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World of Warcraft
Developer(s)	Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher(s)	Blizzard Entertainment[1]
Designer(s)	Rob Pardo, Jeff Kaplan, Tom Chilton
Series	Warcraft
Version	NA 3.3.2 (February 2, 2010) EU 3.3.2 (February 3, 2010)
Platform(s)	Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows
Release date(s)	AUS / NA November 23, 2004 EU February 11, 2005[2]
Genre(s)	Fantasy, MMORPG
Mode(s)	Multiplayer online
Rating(s)	ESRB: T OFLC: M[3] PEGI: 12+
Media	4 CDs (5 for the game of the year edition), 1 DVD, download
System requirements	Microsoft Windows Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7 (32- & 64-bit supported) Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon XP 1500+ 1300 MHz 512 MB or more of RAM (1 GB for Vista Users) 32 MB 3D video card with Hardware T&L or better 15 GB free HD space 4× CD-ROM drive Broadband Internet connection Mac OS X Mac OS X 10.4.11 or newer 1600 MHz or higher G5, or Intel Core Duo processor 1 GB RAM or higher ATI or NVIDIA video card with 64 MB Video RAM or more 15 GB free HD space 4× CD-ROM drive Broadband Internet connection[4]
Input methods	Keyboard, mouse

World of Warcraft, often referred to as WoW, is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994.^[5] World of Warcraft takes place within the Warcraft world of Azeroth, approximately four years after the events at the conclusion of Blizzard's previous Warcraft release, Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne.^[6] Blizzard Entertainment announced World of Warcraft on September 2, 2001.^[7] The game was released on November 23, 2004, on the 10th anniversary of the Warcraft franchise.

The first expansion set of the game, The Burning Crusade, was released on January 16, 2007.^[8] The second expansion set, Wrath of the Lich King, was released on November 13, 2008.^[9] The third expansion set, Cataclysm, was announced at BlizzCon 2009.^[10][11]

With more than 11.5 million (December 2008) monthly subscriptions,^[12][13] World of Warcraft is currently the world's most-subscribed MMORPG^[9][14][15] and holds the Guinness World Record for the most popular MMORPG by subscribers.^{[16][17][18][19]} In April 2008, World of Warcraft was estimated to hold 62 percent of the massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) subscription market.^[20]

Contents 1 Gameplay 1.1 Starting a character or a play session 1.2 Ongoing gameplay 1.3 Setting 2 Development 2.1 Regional variations 2.2 Post-launch development 2.3 Audio 3 Reception 4 Corrupted Blood plague incident 5 Security concerns 6 Sale of virtual goods in the real world 7 Community 8 In other media 9 References 10 External links

Gameplay

Starting a character or a play session

As with other MMORPGs, players control a character avatar within a game world in third person view (with the option of playing in first person), exploring the landscape, fighting various monsters, completing quests, and interacting with NPCs or other players. In common with many other MMORPGs, World of Warcraft requires the player to pay for a subscription, either by buying game cards for a pre-selected amount of playing time, or by using a credit or debit card to pay on a regular basis.^[21]

To enter the game, the player must select a realm (or server). Each realm acts as an individual copy of the game world, and falls into one of four rule-set categories. Realms are either Player versus player (PvP), where open combat among players is more common, or Player versus environment (PvE), where the gameplay is more focused on defeating monsters and completing quests; roleplay (RP, RP-PVP) variants of both realm types are also available. Realms are also categorized by language, with in-game support in the language available.^[22] Players can make new characters on all realms, and it is also possible to move already established characters between realms for a fee.^[23]

To create a new character, in keeping with the storyline in the previous games in the Warcraft series, players must choose between the opposing factions of Alliance or Horde. Characters from the opposing factions can perform rudimentary communication, but only members of the same faction can speak, in-game mail, group, and share guilds. The player selects the new character's race (species), such as Orcs or Trolls for the Horde or Humans or Dwarves for the Alliance.^[24] Players must also select the class for their character, with choices based on dealing damage (such as Mage, Hunter, and Rogue), tanking (such as Warrior or Death Knight), or healing (such as Priest or Shaman) with some classes able to specialize in more than one role using different talent trees. Druids and Paladins are available to fulfill each role.^[25] All classes, except for "Hero classes" (currently the Death Knight), are limited to particular races.

