Why alts are part of World of Warcraft: Forever's core progression plans

World of Warcraft: Forever's developers are encouraging players to create multiple characters, or alts, to enhance their experience. By having lower-level characters, players will be well-prepared to welcome new friends and enjoy the upcoming leveling zones and dungeons. The developers, including vice president and senior game director Ion Hazzikostas, believe that alts provide more reasons to play and unlock Legacy points, allowing players to embark on new journeys.

Holly Longdale, executive producer, mentions that Forever is the best choice for new players due to its low barrier to entry. The Legacy System rewards achievement-style points for major accomplishments, which can be stacked more easily with alts. Principal designer Kris Zierhut created spreadsheets to understand what progression-minded players would choose, confirming that alt characters are a sensible choice compared to aiming for the most difficult points.

Encouraging alts also ensures players see all new content added to the game, as the level cap doesn't change, and new areas and features will focus on leveling players. Lead game designer Tim Jones explains that content is being released around various level bands to cater to different players' time constraints and progression preferences.

Lead software engineer Nora Mills highlights that the team is adding new items to professions, new leveling dungeons, and new areas in future patches, with a focus on creating content that appeals to all players. Vice president and senior game director Ion Hazzikostas mentions considering options like an account-wide bank to support this gameplay, making it more convenient for players to transfer items between their main and alt characters.