Blizzard Expands Free Character Migration on TBC Classic

Following a quiet announcement from late January, Blizzard has finally expanded the Free Character Migration (FCM) programme on TBC servers, after previously doing so for SoM servers. This adds multiple servers to the pool of source servers that players can transfer from, but also a couple to the pool of destination servers that players can transfer to.

There has been mild discontent, as the updated list still only contains servers that have completely died off. It does not include multiple servers whose population is rapidly declining, in some cases having only 500-1000 players in total.

In many other cases, it does not include servers where one faction has completely died off (0 to 500 players), so players of that faction are unable to transfer off as the server might still be relatively “healthy” on the opposite faction’s side (1000-2000 players) — despite both factions’ population being in decline, with the server inevitably dying off eventually.

For instance, my former server, Razorgore, has completely collapsed. Alliance population has dropped to virtually 0, while the Horde population has dropped from 5000 to 2600 in about 4 months, a drop of almost 400 players per month, which puts the server on a path to being totally dead in ~4-5 months. Yet my Alliance alts are firmly stuck on that server, despite the Alliance being completely dead, because the Horde population has not dwindled to 0 yet.

Razorgore is valid destination for free character migration, however — which is absolutely baffling. Alliance players would be transferring to a dead server, where they cannot participate in the open world and their auction house is dead, while Horde players would be transferring to a server that’s about to die off and thus waste their time and money. This really calls Blizzard’s thresholds for designating servers as valid sources and destinations into question.

Specifically, the updated list of source and destination servers are as follows for EU servers:

Source Realms: Celebras, Hydraxian Waterlords, Bloodfang, Dragonfang, Dreadmist, Flamelash, Gandling, Harbinger of Doom, Heartstriker, Judgement, Lucifron, Noggenfogger, Rhok’delar, Shazzrah, Skullflame, Stonespine, Ten Storms, Wyrmthalak, Zandalar Tribe

Destination Realms: Amnennar, Ashbringer, Auberdine, Chromie, Earthshaker, Everlook, Golemagg, Lakeshire, Mandokir, Mirage Raceway, Mograine, Nethergarde Keep, Patchwerk, Pyrewood Village, Razorfen, Razorgore, Sulfuron, Transcendence, Venoxis

And for NA servers:

Source Realms: Anathema, Arcanite Reaper, Bigglesworth, Blaumeux, Deviate Delight, Fairbanks, Felstriker, Heartseeker, Herod, Incendius, Kirtonos, Kromcrush, Kurinnaxx, Loatheb, Netherwind, Rattlegore, Skeram, Smolderweb, Stalagg, Sul’thraze, Thalnos, Thunderfury

Destination Realms: Arugal, Bigglesworth, Earthfury, Fairbanks, Grobbulus, Herod, Netherwind, Sulfuras, Thunderfury, Yojamba

What are your thoughts on this expansion of the FCM system? Are you happy that Blizzard is adding realm to the pool, will you be transferring to one of the new destination servers? Or would you prefer that they reconsider their criteria for source realms, maybe your characters are also stuck on a dead server? Let us know in the comments below!