Popular MMORPG Uncovers Recurring In-Game Exploit

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 incident by spreading the deadly plague in Stormwind City.

The notorious Corrupted Blood incident, a significant event in World of Warcraft's history, has made an unforeseen comeback in Season of Discovery servers. Videos circulating online show the deadly plague spreading through major cities, prompting mixed reactions. Some players find the situation humorous, while others worry about the potential impact on Hardcore realms.

Initially launched 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 powerful deity worshipped by Gurubashi trolls. Its return in World of Warcraft: Season of Discovery during Phase 5 (September 2024) brought back the Corrupted Blood spell. This spell inflicts damage over time and spreads to nearby players, though usually manageable with sufficient healing.

For almost a month following Zul'Gurub's release, 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. The video strikingly mirrors the 2005 incident, where "pet bombs" spread the plague for weeks before Blizzard intervened.

World of Warcraft Players Unwittingly Recreate the Corrupted Blood Incident

Some players attribute the Corrupted Blood debuff's resurgence to unresolved issues, while others express concern about its potential exploitation in Hardcore realms. Unlike Season of Discovery, Hardcore mode features permanent death, meaning players lose their characters upon death.

Despite previous 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 solution remains uncertain.