World of Warcraft's Corrupted Blood Bug Returns in Season of Discovery
The infamous Corrupted Blood incident, a notorious event in World of Warcraft history, has unexpectedly reappeared in the Season of Discovery servers. Videos circulating online show the deadly plague spreading through major cities, prompting both amusement and concern among players. The incident mirrors the original 2005 outbreak, raising questions about the bug's persistence and potential impact on Hardcore realms.
The source of the problem is the Zul'Gurub raid, introduced in Phase 5 of Season of Discovery (September 2024). This 20-player instance, originally released in 2005 with Patch 1.7, features Hakkar the Soulflayer, whose Corrupted Blood spell deals damage over time and spreads to nearby players. While normally manageable with strong healing, the bug allows for uncontrolled spread, particularly through pets and minions.
A recent video posted on r/classicwow shows the debuff rapidly spreading in Stormwind City's Trade District. The footage vividly recalls the 2005 incident, where players deliberately used "pet bombs" to spread the plague across the game world for weeks before Blizzard intervened.
Concerns for Hardcore Realms
The resurgence of Corrupted Blood has sparked debate within the WoW community. Some players attribute the issue to unresolved bugs, while others worry about its weaponization in Hardcore realms. Unlike Season of Discovery, Classic Hardcore features permanent death, making the uncontrolled spread of Corrupted Blood a significant threat.
Despite past attempts to address the issue, the legacy of the Corrupted Blood incident continues to haunt World of Warcraft. With Season of Discovery's seventh phase slated for early 2025, Blizzard faces the challenge of permanently resolving this recurring problem.
