WoW's Horde/Alliance split was 'really controversial', says Jeff Kaplan

Jeff Kaplan told the Lex Fridman podcast that the Horde versus Alliance choice in World of Warcraft was "really controversial" during development. He said the team had long debates over the split, in part because many designers, including himself, came from EverQuest where factions were handled differently.

Kaplan described his role at the time as a quest designer who worked closely with Chris Metzen and others, acting as a bridge between designers and artists. He recalled daily lunches with Allen Adham and Bob Fitch where they argued about whether a faction divide was the right move.

Allen drew inspiration from Dark Age of Camelot, where players were instantly placed on one of three realms and felt part of a team. Kaplan noted that this idea appealed to Allen because it delivered an immediate sense of belonging in the world. Surprisingly, Kaplan added, the Horde/Alliance split wasn’t fully settled until about nine to 12 months before WoW shipped.

wow, horde, alliance, jeff kaplan, lex fridman, chris metzen, allen adham, bob fitch, everquest, quest designer