Blizzard doing ‘a thorough scrub’ of illegitimate World of Warcraft Mythic-Plus dungeon rankings, with more changes to come
Blizzard Entertainment is conducting a “thorough scrub” of World of Warcraft’s Mythic Plus dungeon top-1% rankings to remove entries earned through paid boosting services, according to World of Warcraft game director Ion Hazzikostas.
The controversial practice has become a significant issue for the competitive dungeon community. The Midnight expansion introduced the first-ever top-1% rewards for Mythic Plus dungeons this season, which concluded on August 11. Unlike similar high-end rewards in PvP combat that require players to reach a specific score, M+ rankings operate on a flat percentage system—meaning only a fixed portion of the player base can claim these rewards regardless of skill level.
This ranking structure made paid carries particularly problematic, as players who purchased boosting services secured spots in the top-1% reward tier, effectively displacing legitimate players who earned their rankings through genuine gameplay. The situation highlighted a fundamental tension between accessibility and competitive integrity in World of Warcraft’s endgame content.
Hazzikostas indicated that the purge is part of a broader effort to address the problem, with more changes planned for future seasons. The removal of illegitimate entries aims to restore trust in the ranking system and ensure that legitimate high-performing players receive recognition and rewards they earned fairly.
The move reflects Blizzard’s ongoing challenge in managing live-service games where competitive integrity and monetization interests can clash. As World of Warcraft continues to evolve its endgame systems, the developer will need to balance making content accessible through optional services while maintaining the credibility of competitive rankings.