World of Warcraft`s long-standing transmogrification system is finally set to receive a significant facelift with the arrival of its 2026 Midnight expansion. This major update promises to make customizing character appearances both much cheaper and significantly more convenient for players.
Currently, players in Blizzard`s massively multiplayer online role-playing game utilize transmog to alter the visual appearance of individual gear items, allowing them to craft and save various outfits. However, this process incurs varying gold costs each time an item`s look is changed. A key frustration stems from the fact that transmog is tied to the specific items themselves rather than the item slots they occupy. This means that acquiring new gear frequently necessitates re-applying transmogs, a particularly noticeable issue at the start of an expansion or a new season when players are constantly upgrading their equipment. Rather than spending gold to transmog each new piece immediately, many players often defer the process, knowing that another upgrade is likely just hours or days away, which would again require more gold for transmogrification. Consequently, players often end up wearing a disparate collection of visual styles that clash, instead of their meticulously customized outfits, which often required hours of grinding old raids and dungeons to acquire.
The system has largely remained unchanged since its debut in 2011 as part of the game`s Cataclysm expansion. However, all this will finally change in Midnight. Blizzard is shifting the transmog mechanism so that it is based on item slots. This fundamental change means players will only need to transmog a slot once to retain that appearance indefinitely. Even better, saving individual outfits will also incur only a single, one-time gold cost. After this initial payment, outfits can be swapped freely, providing a huge benefit for players who frequently switch between different looks.
WoW senior game director Ion Hazzikostas emphasized the financial benefit of these changes in an interview prior to the expansion`s full reveal at Gamescom, stating that “For someone who transmogs frequently, this is going to be much, much, much, much cheaper, gold-wise.”
Outfits are also central to another significant addition to the transmog system coming with Midnight, which Blizzard is calling Situations. This innovative system will enable players to have their characters automatically equip different outfits based on the context. Blizzard provided examples such as characters automatically changing into a more casual, civilian outfit upon entering their in-game house, or adopting a distinct gear appearance when switching specializations.
Whether players prefer to maintain a consistent look, showcase their mismatched gear, or effortlessly swap between outfits for every conceivable occasion, WoW`s revamped transmog system will offer that level of flexibility, according to associate game director Paul Kubit. Kubit further commented that it “gives players a lot of cool ways to express themselves, it should be a lot more ergonomic to work with, and arguably more fun too.”
An overhauled transmog system is just one of several new features planned for Midnight. While an exact release date is yet to be announced, the expansion is slated to arrive early next year. Interestingly, player housing, one of Midnight`s most anticipated features, will actually be playable as part of the game`s 11.2.7 patch for those who pre-order the new expansion. Players will be able to acquire their home and begin decorating with The War Within`s final patch, with the full housing feature, including its neighborhood system, arriving with Midnight itself.
Additionally, Midnight will bring a revitalization of the Blood Elf lands of Quel`thalas, introduce a new Allied Race, and unveil a third, Void-themed specialization for Demon Hunters, among other additions. The expansion`s opening cinematic, which depicts a battle between the Blood Elves and the Void forces of Xal`atath, made its debut at Gamescom Opening Night Live.