It’s been a while since anyone really played Warcraft 3 seriously. That hasn’t stopped Blizzard from supporting the game 15 years after its initial release, with the developer announcing the first major patch for the game in years.
In a post on the Battle.net forums, Blizzard developer Pete Stilwell announced that an updated version of the classic RTS had been released ahead of a exhibition tournament next week.
And because a tournament is around the corner, that means balance changes. In a separate thread, Blizzard outlined a significant set of tweaks. The Mountain King, Paladin, Blade Master, Far Seer, Tauren Chieftain, Dread Lord, Crypt Lord, Lich, Warden, Goblin Alchemist and Firelord all received noticeable changes to either their base stats, speed or abilities, while other units like the Priestess of the Moon received smaller adjustments.
“We have larger ideas in the works long term, but we’re taking the approach of small changes so we can measure and iterate without causing massive changes in the meta,” Stilwell wrote.
It’s fascinating that, so far down the road, Warcraft 3 is getting any love at all. Of course, most companies don’t have the size, scope and capacity to support legacy projects quite the way Blizzard does. The ones that do usually take a very different approach to development, one that often leaves ancient games, even classics like Warcraft 3, well alone.
You can download the PTR version directly from Battle.net if you want to try it out, although you’ll have to have your Reign of Chaos and Frozen Throne CD keys on hand before the game will launch. There’s PC and Mac versions as well, which might be just the excuse I need for an impromptu Footman Frenzy LAN party. And most importantly: yes, Warcraft 3 has widescreen support now. God bless.
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