Watch Asmongold’s Reaction:
Asmongold Freaks, Fans Revolt, and Cinematics Crash Under Blizzard’s Budget Blade
When Asmongold uploaded his latest reaction to the new World of Warcraft cinematic, he didn’t hold back. Visibly disappointed, he questioned what Blizzard had done to the game he’s loved for years, saying something to the effect of: “This is what they’ve done to the game I care so much about.”
Across forums, Reddit, and YouTube comments, thousands of players echoed the sentiment: WoW’s once-legendary cinematics have lost their soul. That prompted a deeper look—had something truly changed behind the scenes at Blizzard? The short answer: yes. The long answer? It’s worse than most expected.
A Legacy of Hype—Now Reduced to Glossy Confusion
World of Warcraft has built its brand on iconic cinematics. From the raw orc/human intensity of Warlords of Draenor to the emotional depth of Old Soldier, Blizzard once commanded respect for its storytelling. But lately?
The last two major trailers—Dragonflight and The War Within—have drawn record backlash. Forums light up with comments calling them “lifeless,” “bland,” and “cheap.” Fans feel like they’re watching Diablo IV cutscenes wearing WoW masks.
One Redditor put it best:
“It’s not a terrible cinematic—but it’s a terrible WoW cinematic. If you told me this was for the D4 expansion, I’d believe you.”
The Numbers Don’t Lie
-
The War Within trailer (2024): ~5.8M views, ~95K likes, ~11K estimated dislikes
→ ~10% disapproval rate
-
Old Soldier (2018): ~5.1M views, ~128K likes, ~3K estimated dislikes
→ ~2% disapproval
That’s over 5× more backlash per viewer—despite similar viewership. Even Dragonflight was met with player apathy, often called “over-animated and underwritten.”
The fans are still watching… but they’re not happy.
What Changed? A Lot, Actually.
Cinematic Director Marc Messenger Left
The man behind the golden age of WoW trailers—Marc Messenger—left Blizzard in January 2024 after nearly 17 years. His fingerprints were on Legion, Mists of Pandaria, Cataclysm, Dragonflight and more. His exit marks the end of Blizzard’s big-screen era.
Blizzard Slashed Its Creative Teams
In the wake of Microsoft’s $75.4B acquisition of Activision Blizzard, nearly 2,000 roles were cut across the gaming division—including story, cinematics, and lore departments.
WoW cinematics were among the hardest hit.
According to internal leaks and dev comments, recent trailers are now built entirely with in-engine tools, using much smaller skeleton teams. Once handled by full CGI teams with blockbuster budgets, today’s cinematics are produced in a fraction of the time with a fraction of the staff.
Follow the Money
-
2021 Revenue (GAAP): $8.80 B
-
2022 Revenue: $7.53 B (↓ ~14.5%)
-
Cash flow shrinking, with increased reliance on live-service monetization over narrative delivery
With budgets tightening, WoW’s once-sacred cinematic department was quietly deprioritized. No announcement. No warning. Just a slow, steady decline that fans felt before they ever read about it.
The Fan Verdict: “We Deserve Better”
Blizzard’s forums are overflowing with critiques:
“This ain’t Warcraft anymore.”
“They look like Diablo trailers now.”
“Give the cinematics back to people who care.”
And they have a point. Blizzard’s brand was never just raids and loot—it was lore, passion, and artistry. That’s what built trust. And right now? That trust is cracking.
Final Thought
The cinematics were the soul of Warcraft—epic, bold, and dripping with identity. Losing them might seem like a cost-saving move on paper… but in reality, it’s costing Blizzard something far greater:
Player belief.
-
War Within cinematic trailer (YouTube):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZpXo7tLZ3k -
Blizzard forums thread on the trailer (for community reaction):
https://eu.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/about-that-new-cinematic-trailer/525473 -
Activision Blizzard Investor Relations (2022 report):
https://investor.activision.com -
Marc Messenger’s departure coverage (MMO-Champion):
https://www.mmo-champion.com/content/12039-World-of-Warcraft-Cinematic-Director-Marc-Messenger-Leaves-Blizzard -
Reddit discussion on War Within cinematic backlash:
https://www.reddit.com/r/wow/comments/1kymk0o/bbno_censors_asmongold_in_his_new_mary_poppins -
The Verge coverage of Microsoft/Blizzard layoffs:
https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/25/24049149/microsoft-blizzard-layoffs-activision-xbox