The newest World of Warcraft expansion, Midnight, has landed and Blizzard is already rolling out fixes. One small but welcome update: you no longer need Pathfinder achievements to unlock Steady Flight in the Midnight and The War Within zones.

What changed

Previously players had to complete Pathfinder-style objectives before using regular mounted flight. That requirement is now removed for the two new zones, so players can take to the skies without the extra achievement grind.

Why it mattered

There was a lot of talk about this before the expansion launched. Some players argued the extra steps were an annoying time sink. Others said limiting flight helped preserve the intent of certain encounters and encouraged exploration on foot.

Blizzard's thinking

Community manager Randy 'Kaivax' Jordan explained that flying has a complicated role in WoW. He noted that flight can sometimes make an encounter trivial or break pacing by allowing players to avoid content that was designed to be experienced on the ground. At the same time, players enjoy mounts and the freedom to travel quickly and view zones from above.

Kaivax described past design as a compromise. First time through an area your flight options were limited. After you had explored most of a zone, those limits eased. With Midnight, Blizzard felt the split between Skyriding and Steady Flight no longer made sense while leveling, so the restriction was removed.

What this means going forward

  • Steady Flight is now unlocked without Pathfinder for Midnight and The War Within.
  • Blizzard will keep monitoring how flight changes play experiences.
  • The studio is aware of arguments that flying reduces world interaction, but currently has no plans to reintroduce broad flight restrictions.

Reaction from players has been mostly positive, with many calling the change a good move. The update appears to balance the desire for ease of travel with concerns about keeping some content meaningful for players who prefer ground-based play.

In short, if you like flying, you can now do it sooner in Midnight. If you prefer exploring on foot, the world still offers reasons to stay grounded. The choice is back with the player, which is probably the least controversial outcome here.