World of Warcraft is getting two incredible new targeting options when Dragonflight releases. The new Soft Targeting system, including both the Interact Key and Action Targeting, will be available to players when the World of Warcraft: Dragonflight Pre-Patch begins on October 25.
With the new Action Targeting system active, World of Warcraft players can target enemies, NPCs, and interactable objects simply by facing them. Jeff Liu, the senior UI designer for World of Warcraft, described it as similar to an action game. The toggleable system still works with Tab Targeting–each system can be used together or independently of the other.
The new Action Targeting system also comes with an Interact Key. By pressing F, a character can interact with a nearby NPC or object characters are facing without having to target or click on them. The Interact Key can be freely bound to other buttons, and it works for tons of game mechanics, from skinning and looting World of Warcraft enemies to talking with NPCs or even sitting in chairs.
This system of targeting is reminiscent of systems found in other MMORPGs, like Guild Wars 2 and Elder Scrolls Online. While the new Action Targeting system hardly transforms World of Warcraft’s combat system into an action game, it does help mitigate the frustration of the sometimes-unpredictable Tab Targeting system, though it may struggle in complex fights with large mobs of enemies. More importantly, these new options are great accessibility tools for people who struggle with keyboards or choose to play with controllers.
Many players are excited to try out the new Soft Targeting system. The Interact Key seems like a simple and easy way to quickly navigate the world with fewer clicks, and Action Targeting looks as sleek and approachable as the new UI overhauls. Fans were quick to praise Liu and his World of Warcraft development team for the hard work they put into these new developments.
With World of Warcraft: Dragonflight’s Pre-Patch right around the corner, players won’t have to wait long to try out the new targeting options, Talent Trees, or UI overhauls. A few weeks later on November 15, World of Warcraft players can participate in the Primal Storms Pre-Patch event and make Dracthyr Evokers. Though some players have concerns that Dragonflight is not ready for release, the World of Warcraft development team is confident it will be able to squash all the remaining bugs before going live on retail. Players can soon evaluate the expansion for themselves as they explore the Dragon Isles in a little over a month.
World of Warcraft is available now for PC. Dragonflight launches on November 28.