WoW: Season of Discovery Players Rediscover Notorious Bug From 2005

Summary

• The infamous Corrupted Blood incident from World of Warcraft has unexpectedly reappeared in the Season of Discovery.
• The Zul'Gurub raid, introduced in Phase 5 of Season of Discovery, re-introduced the Corrupted Blood spell, causing widespread chaos.
• Players are unintentionally replicating the 2005 event by spreading the plague in Stormwind City, sparking both amusement and concern.

The notorious Corrupted Blood incident, a significant event in World of Warcraft's history, has made an unforeseen return in the Season of Discovery servers. Videos circulating online showcase the deadly plague spreading through major cities, prompting mixed reactions from players. Some find the situation humorous, while others voice apprehension about the potential impact on Hardcore realms.

Initially launched in September 2005 with Patch 1.7 (Rise of the Blood God), the Zul'Gurub raid—a 20-player instance featuring Hakkar the Soulflayer—returned in Phase 5 of World of Warcraft: Season of Discovery (September 2024). Hakkar's Corrupted Blood spell, inflicting damage over time and spreading to nearby players, was unintentionally reactivated. While normally manageable with sufficient healing, its uncontrolled spread caused widespread disruption.

For almost a month following Zul'Gurub's release in 2005, Corrupted Blood affected both players and their companions, leading to its malicious spread beyond the raid itself. A recent video posted on r/classicwow by Lightstruckx depicts the debuff's rapid spread in Stormwind City's Trade District. The video strikingly resembles the 2005 incident, where "pet bombs" were used to spread the plague across the game world before Blizzard's intervention.

World of Warcraft Players Inadvertently Recreate the Corrupted Blood Incident

Some players attribute the reappearance of Corrupted Blood to unresolved issues. Others express concern about its potential misuse in Hardcore mode, where character death is permanent. Unlike Season of Discovery, World of Warcraft: Classic Hardcore features permadeath, making the bug's presence particularly problematic.

Despite previous attempts to address the issue, the Corrupted Blood incident's legacy persists. With Phase 7 of Season of Discovery slated for early 2025, the timing of Blizzard's fix remains uncertain.