WoW new building model discovery hints at old world update

Buildings in the original World of Warcraft zones could be in line for a big update after new models were discovered in the game’s files.Structures in WoW’s so-called Old World — Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms — could be in store for their first major update since the game launched.If you’ve played a character on the Alliance side of things in WoW, you’re probably familiar with the quintessential Human buildings. They haven’t changed too much since the MMORPG first released, but new models found in the game files could indicate a major revamp is on the way.

New Human buildings found in WoW

Buildings in the old world are still rocking more than decade-old textures, and in 2021 it is definitely noticeable. On October 25, Reddit user Nilocor posted an album of some brand new Human buildings, with vastly updated textures.

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The image above shows the classic Human cottage we’ve come to know since 2006, and on the right is the updated version. Right away you’ll notice the textures are a whole lot cleaner, and a few new details have been added too.

Various human building models seem to be getting overhauled, from homes both big and small, to inns, and even barns. There could be even more too, but these are what we’ve seen so far. You might notice that the overall palette seems to be a bit darker than the old classic buildings too, but they might not appear that way whenever they get added.

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That’s because these new models haven’t been added in-game yet, and as such aren’t lit by the various light sources in WoW, like the old ones are. This could be why the classic models appear lighter than the new updates in these images. This becomes especially apparent when we take a look at the interior of the brand new inn, which definitely has upgrades to textures and modeling, but is very dark because there’s not a cozy fire going in the hearth, at least not yet.

When will WoW buildings get updated?

Right now there’s no telling when buildings in the old world will be getting a fresh update, as these new models seem to have appeared in the game’s files very recently. If Humans are getting new digs, there’s no reason to think Orcs, Tauren, Forsaken, Night Elves, Dwarves, Trolls, and Gnomes won’t either. We might not have seen them yet, but they could very well be added as time goes on.

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Some think it could be happening in the game’s next expansion, which could be update 10.0, whenever that is. Beyond that though, these new models could hint at what the next WoW expansion will actually entail, too. Blizzard revamping structures that haven’t really been touched since the game came out could mean the next expansion will focus on the old world of Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms once again. Now, we’ll just have to wait and watch for more new buildings to come out as well.