Ongoing gameplay

As characters become more developed, they gain various talents and skills, requiring the player to further define the abilities of that character.^[26] Professions such as tailoring, blacksmithing, and mining can be learned. The three secondary skills, cooking, fishing, and first-aid, can also be learned by characters.^[27] Characters may also form or join guilds, allowing characters in the same guild unified communications, a shared guild name, and possibly identity, guild bank and dues.

Much of World of Warcraft play involves "questing". These quests, also called "tasks" or "missions", are usually available from non-player characters (NPCs).^[28] Quests usually reward the player with experience points, items, and/or in-game money. It is also through quests that much of the game's story is told, both through the quest text and through scripted NPC actions.^[29] Quests are linked by a common theme, with the next quest triggered by the completion of the previous, forming a quest chain. Quests commonly involve killing a number of creatures, gathering a certain number of resources, finding a difficult to locate object, speaking to various NPCs, visiting specific locations, interacting with objects in the world, or delivering an item from one place to another.

While a character can be played on its own, players can also group up with others in order to tackle more challenging content. In this way, character classes are used in specific roles within a group.^[28][30] World of Warcraft uses a "rested bonus" system, increasing the rate that a character can gain experience points after the player has spent time away from the game.^[26] When a character dies, it becomes a ghost (or wisp for Night Elf characters) at a nearby graveyard.^[31] Characters can be resurrected by other characters that have the ability, or can self-resurrect by moving from the graveyard to the place where they died. When a character dies, the items equipped by the character degrade, requiring in-game money and a specialist NPC to repair them. Items that have degraded heavily become unusable until they are repaired. If the location of the character's body is unreachable, they can use a special NPC known as a spirit healer to resurrect at the graveyard. When the spirit healer revives a character, items equipped by the character at that time suffer increased degradation, and the character is significantly weakened for ten minutes. This "Resurrection Sickness" does not occur and item degradation is less severe if the character revives by locating its body, or is resurrected by another player, through special items or spells.^[32][33]

World of Warcraft contains a variety of mechanisms for player-versus-player (PvP) play. Some realms allow player-versus-player combat almost anywhere in the game world, at any time. In these environments, members of opposing factions can attack each other at almost any time or location. Player-versus-environment (PvE) servers, by contrast, allows a player to choose whether or not to engage in combat against other players. On both server types, there are special areas of the world where free-for-all combat is permitted. Players on PvE servers can also opt to "flag" themselves, making them attackable targets to players of the opposite faction.^[34] Battlegrounds, for example, are similar to dungeons: only a set number of characters can enter a single battleground, but additional copies of the battleground can be made to accommodate additional players.^[35] Each battleground has a set objective, such as capturing a flag or defeating an opposing general, that must be completed in order to win the battleground. Competing in battlegrounds rewards the character with tokens and honor points that can be used to buy armour and weapons.^[34]

Setting

World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game. In addition to sharing the "Warcraft" name with the real-time strategy games in the Warcraft series, it is set in the world of Azeroth and has similar art direction.^[21]

World of Warcraft takes place in a 3D representation of the Warcraft universe that players can interact with through their characters. The game world initially features two continents of Azeroth (Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms), with two separate expansions adding the realm of Outlands and the continent of Northrend adding to the playable area. In this game world, players use their characters to explore locations, defeat creatures, and complete quests, among other activities. Doing these, characters gain experience that allows them to attain higher levels, gain access to new skills and abilities, explore new areas, and attempt new quests.^[31] As a player explores new locations, different routes and means of transportion become available. Players can access "flight masters" in newly discovered locations to fly to previously discovered locations in other parts of the world.^[36] Players can also use boats, zeppelins, or portals to move from one continent to another. Although the game world remains reasonably similar from day to day, seasonal events reflecting real world events such as Halloween,^[37] Christmas, Children's Week,^[34] Easter and Midsummer have been added. Locations also have variable weather including, among other things, rain, snow, and dust storms.^[36]

