WoW: Notorious Bug Rediscovered

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 unintentionally replicating the 2005 Corrupted Blood incident by spreading the deadly plague in Stormwind City, echoing the original event's uncontrolled spread.

A notorious chapter in World of Warcraft's history, the Corrupted Blood incident, has resurfaced, albeit accidentally, in the Season of Discovery servers. Videos circulating online show the deadly plague wreaking havoc in major cities. While some players find the situation amusing, others are worried about the potential impact on Hardcore realms.

Initially unleashed 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. Hakkar's Corrupted Blood spell, dealing damage over time and spreading to nearby players, returned with Zul'Gurub's re-introduction in Phase 5 of Season of Discovery (September 2024). Normally, strong healers could mitigate the damage.

For almost a month following Zul'Gurub's release in 2005, Corrupted Blood affected both players and their companions, leading to widespread chaos as players used pets to spread the plague beyond the raid. A recent video on r/classicwow, posted by Lightstruckx, shows Corrupted Blood spreading rapidly in Stormwind City's Trade District, mirroring the 2005 incident where "pet bombs" spread the plague for weeks before Blizzard intervened.

World of Warcraft Players Unintentionally Recreate the Corrupted Blood Incident

Some players attribute the Corrupted Blood debuff's return to unresolved issues. Concerns are rising about its potential misuse in Hardcore realms, where character death is permanent. Unlike Season of Discovery, Hardcore mode's permadeath mechanic adds a significant layer of risk.

Despite past attempts to address the issue, the Corrupted Blood incident's legacy persists. With Phase 7 of Season of Discovery slated for early 2025, the timing of Blizzard's fix remains uncertain.