To say it's been a turbulent few months at Blizzard would be an understatement. Leadership changes, in-game protests, employee walkouts, and campaigns calling on players to cancel their World of Warcraft subscriptions have caused Blizzard to go from one of the most beloved names in the video game industry to one associated with deeply troubling sexual harassment and discrimination allegations outlined in multiple lawsuits and investigations.

Changes both big and small have come to Blizzard and its flagship title as a result. The World of Warcraft team put out multiple statements laying out their plans to make Azeroth a more welcoming and inclusive place, and while some of those changes are already live, many of them are set to happen with the release of the upcoming patch 9.1.5 for World of Warcraft's latest expansion, Shadowlands.

As the first patch to be released in the wake of the ongoing fallout from the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing's initial lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, it's clear based on a recent interview that World of Warcraft game director Ion Hazzikostas intends for patch 9.1.5 to be a major turning point for both the development team and for Blizzard's MMORPG. Whether it's looking to create a more open, safe work environment or attempting to cast off nearly two decades' worth of assumptions about what World of Warcraft can be, Hazzikostas described patch 9.1.5 as the start of a "new perspective" for the game going forward.