A number of facilities are available for characters while in towns and cities. In each major city characters can access a bank in order to deposit items, such as treasure or crafted items. Each character has access to personal bank storage with the option to purchase additional storage space using in-game gold.^[38] Additionally, guild banks are available for use by members of a guild with restrictions being set by the guild leader.^[39] Auction houses are also available for players to buy and sell items to others in a similar way to online auction sites such as eBay.^[40] Players can also use mailboxes, which can be found in almost every town. The mailbox can be used to collect items won at auction and also to send messages, items and even in-game money to other characters.^[26]

Some of the harder challenges in World of Warcraft require players to group together to defeat them. These usually take place in dungeons, also known as instances, that a group of characters can enter together. The term comes from each group or party having a separate copy or instance of the dungeon, complete with their own enemies to defeat and their own treasure or rewards.^[41] This allows players to explore areas and complete quests without other players outside the group interfering. Dungeons are spread over the game world and are designed for characters of varying progression. A typical dungeon will allow up to five characters to enter as part of a group. Some dungeons require more players to group together and form a raid of limited size (up to forty players) to face some of the most difficult challenges.^[42] As well as dungeon-based raid challenges, several creatures exist in the normal game environment that are designed for raids to attack.^[37][43]

Development

World of Warcraft was first announced by Blizzard at the ECTS trade show in September 2001.^[44] Development of the game took roughly 4–5 years, and included extensive testing. The 3-D graphics in WoW use elements of the proprietary graphics engine originally used in Warcraft III.^[44] The game was designed to be an open environment where players are allowed to do what they please.^[45] Quests are optional and were designed to help guide players, allow character development, and to spread characters across different zones to try to avoid what developers called 'player collision'.^[46] The game interface allows players to customize appearance and controls, and to install add-ons and other modifications.^[47]

World of Warcraft runs natively on both Macintosh and Windows platforms. Boxed copies of the game use a hybrid CD to install the game, eliminating the need for separate Mac and Windows retail products. The game allows all users to play together, regardless of their operating system. Although there is no official version for any other platform, support for World of Warcraft is present in Windows API implementations Wine and Cedega, allowing the game to be played under Linux and FreeBSD.^[48]

Regional variations

In the United States, Canada and Europe, Blizzard distributes World of Warcraft via retail software packages.^[49] The software package includes 30 days of gameplay for no additional cost. In order to continue playing after the initial 30 days, additional play time must be purchased using a credit card or prepaid game card. The minimum gameplay duration that a player can purchase is 30 days using a credit card, or 60 using a prepaid game card. A player also has the option of purchasing three or six months of gameplay at once for a slight (6% to 15%) discount.^[50] In Australia, the United States, and many European countries, video game stores commonly stock the trial version of World of Warcraft in DVD form, which include the game and 14 days of gameplay, after which the player would have to upgrade to a retail account by supplying a valid credit card, or purchasing a game card as well as a retail copy of the game.

In South Korea, there is no software package or CD key requirement to activate the account. In order to play the game, however, players need to purchase time credits online via credit card or the ARS billing system. There are two kinds of time credits available, one where the player is billed based on the actual number of minutes that will be available, and one where the player can play the game for a number of days. In the former, time can be purchased in multiples of 5 hours or 30 hours, and in the latter, time can be purchased in multiples of 7 days, 1 month, or 3 months.^[51] As software packages are not required, expansion pack contents are available to all players on launch day.

