WoW: Season of Discovery Players Rediscover Notorious Bug From 2005

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, re-introduced the Corrupted Blood spell, causing widespread chaos.
• Players are unintentionally replicating the 2005 event, spreading the plague in Stormwind City, mirroring the original incident'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 showcase the deadly plague's resurgence in major cities, prompting mixed reactions; some players find it humorous, while others worry about its 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 featuring Hakkar the Soulflayer, returned in Season of Discovery's Phase 5 (September 2024). Hakkar's Corrupted Blood spell, inflicting damage over time and spreading to nearby players, typically poses a manageable threat with sufficient healing.

However, for almost a month following Zul'Gurub's release in 2005, Corrupted Blood affected both players and their companions, leading to widespread pandemonium as the plague spread beyond the raid. A recent video on r/classicwow, posted by Lightstruckx, depicts the debuff's uncontrolled spread in Stormwind City's Trade District. The video strikingly resembles the 2005 incident, where "pet bombs" were used to spread the plague across the game world before Blizzard eventually contained it.

World of Warcraft Players Unintentionally Recreate the Corrupted Blood Incident

Some players attribute the Corrupted Blood debuff's return to unresolved issues, while others express concern about its potential weaponization in Hardcore mode. Unlike Season of Discovery, Hardcore mode features permanent death, forcing players to restart their characters upon death.

Despite past attempts at remediation, the Corrupted Blood incident's legacy persists. With Season of Discovery's seventh phase slated for early 2025, the timing of Blizzard's solution remains uncertain.