Since its announcement, Blizzard has been keen to reassure fens that Mists of Pandaria isn’t a step sideways for the MMO. World of Warcraft first three expansions each focused on a different villain from the series’ history, providing a sense of momentum that reached its climax with the defeat of the world-shattering dragon Deathwing. Azeroth’s growth has always been based on what came before, and its largest new territories have traditionally been a return to locations first encountered in die original strategy games. “I think nostalgia is hard to underestimate in WoW?” says Cory Stockton, lead content designer.