In China, because a large number of the players do not own the computer they use to play games (e.g. Internet cafes), the CD keys required to create an account can be purchased independently of the software package. In order to play the game, players must also purchase prepaid game cards that can be played for 66 hours and 40 minutes.^[52] A monthly fee model is not available to players of this region. The Chinese government and NetEase, the licensee for World of Warcraft in China, have imposed a modification on Chinese versions of the game which places flesh on bare-boned skeletons and transforms dead character corpses into tidy graves. These changes were imposed by the Chinese government in an attempt to "promote a healthy and harmonious online game environment" in World of Warcraft.^[53] The Chinese government has also delayed release of the Wrath of the Lich King expansion, due to what it feels is objectionable content.^[54] NetEase took over licensing of World of Warcraft from The9 in June 2009 following the expiration of The9's contract.^[55]

Post-launch development

The World of Warcraft Launcher (referred to in press releases and the menu bar as the "Blizzard Launcher") is a program designed to act as a starting point for World of Warcraft players. It provides a way to launch World of Warcraft and starts the blizzard updater. It was first included with the version 1.8.3 patch. The 2.1.0 patch allowed for an option to bypass the use of the launcher. Features of the launcher include news and updates for World of Warcraft players, access to World of Warcraft's support website, access to the test version of World of Warcraft when it is available to test upcoming patches, updates to Warden,^[56] and updates to the updater itself. The 3.0.8 patch redesigned the launcher and added the ability to change the game settings from the launcher itself..

Patch 1.9.3 added native support for Intel-powered Macs, making World of Warcraft a Universal application. As a result of this, the minimum supported Mac OS X version has been changed to 10.3.9; World of Warcraft version 1.9.3 and later will not launch on older versions of Mac OS X.^[57]

When new content is added to the game, official system requirements may change. In version 1.12.0 the requirements for Windows were increased from requiring 256 MB to 512 MB of RAM. Official Windows 98 technical support was dropped, but the game continued to run there until version 2.2.3.^[58]

Audio

The soundtrack for World of Warcraft was composed and arranged by Jason Hayes, Tracy W. Bush, Derek Duke and Glenn Stafford. It was released on November 23, 2004 together with the Collectors edition of the game. It is also sold separately on 1 CD, in the MP3 format.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
Aggregator	Score
GameRankings	92%[59]
Metacritic	93%[60]
Review scores
Publication	Score
1UP.com	A[61]
Edge	9 out of 10[62]
Eurogamer	8 out of 10[63]
Game Informer	9.5 out of 10[64]
GamePro	4.5 out of 5[65]
GamesMaster	93%[62]
GameSpot	9.5 out of 10[21]
GameSpy	[29]
IGN	9.1 out of 10[31]
PC Gamer UK	94%[62]

World of Warcraft was almost universally praised by critics^[60] upon release, following a period of high anticipation before launch.^[66] Although the game follows a similar model to others in the genre^[21] and was noted for having many familiar concepts from roleplaying games,^[61] the new approaches to reduce pauses between game encounters was well liked.^[29] A common example was the new approach to character death; in previous MMORPGs a player would suffer a high penalty for character death, while in WoW a player would be able to recover and start playing quickly.^[21] Combat was another area where "downtime" or pauses between play were reduced. By allowing all character types to recover from damage taken, players could return to combat quickly.^[29] It was felt that these changes in pacing would make the genre more accessible to casual players, who would be able to play for short periods and still achieve something,^[29] while still having a depth of game that would attract players at all levels of interest in the genre.^[31] The concept of a "rested bonus", or increasing the rate at which a player's character gains experience was also welcomed as a way for players to quickly catch up with their friends^[21]

