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, re-introduced the Corrupted Blood spell, causing widespread chaos.
- Players are recreating the 2005 event by intentionally spreading the plague in Stormwind City, mirroring the original incident's uncontrolled spread.
A notorious chapter in World of Warcraft's history, the Corrupted Blood incident, has resurfaced, unintentionally, in the Season of Discovery servers. Videos circulating online show the deadly plague unleashed in major cities, sparking mixed reactions; some players find it amusing, while others worry about its potential impact on Hardcore realms.
Initially introduced 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 formidable deity. Its return in Season of Discovery's Phase 5 (September 2024) brought back the Corrupted Blood spell, a damaging effect that spread to nearby players. Normally, strong healers could manage the damage, but the 2005 incident proved otherwise.
For almost a month following Zul'Gurub's release, Corrupted Blood affected both players and their companions, leading to its uncontrolled spread beyond the raid. A classicwow subreddit user, Lightstruckx, posted a video showcasing the debuff's rapid spread in Stormwind City's Trade District, echoing the 2005 "pet bomb" strategy.
World of Warcraft Players Unintentionally Recreate the Corrupted Blood Incident
Some players attribute the Corrupted Blood debuff's reappearance to unresolved issues, while others express concern about its weaponization in Hardcore mode, where death is permanent. This contrasts sharply with Season of Discovery's less severe consequences.
Despite past attempts to address the problem, the Corrupted Blood incident's legacy persists. With Season of Discovery's seventh phase slated for early 2025, the timing of Blizzard's fix for this latest outbreak remains uncertain.
