World of Warcraft will add controller support and remove some transmogrification restrictions, both of which have already been done by its main competitor Final Fantasy 14. However, both upcoming World of Warcraft features have some noticeable caveats for players to consider.
It’s no secret that World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy 14 are two of the biggest titles in the MMORPG genre. Though each title offers different takes on hotkey-based combat, that has not stopped Blizzard and Square Enix from drawing inspiration from one another. One key example is World of Warcraft‘s player housing system, which used FF14‘s own housing as an example of how each game differs in implementing similar ideas. While Final Fantasy 14 player housing has limited plots per server, WoW‘s housing system generates new neighborhoods as needed.
World of Warcraft Gains Controller Support, Drops Some Transmog Restrictions
Soon, Blizzard’s long-standing game will add two more features inspired by its rival. Following the reveal of World of Warcraft: Forever during BlizzCon’s opening ceremony, attendees discovered that official controller support would be available in the upcoming title. By comparison, Final Fantasy 14 has supported controllers from the game’s beginning, which now includes support for PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch 2 gamepads out of the box. During a BlizzCon 2026 panel to discuss the future of Midnight, the World of Warcraft development team also revealed that armor restrictions on transmogrification sets will be removed in Patch 12.2.5. This means that classes that are known for wearing a specific armor type, such as Paladins in plate armor, can change their gear to look like cloth or leather armor.
However, both controller support and the transmogrification update each come with catches that players should bear in mind. First, Patch 12.2.5’s planned transmogrification changes will not apply to specific weapons and to class-exclusive armor sets. As an example, players will not see a Hunter wielding a two-handed mace while wearing the Paladin’s iconic Judgment armor set. Additionally, official controller support in World of Warcraft is currently exclusive to Forever. It is unclear if support will extend to Midnight or any of WoW‘s Classic game modes. Currently, Midnight players must rely on add-ons to play the game with a controller. Gamepad support is currently available within the WoW: Forever closed beta test. Players can access the World of Warcraft: Forever beta by either opting into it and being chosen at random via email or by purchasing the Skyborne Epic Pack or Warcraft Forever Collection on the Battle.net Shop.
The removal of armor restrictions on transmogrified gear in World of Warcraft will arrive nearly a year after Final Fantasy 14 made a similar move. FF14‘s Patch 7.4, Into The Mist, launched on December 16. One of Patch 7.4’s key features was the removal of glamour restrictions on armor and accessories, including restrictions based on jobs and levels. Although weapon restrictions still remain to keep animations consistent, FF14 producer and director Naoki Yoshida said that the change was made to fulfill a long-standing player request.
As for Final Fantasy 14, the upcoming Evercold expansion will launch sometime in January 2027. Further details about Evercold, including a potential release date, will be revealed on Halloween weekend during the Tokyo FanFest event.
- Released
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November 23, 2004
- ESRB
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T for Teen: Blood and Gore, Crude Humor, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence (online interactions not rated)
- Engine
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Unreal Engine