Questing was described as an integral part, often being used to continue a storyline or lead the player through the game.^[29] The high number of quests in each location was popular, as well as the rewards for completing them.^[21] It was felt that the range of quests removed the need for a player to "grind" or carry out repetitive tasks in order to advance their character.^[31] Quests also seemed to require players to explore every section of the game world, potentially causing problems for social gamers or roleplayers seeking somewhere quiet.^[29] Quests that required the player to collect items from the corpses of creatures they had killed were also unpopular, with a low "drop rate" or chance of finding the items required making them feel repetitive as a high number of creatures would need to be killed in order to complete the quest.^[31] Some critics mentioned a lack of quests that required players to group up made the game feel as if it was designed for solo play,^[63] while others complained that some dungeon or instance-based group quests were not friendly to new players and could take several hours to complete.^[31] Upon release, a small number of quests had errors or bugs that would make them impossible to complete,^[21] while the large number of new players in a particular area meant that there were often no creatures to kill,^[29] or that players would have to wait and take turns to kill a particular creature in order to complete a quest.^[21]

Characters were felt to be implemented well, with each class option appearing "viable and interesting", having unique and different mechanisms,^[63] and each of the races having a distinct look and feel.^[21] Character development was also liked, with the talent mechanism offering choice to players^[61] and profession options being praised.^[21] Character customization options were felt to be low,^[31] but the detail of character models was praised.^[66]

The appearance of the game world was praised by critics. Most popular was the feature that a player could run from one end of the continent to the other without having to pause at a "loading screen" while part of the game is retrieved from storage.^[66] The environment was described as "breathtaking", with players finding it difficult to become lost and each area in the game world having a distinct look that blends from one to the next.^[29] Critics described the environment as "a careful blend of cartoon, fantasy art, and realism".^[61] The game was found to run smoothly on a range of systems,^[21] although some described it as basic^[29] and mentioned that the bloom graphics effect can blur things.^[31] Having said that, one reviewer described being able to fly over long stretches of scenery as "very atmospheric".^[63] The user interface was liked, being described as "simple", with tooltips helping to get the player started.^[21]

The audio was well received, particularly the background music. By assigning music to different areas of the game world, reviewers felt that the fantasy style added to immersion^[61] and that the replay value was increased.^[31] The sounds and voices used by characters and NPCs, as well as the overall sound effects were felt to add a "personality" to the game.^[61]

World of Warcraft won several awards from critics upon release, including Editor's Choice awards.^[21][31] In addition, it won several annual awards from the media, being described as the best game in the RPG and MMORPG class.^[67] The graphics and audio were also praised in the annual awards, with the cartoonish style^[68] and overall sound makeup^[69] being noted. The game was also awarded Best Mac OS X Entertainment Product at the 2005 Apple Design Awards.^[70] Finally, World of Warcraft was recognised at the 2005 Spike TV Video Game Awards, where it won Best PC Game, Best Multiplayer Game, Best RPG and Most Addictive Game.^[71] In 2008, World of Warcraft was honoured (along with Neverwinter Nights and EverQuest) at the 59th Annual Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards for advancing the art form of MMORPG games.^[72] In 2009, Game Informer put World of Warcraft 11th on their list of "The Top 200 Games of All Time".^[73]

World of Warcraft was the best-selling PC game of 2005 and 2006.^[74] As of January 22, 2008, World of Warcraft has surpassed 10 million subscribers worldwide, with more than 2 million subscribers in Europe, more than 2.5 million in North America, and about 5.5 million in Asia.^[75]

After beginning operation of WoW in China on September 19, 2009, NetEase was ordered after less than 2 months of operation to immediately stop charging players and to cease accepting registrations.^[76][77] A press estimate indicates that if World of Warcraft is shut down in China, it could result in projected earnings of 60 cents per share, rather than 65 cents per share, for Activision Blizzard, as the firm would stand to lose their subscribers there.^[76]

Corrupted Blood plague incident

The Corrupted Blood plague incident was one of the first events to affect entire servers. Patch 1.7 saw the opening of Zul'Gurub, the game's first 20-player raid dungeon where players faced off against a tribe of trolls under the sway of the god Hakkar the Soulflayer. Upon engaging Hakkar, players were stricken by a debuff called "Corrupted Blood" which would periodically sap their life. The disease was also passed on to other players simply by being near infected players. Originally this malady was confined within the Zul'Gurub instance but made its way into the outside world by way of hunter pets or warlock minions that contracted the disease.

