The Skyborne get SD models in early 2027

The Skyborne get models in standard definition, for player characters and for their Druid forms. They arrive in early 2027, says Blizzard. Until now the Skyborne are the only race in World of Warcraft: Forever without SD models. The HD Druid forms also get new textures.

Players can switch every other race between the original models and HD models. When that choice was made, the team focused on the races of the original game, since many players are attached to those models. Players said the HD Skyborne stand out too much in a world of SD models, and Blizzard agrees:

“However, we have heard feedback that the HD Skyborne can be jarring by contrast when placed in the same world as the SD models and world, and we agree.”

The image at the top of this post is an early work in progress of the SD Skyborne. Blizzard will share more closer to the release. On 5 October, Blizzard already promised more information about the models of the race, in a comment under a video.

New fur for the HD Druid forms

The aim of WoW Forever is to keep the look of the original game while giving players more choice, Blizzard writes. Some ideas did not fit that look well enough. The HD Druid forms of the Skyborne are the first example that the team is revisiting.

The forms lose some of their softness, get more detailed fur and less saturated colors. The Skyborne come from an exotic place and their forms may show that, says Blizzard, but they should not clash with the other creatures in the world.

When the new HD forms reach the beta, Blizzard does not say.