This week on Endless Loop, I had the most “veteran WoW healer” moment possible: I was in a World of Warcraft dungeon and suddenly realized I’ve been healing in WoW longer than the party I was with has been alive. And honestly… that’s the perfect snapshot of what it feels like to resub / return to WoW right now: you remember the vibe of Azeroth, but your hands don’t remember your keybinds, your brain can’t find the right menus, and your routine is completely gone.

Right after that, I hit the classic duo dilemma. My best friend wants me to stay tank so we can run tank + healer and get instant dungeon queues for Mythic+ and group content. I wanted to mess around with my Warlock, but efficiency and friendship are powerful forces in an MMORPG. The problem: I caught the healing itch again… and for the 14th time, Holy Paladin just does not click for me. So I pivoted hard and leveled my Shaman from 30 to 70, and I’m finishing the push to 80 so I can play healer the way I actually enjoy it (Restoration Shaman here we come).

We also talk about the January 20, 2026 patch / content update and how it messed with my comfort zone. UI changes always make returning players feel lost, but this week I finally leaned into the new direction: I set up the built-in damage meter (native DPS meter / healing meter) and realized I can run a stock UI without the usual “addon tax.” That patch-day chaos is exactly why this week’s song exists — my anthem for every broken addon and plugin: “Ain’t Gonna Work.” If you’ve ever logged in on patch day to see “incompatible,” “lua error,” and half your interface missing, you’ll feel this one.

Then it’s full-on WoW player housing mode. I figured out how to build rooms in my house, and I finally got my showpiece: the Horde Warlord’s Throne from Siege of Orgrimmar. Absolute centerpiece. I put it in my main room and it instantly made the whole house feel real. I followed that up by running Icecrown Citadel—which took forever just to walk boss-to-boss—and I walked away with transmog but zero furniture. That became the theme of the week: one massive housing win, surrounded by a lot of “cool story, no décor drops.” I also picked up a Twitch drop plushie and, yes, it’s sitting on the throne like a tiny king.

On top of that, I ran about four Delves this week, but I’m still struggling to remember the daily quest rhythm that earns the keys to open the Delve chests. So I’ve been leveling my Delves, exploring zones I’ve never unlocked, and watching YouTube housing tours that blew my mind—some of the builds people are making in WoW housing are unreal. I wrap everything up with the WoW news and what I’m doing next as I stop feeling disoriented and lock back into a real routine.

Keywords: World of Warcraft, WoW, WoW podcast, MMORPG, Azeroth, Blizzard, patch 2026, January 20 patch, UI update, stock UI, addons broken, addon tax, damage meter, DPS meter, healing meter, chat to speech, text to speech, Siege of Orgrimmar, Icecrown Citadel, Northrend, Pandaria, transmog farming, legacy raids, dungeons, Mythic+, Delves, keys, chests, daily quests, player housing, WoW housing, décor, furniture drops, Horde, Paladin tank, Holy Paladin, Shaman healer, Restoration Shaman, Warlock.

#WorldOfWarcraft #WoW #WoWPodcast #MMORPG #Blizzard #Azeroth #WoWHousing #PlayerHousing #SiegeOfOrgrimmar #IcecrownCitadel #Delves #MythicPlus #Dungeons #Raids #Transmog #Healer #Tank #Shaman #Paladin #Warlock #PatchDay #WoWUI

In this first episode, I resubscribe to World of Warcraft after time away and immediately run into the familiar returning-player feeling: confusion, forgotten keybinds, and the realization that the game has changed a lot since I last logged in. From not remembering which keys do what to staring at a completely different interface, this episode captures the real experience of coming back to WoW after a break.

I start by explaining what this podcast is about — resubbing, being lost, and figuring out modern World of Warcraft again without pressure, spreadsheets, or the expectation that you already know everything. This is a show for casual and returning players who log in excited, confused, and a little overwhelmed.

A major focus of this episode is World of Warcraft housing and what it could mean for the future of the game. I spend a significant amount of time talking about why player housing matters, why it’s such a big deal for returning and casual players, and how housing could change the way people engage with WoW long-term. From creativity and personalization to community and long-term goals, I explore why housing feels like one of the most important features WoW has ever introduced or seriously considered.

I also discuss current catch-up mechanics available to returning players, including fast leveling systems that help you get back into the game without endless grinding. I share first impressions, what feels confusing, what works well, and how these systems help resubbed players actually play current content instead of feeling permanently behind.

Along the way, I talk about what I’m most excited about as a returning player — rediscovering Azeroth, easing back into the game at my own pace, and seeing how modern WoW supports casual play more than it used to.

Midway through the episode, I take a short intermission to play an original song inspired by my experience coming back to World of Warcraft, capturing the mix of nostalgia, confusion, and excitement that comes with resubbing.