Within hours Corrupted Blood had completely infected major cities because of their high player concentrations. Low-level players were killed in seconds by the high-damage disease. Eventually Blizzard fixed the issue so that the plague could not exist outside of Zul'Gurub.

The corrupted blood plague so closely resembled the outbreak of real-world epidemics that scientists are currently looking at ways MMORPGs or other massively distributed systems can model human behavior during outbreaks. The reaction of players to the plague closely resembled previously hard-to-model aspects of human behavior that may allow researchers to more accurately predict how diseases and outbreaks spread amongst a population.^[78]

Security concerns

When a player creates a World of Warcraft account, they are asked to choose a username and password. Whenever that player then plays World of Warcraft, they are asked to supply the same username and password in full. This is also the case when using account management facilities online. This type of authentication is vulnerable to keystroke logging. While this is not unique to World of Warcraft and is common to many MMORPGs, the game has been directly targeted with trojans being specifically crafted to capture account login details.^[79] Attacks have been reported as early as May 2006, although they may extend as far back as July 30, 2005.^[80] The game does however allow players to save their account name to the program to allow the player to only have to type their password.

In September 2006, reports emerged of spoof World of Warcraft game advice websites that contained malware. Vulnerable computers would be infected through their web browser, downloading a program that would then relay back account information. Blizzard's account support teams experienced high demand during this episode, stating that many users had been affected. Claims were also made that telephone support was closed for isolated periods due to the volume of calls and resulting queues.^[81] In April 2007, attacks evolved to take advantage of further exploits involving animated cursors, with multiple websites being used.^[82][83] Security researcher group Symantec released a report stating that a compromised World of Warcraft account was worth US$10 on the black market, compared to US$6 to US$12 for a compromised computer (correct as of March 2007).^[84] In February 2008, phishing emails were distributed requesting that users validate their account information using a fake version of the World of Warcraft account management pages.^[85] In June 2008, Blizzard announced the Blizzard Authenticator, a hardware security token that provides two factor security. The token generates a one-time password based code that the player supplies when logging on. The password is only valid for a limited time, thus providing extra security against keylogging malware.^[86]

In the United Kingdom in February 2008, the Halifax Bank claimed that stolen credit card details were regularly being used to fraudulently pay for World of Warcraft accounts.^[87] A statement from the bank read that a "significant number of fraudulent transactions through Blizzard's gaming sites" had been observed. As a result, the Bank had stated that transactions with Blizzard would be blocked by default, requesting that customers contact them directly to authorise payments. However, in the Autumn of 2008 this was no longer the case and Halifax accepted that the majority of transactions were legitimate and removed the default ban.^{[citation needed]}

Blizzard makes use of a system known as Warden on the Windows version of the game in order to detect third-party programs, such as botting software, allowing World of Warcraft to be played unattended. There has been some controversy as to the legality of Warden. Warden uses techniques similar to anti-virus software in order to analyse other running software on the players' PCs, as well as the file system. However, unlike most anti-virus software, it sends a portion of this information back to Blizzard, which caused privacy advocates to accuse it of being spyware.^[88] One example of the information Warden collects is the title of every window open on the system while WoW is running.^[89] Blizzard has not stated what information is passed by Warden over the Internet, or if that information is encrypted, so it is entirely possible this information is passed over the Internet back to Blizzard. On balance, many gamers responded positively about the development, stating that they supported the technology if it resulted in fewer cases of cheating. Blizzard's use of Warden was stated in the Terms of Agreement (TOA).^[90]

