Developers slipped a small but notable tweak into patch 12.1 of World of Warcraft — one of the oldest emote animations was removed. The classic /rude performed by male undead, once an ambiguous hand motion near the groin, is gone; in its place the undead now make a slitting‑throat gesture, a much clearer depiction of a death threat.
Reactions exploded on Reddit. Some players laughed at the apparent logic: nix a cheeky innuendo, keep an obvious violent threat instead. Others dug up past censorship flare‑ups in MMOs (e.g., famous incidents where small gestures or phrases were altered) and wondered what the criteria even are. The thread mixes mockery, annoyance, and a few baffled takes — IMO, it reads more like a design choice gone sideways than anything systematic.