Raiding Guild Bans Torrenters in World of Warcraft

Summary

• Streamer Pirate Software was expelled from the World of Warcraft OnlyFangs guild following a disastrous Dire Maul North run resulting in Hardcore character deaths.
• Pirate Software's refusal to accept responsibility for the deaths prompted his dismissal by Guild Master Sodapoppin.

Pirate Software's tenure with the prominent World of Warcraft streaming guild OnlyFangs ended abruptly after a failed Dire Maul North attempt. The recent addition of Dire Maul to the WoW Classic Anniversary servers has already claimed several OnlyFangs Hardcore characters.

Prior to Blizzard's official launch of Hardcore servers in August 2023 (which saw a decline in popularity until the November 2024 Anniversary server release), players established their own "zero-death" guidelines. The Anniversary servers revitalized WoW Classic, significantly impacting the population of the original Classic realms. Since their introduction, numerous Hardcore players have perished, while others have achieved level 60 within the restrictive Hardcore mode. The latest casualties, Sara and Snupy, resulted in Pirate Software's expulsion from OnlyFangs by Guild Master Sodapoppin.

Social media posts and a Discord statement from Sodapoppin confirmed Pirate Software's removal. The statement cited widespread guild discomfort following the deaths of two members during the Dire Maul run. The incident involved the group pulling a boss before clearing nearby Gordok ogres. When a party member suggested retreating to reset the encounter, Pirate Software abandoned the group during the escape. While normally permissible under OnlyFangs rules, his refusal to acknowledge his role in Sara and Snupy's deaths, coupled with further actions (as seen in a video containing strong language), sealed his fate.

Why Pirate Software's Expulsion from OnlyFangs?

The primary criticism leveled against Pirate Software was his unwillingness to accept responsibility for the deaths. Sodapoppin's post-run review highlighted Pirate Software's failure to utilize crowd control effectively, specifically suggesting that a rank 1 Blizzard spell could have mitigated the threat without excessive mana expenditure. Other OnlyFangs members, including Mizkif, alluded to post-incident threats made by Pirate Software towards fellow streamers. Pirate Software subsequently responded to his expulsion on Twitter, expressing dissatisfaction with the handling of the situation.

Given the numerous OnlyFangs member departures since the guild's reformation on the Anniversary server Doomhowl, the possibility of splinter groups forming remains. With Blizzard's ongoing addition of Vanilla-accurate content updates, further casualties within OnlyFangs are anticipated as new dungeons and raids are introduced.