The Warden's existence was acknowledged in March 2008, during the opening legal proceedings against MDY Industries.^[91] The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Arizona, and also listed Michael Donnelly as a defendant. Donnelly was included in the suit as the creator of MMO Glider, software that can automatically play many tasks in the game. Blizzard claimed the software is an infringement of its copyright and software license agreement, stating that "Glider use severely harms the WoW gaming experience for other players by altering the balance of play, disrupting the social and immersive aspects of the game, and undermining the in-game economy". Donnelly claims to have sold 100,000 copies of the $25 software.^[92]

Sale of virtual goods in the real world

As with other MMORPGs, companies have emerged offering to sell virtual gold and associated services. After Blizzard started offering free trial game-play accounts, players noticed an increase in spam from bots advertising these services.^[93] One study shows that this problem is particularly prevalent on the European realms, with gold being over 14 times more expensive to buy on US realms than their European counterparts.^[94]

In patch 2.1, Blizzard responded to this by adding additional anti-spam mechanics including whisper throttling and the report spam function. Additionally, trial accounts are prevented from speaking in the public chat channels (although they may speak to players within range or whisper to other players that have first whispered them), participating in-game trades, using the Auction House and the mail feature and several other limitations.

In May 2007, Blizzard filed a complaint against In Game Dollar LLC (trading as peons4hire) in US federal court. In February 2008, the parties filed a consent decree in which In Game Dollar agreed to refrain from using any World of Warcraft chat or communication to advertise any business or sell any services relating to World of Warcraft.^[95]

As characters progress in World of Warcraft and take on some of the toughest challenges, many of the rewards received are bound to that character and cannot be traded, generating a market for the trading of accounts with well-equipped characters. The highest noted World of Warcraft account trade was for £5000 (€7000, $9,900 USD) in early September 2007.^[96]

The practice of buying or selling gold in World of Warcraft has generated significant controversy.^[97] On February 21, 2008, Blizzard released a statement concerning the consequences of buying gold. Blizzard reported that an "alarmingly high" proportion of all gold bought originates from "hacked" accounts. The article also stated that customers who had paid for character leveling services had found their accounts compromised months later, with all items stripped and sold for virtual gold. The article noted that leveling service companies often used "disruptive hacks ... which can cause realm performance and stability issues".^[98]

Community

In addition to playing the game itself and conversing on discussion forums provided by Blizzard, World of Warcraft players often participate in the virtual community in creative ways, including fan artwork^[99] and comic strip style storytelling.^[100]

Blizzard garnered criticism for its decision in January 2006 to ban guilds from advertising sexual orientation preferences. The incident occurred after several players were cited for "harassment" after advocating a group for gay-straight alliance.^[101][102] Blizzard later reversed the decision to issue warnings to players promoting LGBT-friendly guilds.

In other media

World of Warcraft has inspired artists to satirize and/or acknowledge its mark in popular culture. One example is the Emmy Award winning South Park episode "Make Love, Not Warcraft".^[103][104]

The game has also been used to advertise unrelated products, such as Toyota trucks.^[105]

In late 2007, a series of television commercials for the game began airing featuring pop culture celebrities such as Mr. T, William Shatner, and Verne Troyer discussing the virtues of the character classes they play in the game.^[106] A Spanish commercial featuring Guillermo Toledo, and a French commercial featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme, were also televised.^[107] Two more were shown in November 2008, featuring Ozzy Osbourne and Steve Van Zandt.^[108]

World of Warcraft has inspired two board games, World of Warcraft: The Board Game (including Shadow of War and The Burning Crusade expansions)^[109] and World of Warcraft: The Adventure Game,^[110][111] produced by Fantasy Flight Games. There is also a trading card game^[112] and a collectible miniatures game^[113] on the market, both produced by Upper Deck Entertainment.

