World of Warcraft Expansion's New Skyriding Mechanic Devalues Certain Mount Types

World of Warcraft's latest expansion has introduced changes to the Skyriding (formerly Dragonriding) system, which will now be unlocked at level 10, rendering traditional ground mounts effectively obsolete. This evergreen system makes flying mounts more versatile, but potential solutions to preserve the value of ground mounts could include granting all mounts the ability to fly or adding unique traversal abilities to differentiate their use cases.

The upcoming World of Warcraft expansion, The War Within, is set to introduce significant changes to the Skyriding (previously known as Dragonriding) system. Most notably, this new system will now be unlocked at level 10, the same point at which players traditionally gain access to normal ground mounts. As a result, these standard mounts risk becoming largely obsolete once this update is implemented.

Skyriding is being transformed into an evergreen system, moving away from its initial implementation as a unique Dragonriding mechanic. When the feature was first revealed, it was slated to unlock at level 15, with the ability to utilize it extended to nearly all flying mounts in the game. However, the decision to shift the Skyriding unlock to level 10 has raised concerns about the continued relevance of traditional ground mounts, as players may find little need to use them once the enhanced Skyriding capabilities become readily available.

In the months since World of Warcraft first revealed its Skyriding system, the developers have made further improvements, including unlocking the feature as early as level 10 in the latest The War Within beta build, according to reports from content creator MrGM. While this earlier access to Skyriding capabilities is undoubtedly exciting for players, it also coincides with the level at which ground mounts are traditionally unlocked, raising concerns about the continued relevance and purpose of these slower, land-based mounts going forward.

The Diminishing Relevance of Ground Mounts in World of Warcraft's Evolving Skyriding System

The introduction of flying mounts in The Burning Crusade expansion initially required significant investments of gold, making them challenging rewards to earn. Over subsequent expansions, gaining the ability to fly in zones was tied to completing the arduous Pathfinder achievement, representing a substantial time and effort investment. However, these requirements were gradually lessened in later World of Warcraft expansions, making flying more accessible and diminishing the relevance of ground-only mounts. This trend accelerated further with the advent of Dragonriding in Dragonflight, and now the upcoming The War Within expansion appears poised to potentially deliver the final blow to the usefulness of traditional ground mounts.

While the diminishing relevance of ground mounts in World of Warcraft's evolving Skyriding system is a concern, there are potential solutions the developers could explore to preserve their value. One approach could be granting all mounts the ability to fly, akin to Final Fantasy 14's mount changes during Shadowbringers. Alternatively, the Guild Wars 2 model of introducing unique traversal abilities for ground mounts could differentiate their use cases. Interestingly, World of Warcraft players have discovered strings suggesting the development of dynamic ground mounts, hinting that Blizzard may already be working on innovative ways to reinvigorate these traditional modes of transportation.

While the upcoming changes to World of Warcraft's Skyriding system, which include unlocking it at level 10, represent a significant and exciting evolution of one of the best features introduced in Dragonflight, the future of traditional ground mounts remains a concern. However, the fact that nearly all flying mounts are now Skyriding-enabled, save for the Otherworldly Ottuk Carrier, suggests the developers are committed to making this new system a central and seamless part of players' transportation options. Provided Blizzard can find a way to address the diminishing relevance of ground mounts, the enhanced Skyriding capabilities have the potential to become a truly transformative and well-integrated aspect of the World of Warcraft experience.