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 have unintentionally replicated the 2005 event by spreading the deadly plague in Stormwind City.

A notorious chapter in World of Warcraft's history, the Corrupted Blood incident, has resurfaced, seemingly by accident, in the Season of Discovery servers. Videos circulating online show the deadly plague spreading through major cities, sparking both amusement and concern among players, particularly regarding its potential impact on Hardcore realms.

Originally unleashed in September 2005 with Patch 1.7, Rise of the Blood God, the Zul'Gurub raid (a 20-player instance) featured Hakkar the Soulflayer, a powerful deity. Its return in World of Warcraft: Season of Discovery during Phase 5 (September 2024) brought back the Corrupted Blood spell, a damaging effect that spread to nearby players. While normally manageable with strong healing, this time it caused significant disruption.

For almost a month after Zul'Gurub's initial release, Corrupted Blood affected both players and their companions, leading to its uncontrolled spread outside the raid. A recent video on r/classicwow, posted by Lightstruckx, depicts the debuff rapidly spreading in Stormwind City's Trade District, mirroring the 2005 incident's "pet bombs" strategy. The video shows the rapid spread of the debuff and the frantic efforts of players to survive.

World of Warcraft Players Unintentionally Recreate the Corrupted Blood Incident

Some players attribute the Corrupted Blood debuff's return to unresolved issues, while others worry about its potential weaponization in Hardcore mode, where death is permanent. Unlike Season of Discovery, Hardcore mode's permadeath mechanic adds a significant layer of risk.

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