It’s finally happening – player housing is coming to World of Warcraft! After years (more like decades) of waiting, Blizzard has officially confirmed that the housing system will launch in the upcoming Midnight expansion. If you’ve ever wanted your own cozy home in Azeroth, it’s surely time to get excited.
So, what’s the deal? What makes this different from the dreaded Warlords of Draenor Garrisons? And will it actually be worth the hype? Let’s break down all the currently known details, how it stacks up against other MMORPGs, and what the community is saying about it.
For years, World of Warcraft has provided players with sprawling cities, fortresses, and settlements to explore, but never a place of their own — until now.
WoW's housing system offers players extensive customization tools. Blizzard has emphasized three design pillars for player housing:
You’ll have control over wallpaper, flooring, decorations, and furniture placement. It’s not just a matter of plopping down a few chairs—this system allows real creativity with freeform design tools that let players place, rotate, and stack objects however they want.
Blizzard is currently providing players with 2 different ways to decorate your home:
This means no more frustrating workarounds like FFXIV’s infamous “glitch tricks” for floating furniture. Blizzard is giving players the tools they need upfront to make their houses unique, rather than forcing them to exploit bugs just to decorate properly!
One of the most interesting parts of the upcoming housing system is the introduction of Neighborhoods, where players can live next to each other. Unlike other MMOs that use pure instancing (where every house is in a separate private space), WoW is adding social hubs where players can build homes side by side.
Alliance housing will have a classic Elwynn Forest and Westfall style aesthetic, while Horde housing will take inspiration from Durotar’s rugged, desert-like environment.
Each area will contain around 50 player plots, and players can choose between:
This is a huge deal because it eliminates the problem of housing scarcity seen in games like FFXIV, where players have to win a lottery to even get a house. In WoW, every player who wants a house will get one.
Blizzard has made it clear: housing is here to stay. Unlike Garrisons, which were fun for a while but quickly became obsolete, this system is built for long-term engagement. The idea is that new housing content will roll out in future expansions, ensuring that homes remain relevant rather than being abandoned after one patch cycle.
🛡 Decorative Items & Crafting: Players will be able to obtain decorations through crafting professions, achievements, in-game events, and quests.
🛡 Community Events: While Blizzard hasn’t shared full details, there are hints that participating in housing communities may lead to unique bonuses or cosmetic rewards.
🛡 No Subscription Penalties: Unlike FFXIV, where homes are demolished if you go inactive for too long, WoW’s houses will be permanent — meaning you won’t lose your home if you take a break from the game.
Housing is expected to shake up WoW’s economy in a big way. With so many customization options, there will be massive demand for craftable decorations, and professions like blacksmithing, engineering, and tailoring will play a major role in supplying furniture and decor.
However, Blizzard has confirmed that some premium housing items will be available in the in-game store. While most furniture will be earnable through gameplay, some players are worried that too many unique items could end up behind a paywall. If Blizzard balances this properly, it could be fine — but if they go too hard on microtransactions, it will surely leave a very bad taste in players mouths.
Player housing has been a highly requested feature in World of Warcraft for years, and now that it’s finally happening, it’s worth looking at how it stacks up against other MMOs:
Having currently the most famous housing system, FFXIV is known for its limited availability, strict placement rules and frustrating lottery system, which is (in my opinion) ruining the game's housing potential.
Elder Scrolls Online offers a housing system where everyone gets a home, but it lacks the social engagement of neighborhoods. WoW is solving that by keeping homes connected in social hubs.
WildStar had one of the most creative housing systems in MMO history, with an insane amount of customization. The previously mentioned Advanced Mode seems to take inspiration from WildStar, offering a ton of freedom in object placement and customization.
The Lord of the Rings Online (remember that game?) had housing that allowed players to decorate both the interiors and exteriors, but WoW is going beyond that, offering deep social integration that makes player homes feel like part of a living world.
World of Warcraft’s housing system stands as a refined evolution of everything that came before it. Blizzard has taken the best aspects of existing MMO housing: ESO’s accessibility, WildStar’s deep customization, and LOTRO's charming personalization — while addressing their shortcomings. By ensuring every player has access to a home, encouraging social interaction through neighborhoods, and providing powerful yet intuitive customization tools, Warcraft’s approach feels like the most balanced and feature-rich take on player housing to date.
If executed well, this system could set a new benchmark for MMORPG housing, offering both casual decorators and hardcore designers the freedom to craft their perfect home in Azeroth.
The community reaction to player housing in WoW has been a mix of excitement, skepticism, and cautious optimism. Some players have waited for this feature for over a decade, so seeing it finally confirmed has led to massive hype. Roleplayers are already theorizing about their dream homes, and collectors are excited about the possibilities for acquiring rare furniture and decorations.
However, some concerns remain:
With Midnight set to release later this year, we won’t have to wait long to find out. But one thing’s for sure — Azeroth is finally getting a real home for its heroes, and that alone is worth celebrating!
