Summary
- Spanish voice lines are missing in WoW Patch 11.0.7, affecting Spanish-speaking fans’ immersion.
- Lack of explanation from Blizzard is causing confusion and frustration among players.
- Some are concerned that removal of Spanish dubs may lead to a loss of subscribers and impact non-English clients.
World of Warcraft Patch 11.0.7 is live in all regions, but the recent content update seems to be missing its voice lines in Spanish. With no word from Blizzard about this absence, Spanish-speaking World of Warcraft fans have been left wondering why this important immersion feature was nowhere to be found.
As the most popular MMO in history, World of Warcraft has players across the globe. Because of this, World of Warcraft features localization in many different languages, including English, Chinese, and both European and Mexican dialects of Spanish.
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However, some fans have noticed a major localization feature is absent from World of Warcraft Patch 11.0.7. When Spanish-speaking players began their journeys in the update, they noticed the cinematics were all in English with Spanish subtitles, while in-game spoken dialogue was simply absent, relying purely on text boxes to communicate the story. WoW fan and BlizzCon cosplay finalist Ingenioso Hidalgo was among those who noticed this absence, expressing their grievances on Twitter.
World of Warcraft Patch 11.0.7 Has No Spanish Dub
On Reddit, World of Warcraft player Orteku reported that, according to Spanish WoW fansite AlterTime, this absence was likely due to Microsoft not reaching an agreement with Spanish voice actors regarding the usage of AI in a similar vein to the recent SAG-AFTRA strike. At present, this problem seems to only be affecting the Spanish version, but Orteku warns it could spread to other non-English clients as well.
Evidently, this isn’t the only issue Spanish World of Warcraft players have encountered recently. Hidalgo cited recent US-only collaborations like World of Warcraft’s Mountain Dew promotion, the removal of Spanish GMs and European offices, and the 20th anniversary event video, which was accused of using an AI dub in Spanish, as other irritations Spanish players have endured. Beyond WoW, Hearthstone’s Spanish team has been largely disbanded, leading to many cards lacking voice lines while the game is played in the language.
At press time, Blizzard has not commented on the absence of the Spanish dub, leaving fans guessing as to why it happened, and if it will be added in a later update. Beyond the actor’s agreement, some players surmise the localization team was not given enough time in light of WoW’s expedited release cadence, while others fear Blizzard is planning to permanently remove some or all non-English dubs to cut costs. Regardless of the reason, unless World of Warcraft offers an explanation, it runs a serious risk of losing Spanish subscribers – especially if this trend extends beyond Patch 11.0.7.
In this opening chapter of The Worldsoul Saga, you’ll journey through never-before-seen subterranean worlds filled with hidden wonders and lurking perils, down to the dark depths of the Nerubian empire, where the inscrutable Harbinger of the Void has gathered her arachnid forces to bring Azeroth to its knees.