World of Warcraft: Forever devs say gear upgrades will stay relevant 'for a long, long time': 'It's very much our intention to try wherever we can to not invalidate old content'

World of Warcraft: Forever, the latest Classic+ expansion from Blizzard Entertainment, aims to keep gear upgrades relevant for an extended period. Despite the level cap remaining at 60, the devs say new gear will always be available, and lower level gear is now more powerful than ever before.

Blizzard's VP and senior game director Ion Hazzikostas spoke about this in a PC Gamer interview, saying that gear upgrades will be gradual. For example, upgrades from Blackwing Lair to Ahn'Qiraj are only a few item levels higher, and C'thun drops are better than what players had in Blackwing Lair. He emphasized that this system will last for a long, long time.

Associate production director Clay Stone explained that the best-in-slot gear obtained from previous raid tiers can remain the best for a long time. The developers intend not to invalidate old content at all.

However, this ongoing gear progression will eventually reach a point where all desired items have been obtained, at which point players will move on. Players will experience gear progression at level 60, with modest item level increases, niche-specific gear, and rare chase pieces that will keep them engaged and hunting.

To prevent gear from becoming too powerful, developers have implemented various strategies. For instance, not all gear is optimized for specific class preferences or desired stats. Instead, items are intentionally idiosyncratic, requiring players to make choices and demonstrate skill in selecting the right gear for their needs. Additionally, crafting recipes have been made more worthwhile at lower levels, ensuring that crafting remains relevant throughout the leveling process.