Good news for housing enthusiasts: according to a recent Midnight beta build, it looks like Charter Neighbourhoods may be arriving with the upcoming Midnight pre-patch.
While Charter Neighbourhoods aren’t 100% confirmed for launch just yet, speculation is growing after the feature quietly became somewhat available for testing on the beta. At the moment, housing itself isn’t fully functional — most neighbourhoods are essentially ghost towns — but players can already see the option to name and purchase their own charter, suggesting the system is getting closer to completion.
What’s the Difference Between Guild and Charter Neighbourhoods?
Blizzard currently has several versions of Neighbourhoods planned for Midnight.
The first is Public Neighbourhoods, which are already publicly available. Anyone can join, buy a plot, and start decorating their home.
Next are Guild Neighbourhoods, which are also live. These are housing districts exclusively populated by members of the same guild, creating a more tight-knit community space.
Charter Neighbourhoods, however, work a little differently. Instead of being open to the public or tied to a single guild, they allow a player to purchase a neighbourhood charter and then invite a select group of people to join and build homes together. These groups can include players from either the Horde or Alliance, and even from different servers — much like standard Neighbourhoods.
Full Communities… or Eventual Ghost Towns?
One concern that’s already starting to surface among players is whether Neighbourhoods will actually feel alive in the long run. At the time of writing, many public Neighbourhoods already feel eerily empty.
Some fans believe this is only temporary, especially with the Midnight pre-patch still on the horizon. Others worry that unless you’re part of a guild or invited into a Charter-based community, many neighbourhoods could remain ghost towns.
Only time will tell, but if Blizzard plans to introduce Neighbourhood activities and social features with Midnight, there’s hope these spaces could soon feel much more vibrant and lived-in.
