Pets are a surprisingly in-depth and complex feature within World of Warcraft, and serve as much more than accessories. Nearly every pet in the game can battle other pets, and some even have special uses for professions or other conveniences. But the pet world in WoW is about to change with the addition of Xiao Liu, an anthropomorphic red panda that can teleport retail players across the continent of Pandaria.
Feelings of excitement have been stirred, far more so than usual, because Roamer Xiao Liu is the first of a kind. This little guy allows players to instantly travel to any raid or dungeon in Pandaria, with a 20-minute cooldown. It sets a startling precedent for more expansion-themed companions who could offer similar services in the future. This would be a dream come true for those who love to trawl through World of Warcraft‘s past zones for every last scrap of content.
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WoW’s Xiao Liu Is a Special Homage to Chinese World of Warcraft Players
Xiao Liu has only been announced for players on Chinese servers at the moment, promoted by Blizzard’s liaison company for China, NetEase. It’s a nice benefit for those from that region, since in 2022, the servers for all Blizzard games in China were shut down for two whole years. Naturally, red pandas reference China, despite Xiao Liu (which means “Little Liu”) having bright blue fur. He seems to use the same rigging as a vulpera model, and will likely have many of the same animations.
Xiao Liu Will Likely Travel the Globe Soon
There’s reason to suspect Liu will come to other regions soon enough, and alternative colors have also been datamined from future Trading Post selections worldwide. These different skins won’t have the teleport effect, but they are an option for those who can’t resist red pandas. When converted from Yuan, Xiao Liu could go for around $16 in US stores, but this number is not confirmed.
This is pricey for a pet, as usually, they go for around $5. Shelling out the cost of a World of Warcraft store mount for a store pet might leave players hesitant to oblige, so the teleport perk is clearly what’s justifying the bulk of the cost. If more of these kinds of pets are coming to the game, it begs the question as to how ethical their price tags are. While the teleportation advantage they dispense won’t affect current expansions, their convenience will still be sorely missed by those who don’t have the cash to spare.
Xiao Liu’s Powers Might Not Be Worth The Cash
Pandaria is an old continent, and all its content has been thoroughly wrung out by most players, especially since the recent Mists of Pandaria: Remix event. With that in mind, Xiao Liu’s teleport skills are only valuable for those who still have collectibles or achievements yet to be claimed. So on one hand, its existence is benign, but on the other, many may wonder if Liu’s price is truly justified at all.
There are Cheaper Ways to Get Around in WoW
Other World of Warcraft pets offer quality-of-life improvements as well, only one of which, Lil’ Ragnaros, costs real money. Lil’ Ragnaros provides fire for players to cook on, the Mailemental is a portable mailbox, and Alvin the Anvil is exactly what his name suggests. As for the teleporting bit, there are toys and other special items that can do just that. For example, engineers can create wormhole toys for every expansion, allowing quick teleportation in much the same way Xiao Liu does.
Basically, this new pet isn’t bringing anything earth-shattering to the table, but it does make for an adorable way to traverse Pandaria nonetheless. Hopefully, pets like Xiao Liu won’t ever grow to impact end-game content, as that would send players into an uproar. Only time will tell if players find Xiao Liu to be worth the cost.
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