The development of World of Warcraft Classic's 'Forever' project, intended as a static version of the game, evolved beyond its initial concept due to developer enthusiasm, according to a Blizzard developer. The original internal pitch for the project was to offer a Vanilla experience with only minor class adjustments and four new dungeons.
However, the scope expanded as the team became more invested. This iterative process led to a more significant overhaul than initially planned, suggesting that the 'Forever' project is not merely a faithful recreation but a project that grew in ambition. There was indeed a version of WoW Forever that strictly adhered to the Vanilla format with minimal class changes, but the project's direction shifted over time. This expansion indicates a desire to add more content and make more substantial changes than a simple archival approach would entail.