Popular Twitch star Asmongold has taken aim at World of Warcraft developers Blizzard again, this time over a small update in the MMORPG — the WoW team has shipped a patch to “tone down sexuality,” and the streamer isn’t happy.
World of Warcraft’s new 9.1.5 update is causing a major stir.
There’s plenty of changes in the upcoming WoW patch, including new weather effects for Stormwind and Orgrimmar and more character options. The update also boasts a long-awaited tweak to the RPG’s four Covenants, allowing players to swap between them after hitting certain levels.
It’s the update’s fine print that’s buzzed the World of Warcraft community into a frenzy, however; the 9.1.5 patch notes include several HD graphics updates for paintings, some of which have been in the title since vanilla.
The aim is to “tone down sexuality” of old tapestries and set dressings littered around the game, and WoW fans — Asmongold included — aren’t happy.
The new PTR changes were first spotted by Wowhead on Wednesday, and quickly drew the ire of hundreds of WoW players. Chief among them was Asmongold — recently returned from his Twitch hiatus — who slammed the changes.
“What a f**king joke,” he said on the update.
The Twitch star’s comments soon stirred up several targeted replies on Twitter, and he returned to the Wowhead thread to explain himself further.
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“To see the World of Warcraft devs retroactively go back and change content because it doesn’t conform to their world view and message they’re trying to use the game to promote, that annoys me,” Asmongold said.
“I have a problem with the message.
“It’s stupid and reductive,” he added. “There’s nothing wrong with cleavage or sexuality, but there is something wrong with pretending like there is.”
The updated artworks in question are of a robed woman in Stormwind SI:7 (her previously low-cut robe has now been closed) and “reclining nude” in Ravenholdt. The second artwork has now been changed to a bowl of fruits.
Dexerto has yet to confirm any other artwork changes.
This isn’t the first time Blizzard has made a calculated move to “tone down sexuality” in their flagship titles either. Years before the ongoing harassment lawsuit began, Hearthstone hero Jaina Proudmoore — also a key character in World of Warcraft — had her image changed to cover over her bust.
In early September, Blizzard also renamed several World of Warcraft achievements that contained sexual references. These tweaks will go live in update 9.1.5 too.
