WoW Rediscovered: Infamous '05 Bug Returns

World of Warcraft's Corrupted Blood Bug Returns in Season of Discovery

The infamous Corrupted Blood incident from World of Warcraft's past has unexpectedly reappeared in the Season of Discovery servers. Players have shared videos showcasing the deadly plague spreading through major cities, echoing the chaos of the original 2005 event. While some players find the situation humorous, others worry about the potential impact on Hardcore servers, where death is permanent.

The source of the problem is the Zul'Gurub raid, introduced in Phase 5 of Season of Discovery (September 2024). This raid, originally part of Patch 1.7 (Rise of the Blood God, September 2005), features Hakkar the Soulflayer, whose Corrupted Blood spell inflicts damage over time and spreads to nearby players. Normally, healers can mitigate this damage, but the bug allows for uncontrolled spread.

A video posted on r/classicwow by Lightstruckx vividly demonstrates the issue. The 20-second clip shows Corrupted Blood rapidly decimating players in Stormwind City's Trade District, mirroring the "pet bomb" exploits of the 2005 incident where players deliberately spread the plague.

Accidental Recreation and Hardcore Concerns

Some players attribute the reappearance of Corrupted Blood to unresolved issues. The concern is heightened by the implications for Hardcore servers. Unlike Season of Discovery, Hardcore mode features permanent character death, making the uncontrolled spread of Corrupted Blood a significant threat.

Despite past attempts to address the issue, the Corrupted Blood bug persists. With Season of Discovery's seventh phase slated for early 2025, Blizzard's response to this latest outbreak remains to be seen. The legacy of the Corrupted Blood incident continues to cast a long shadow over World of Warcraft.