Summary
World of Warcraftis adding not one, but two new types of races in Patch 11.1: the Breakneck D.R.I.V.E. races, and Skyrocketing races that feature flying Goblin jetpacks. These two types of races replace their Skyriding counterparts in Undermine, the zone coming in the first major content update forWorld of Warcraft: The War Within.
Patch 11.1, appropriately named Undermined,bringsWorld of Warcraftplayers to Undermine, a sprawling subterranean metropolis and the capital city of the Goblins. Despite its size, the massive zone will not allow fans to fly, instead relying on D.R.I.V.E. – a dynamic, customizable, mount-like car that can speed through the streets of the city even faster than Skyriding can. When it was first introduced,World of Warcraftalso confirmed new Breakneck races, which will utilize the D.R.I.V.E. system to its fullest potential.
However, there is actually a second type of race coming in the patch. Skyrocket races are a new type of challenge that, rather than usingtraditional flying or Skyriding mounts inWorld of Warcraft, utilize Goblin jetpacks to blast through the sky. During the races, players use a new style of movement that strikes a balance between both existing systems of flying, as they cannot stop while in the air as with Steady flight, but they do not lose momentum or altitude as in Skyriding. As seen in footage provided byWoWcontent creator MrGM from the Public Test Realm, racers gain speed with each ring they collect – but the faster they go, the less reactive their turning becomes, making Skyrocket races more difficult than they initially appear.
New Skyrocket Races in World of Warcraft Patch 11.1
Because there is no Skyriding in Undermine, there are also no Skyriding races in the zone. That said, both Breakneck and Skyrocket races will have achievements for completing every race with Bronze, Silver, and Gold times. There are also reverse versions of all four Skyrocket andD.R.I.V.E. Breakneck races inWorld of Warcraft, though it does not appear as if they have any Advanced or Challenge courses like some Skyriding races do.
Rags to Riches Run
Sandy Scuttle
Initial reception to these new Skyrocket races has been mixed. While some fans are excited to try them out, others think the flying looks incredibly stiff and unreactive, especially when compared to Skyriding. Luckily,World of WarcraftPatch 11.1 is still in development, so these races still have time to be further refined before becoming available with the update, likely sometime in February.
World of Warcraft: The War Within
WHERE TO PLAY
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.
