In May 2022, Blizzard revealed the first full-fledged mobile game in the Warcraft universe. Warcraft: Arclight Rumble was going to bring the series back to its strategy roots with a very Clash Royale-esque style. It was supposed to be the first major Warcraft spin-off since 2014, and players were able to pre-register for it the minute it was announced. While it is still supposedly on the way, Blizzard has not really done anything with it since its reveal.
Besides a closed beta in 2022, there has really not been much news about Warcraft: Arclight Rumble. There were some screenshots released in late November, and the only thing since has been a behind-the-scenes interview with senior animator Carin Huurnink. There is a significant lack of marketing and news surrounding the game, and it feels like it has just vanished into the shadows. It is supposed to be this huge new Warcraft experience, but no one seems to be talking about it.
Warcraft: Arclight Rumble Seems to Have Vanished
Warcraft: Arclight Rumble was announced last May, and the fanbase was weary about what Blizzard would deliver. While it was the studio's first major mobile game, and it was set in the same universe as a popular franchise, Diablo: Immortal was met with immense controversy over its microtransaction model. Players were not super enthusiastic about a Warcraft mobile game, and the reveal trailer did not help very much. It looked like a Clash Royale clone with a Warcraft skin, but the studio promised so much more. However, it has not really shown anything more.
Blizzard could have tried easing Warcraft fans' worries about this project by releasing more gameplay footage, more behind-the-scenes interviews, and a more in-depth look at what is in store. Instead, a select few got a hands-on preview of the game and there was a Warcraft: Arclight Rumble closed beta in 2022. Since November, the studio has not shown off anything more from Warcraft: Arclight Rumble. There was an interview in March, but that did little to build any sort of hype.
It currently feels like Warcraft: Arclight Rumble has been pushed off to the side in favor of Blizzard's other titles. The studio has been building hype for Diablo 4, it has been releasing a steady stream of content for World of Warcraft, and it has been steadily updating Overwatch 2. Those three titles seem to be where Blizzard's main focus is, and it seems to have forgotten about its upcoming mobile title. While things may change in the next couple of months, it currently feels like Warcraft: Arclight Rumble has been left to gather dust.
Warcraft: Arclight Rumble is supposed to be this big expansion of the Warcraft brand for mobile platforms. It will be the start of Blizzard's plan to expand the Warcraft franchise in new ways and will be bringing the series back to its RTS roots. It may be just another mobile game, but it is also the first new Warcraft game since 2014's Hearthstone. While Diablo: Immortal may have garnered a bit of controversy, Warcraft: Arclight Rumble could have been Blizzard's chance to rectify those mistakes. That is why it is strange that the studio has chosen not to market it, but maybe it has some underlying reason for that.
Players can still pre-register for Warcraft: Arclight Rumble, and maybe more news will come out as a possible release date nears. The game has not been canceled like the planned World of Warcraft mobile spin-off was, but it kind of feels like it was. It is hard for a studio to get players hyped for a game if the said studio does not talk about the game in any fashion for months.
Warcraft: Arclight Rumble is currently in development for mobile.