Blizzard promised that cosmetic and UI addons wouldn’t be affected. They said the API lockdown was only to prevent combat automation. But here we are: even purely visual addons are breaking left and right.
Addons like ElvUI, Bartender, Shadowed Unit Frames, Plater, Lorti UI, and countless others — all tools players use just to make the game look and feel better are being crippled by these API restrictions. These aren’t “combat cheats.” They don’t automate anything. They just make WoW playable and personal.
Meanwhile, Blizzard gets to re-implement the “safe” parts of DBM and pretend they’re doing it for accessibility or fairness. What a joke.
This community built the interface ecosystem that kept WoW alive for two decades. We created the clean layouts, readable raid frames, and beautiful HUDs that Blizzard ignored for years. We made the game look modern when Blizzard refused to. And now, instead of collaborating with addon creators, they’re pulling the ladder up behind them, cutting off the very creativity that’s sustained this game.
If Blizzard wants to stop combat automation, fine. Nobody’s asking for bots or full scripting. But nuking the entire addon API and calling it “design clarity” is lazy and destructive.
You don’t protect the game by burning down the creativity of your players, you kill the very passion that made it last this long.