Dragonflight replaced the binary male/female labels with Body Type 1/2 options in the character creator to accommodate gender diversity. Narrative lead Steve Danuser confirmed the bronze dragon Chromie as transgender with a shift from he/him to she/her pronouns following a Visage Day ceremony, while Shadowlands introduced Pelagos as another trans character accompanied by pronoun discussions.

Dragonflight and Shadowlands quests also expanded same-sex NPC couples and romances, including the pre-existing relationship between Flynn Fairwind and Mathias Shaw. Blizzard developers cited representation priorities in post-lawsuit art and quest revisions, directly tying these alterations to external pressures rather than gameplay needs. Players responded with forum and X backlash that labeled the updates as heavy-handed virtue signaling, creating a clear critic-audience divide over whether the changes enhanced or detracted from the game's escapist appeal. These targeted modifications illustrate how identity-focused updates can shift focus away from core fantasy mechanics without redefining the entire title.