardcore realms, where character death is permanent. This stark difference from Season of Discovery, where death has less severe consequences, highlights the potential for significant disruption.

Despite previous attempts to address the issue, the legacy of the Corrupted Blood incident persists. With Phase 7 of Season of Discovery slated for early 2025, the timing of Blizzard's solution to this latest outbreak remains uncertain.