Blizzard adds item level scaling to Heroic difficulties in WoW: Remix — quickly changes course

In the latest hotfixes for the time-limited event WoW Remix: Mists of Pandaria we’ve seen a reintroduction of scaling at max level. For those familiar to modern World of Warcraft, scaling is something you’ve seen before with every zone and expansion now following your character’s level so you can choose your own path to max. Most modern WoW players have all been there when a level 15 Resto Shaman outperformed everyone in the group by spamming chain lightning, all due to scaling.

Since Remix raids are leveling content, scaling has only become more apparent when running and raids and dungeons. Some players prefer to bring characters who are lower level, who scale to have more raw strength to make up for the lack of a toolkit. Normally the creatures you fight would stop scaling once you reached level cap, but Blizzard seemed to have other ideas in mind with the latest ReMists changes. Community Manager Kaivax detailed the changes made in an effort to help ease the scaling curve of the last few levels. (It’s also worth noting in the same post Blizzard doubled down on their stance to not reduce the cost of upgrading gear.)

Interestingly, the post discusses the idea of adding scaling even when max level, scaling up with your item level rather than your character level in an attempt to allow max-level players to do higher difficulties without such a stark power difference between them. The hotfix made it easier for max level players between item level 346-388, but more difficult for players at ilevel 389 and above.

But Blizzard has already backed down on this immediately unpopular idea. Players were quick to criticize the idea of difficulty scaling with gear at max level, preventing max level players from ever feeling stronger. It seems as though Blizzard almost expected this (or perhaps it was a mistake?) and was quick to revert the change for high ilevel characters. But changes for lower ilevel players remain, making it easier for them to jump into end-game content.

In short, new 70s with low item levels should have an easier time in dungeons and raids, while things will remain the same for players at higher item levels.

The idea of scaling beyond the leveling process has been sitting in Blizzard’s back pocket for some time now. During the Legion expansion a similar concept was implemented only to be swiftly removed after severe player backlash. Understandably, the community seems to enjoy continuing to get stronger through gearing and doesn’t want the world around them increase while they do. The entire premise of Remix rests on that idea of gaining crazy levels of power and breaking game mechanics with absurdly high stats. For now, Remix players will be able to continue chasing that dream.

Should Blizzard try to add new forms of scaling when at max level? If so, what could they do differently in order to find a way that does not leave players feeling punished or stuck on a treadmill making little to no progress?