We just really liked the chemistry of these characters. It kind of spoke to us. We could have had them just be friends if we wanted, but we felt like man, they have a much deeper connection, and it’s something that could feel like a really genuine relationship. It just felt really right for these characters.
World of Warcraft is not known for its romances. A lot of the weddings we’ve seen have had tragic endings. It’s not like we’re changing the game to be about romance. But there’s a place for it, where it feels like it enhances the story or the characters.
I think that Flynn and Shaw just made this really natural combination that was fun to see through questing in game, in Shadows Rising and in some other written material that we’ve got coming. I think you’ll just see that chemistry blossom even more. They’re fun characters to write for.
Ardenweald has a questline where you’re trying to figure out some of the aspects of Tyrande’s transformation when she took on the Night Warrior power, and what that power is doing to her, what it means and what the potential cost is. You encounter a couple, where one of them was a Night Warrior on a different world in the mortal plane. You discover they are a same-sex couple. It’s not a huge part of the storyline – it’s just something that they are.
We have a team that has a lot of different people with different viewpoints and backgrounds, so it’s important to us to tell stories that we care about, that reflect our concerns, and also make Azeroth a place that is representative of lots of different points of view, and very welcoming. Whatever your background is, there’s a place for you in this world.
This is a beginning for us. It’s not "well, we did that, and now we’re all done." We always think of more quests, more stories, more art to make and more systems to build. We’ll absolutely be thinking and looking for more ways to allow further representation in the future.