In November 2007, DC Comics published the first issue of the ongoing World of Warcraft comic under their Wildstorm imprint.^[114]

References

External links

• The official US World of Warcraft website
• The official EU World of Warcraft website
• World of Warcraft on WoWWiki, a Warcraft wiki
• WoW Insider - part of the Weblogs, Inc. Network
• World of Warcraft at the Open Directory Project
• World of Warcraft in the Yahoo! Directory

World of Warcraft Games World of Warcraft (gameplay) · The Burning Crusade · Wrath of the Lich King · Cataclysm Books Day of the Dragon · Lord of the Clans · Of Blood and Honor · The Last Guardian · War of the Ancients Trilogy · Cycle of Hatred · Rise of the Horde · Tides of Darkness Comics The Sunwell Trilogy  · World of Warcraft (World of Warcraft  · Ashbringer  · Special)  · Legends  · Dragons of Outland Other media World of Warcraft: The Board Game · World of Warcraft Trading Card Game · Warcraft/World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game Software Glider (bot) · Thottbot · Warden (software) · Wowhead · WoWWiki Culture Warcraft series · Corrupted Blood incident · Leeroy Jenkins · Make Love, Not Warcraft

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From Wikiquote

Warcraft is a series of computer games, novels, and an announced movie. As the name implies, the Warcraft universe largely revolves around conflict.

Contents 1 Warcraft: Orcs & Humans (1994) 1.1 Other 1.2 Humans 1.3 Orcs 2 Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness (1995) 2.1 Alliance 3 Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos (2002) 3.1 Cinematics 3.1.1 Introduction 3.1.2 Thrall's Vision 3.1.3 Arthas's Betrayal 3.1.4 The Destruction of Dalaran 3.1.5 The Death of Hellscream 3.1.6 Eternity's End 3.2 Dialogue 3.3 Individuals 3.4 Unit quotes 3.4.1 Human 3.4.1.1 Peasant 3.4.1.2 Footman 3.4.1.3 Knight 3.4.1.4 Dwarven Rifleman 3.4.1.5 Sorceress 3.4.1.6 Priest 3.4.1.7 Paladin 3.4.1.8 Mountain King 3.4.2 Orc 3.4.2.1 Grunt 3.4.2.2 Blademaster 3.4.2.3 Far Seer 3.4.2.4 Tauren Chieftain 3.4.2.5 Shaman 3.4.3 Undead 3.4.3.1 Death Knight 3.4.3.2 Lich 3.4.3.3 Dreadlord 3.4.3.4 Arthas (Death Knight) 3.4.3.5 Acolyte 3.4.3.6 Shade 3.4.3.7 Ghoul 3.4.3.8 Crypt Fiend 3.4.3.9 Necromancer 3.4.3.10 Banshee 3.4.4 Night Elf 3.4.4.1 Archer 3.4.4.2 Huntress 3.4.4.3 Dryad 3.4.4.4 Hippogryph Rider 3.4.4.5 Priestess of the Moon 3.4.4.6 Demon Hunter 4 Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne (2003) 4.1 Cinematics 4.1.1 Introduction 4.1.2 Finale: Arthas's Ascencion 4.2 Individuals 4.3 Unit quotes 4.3.1 Alliance 4.3.1.1 Blood Mage 4.3.1.2 Spell Breaker 4.3.2 Orc 4.3.2.1 Shadow Hunter 4.3.2.2 Spirit Walker 4.3.3 Undead 4.3.3.1 Crypt Lord 4.3.4 Night Elf 4.3.4.1 Warden 4.3.5 Neutral 4.3.5.1 Beastmaster 4.3.5.2 Dark Ranger 4.3.5.3 Naga Sea Witch 4.3.5.4 Pandaren Brewmaster 4.3.5.5 Pit Lord 4.3.5.6 Goblin Tinker 4.3.5.7 Firelord 4.3.5.8 Goblin Alchemist 5 World of Warcraft 5.1 Cinematics 5.2 In-Game Quotes 6 Unsorted 7 See also 8 External links

Warcraft: Orcs & Humans (1994)

Other

• In the age of chaos, two factions battle for dominance...
• No one knew where these creatures came from and none were prepared for the terror that they spawned...

Humans

• Yes
• My leige?
• Your command?
• What?
• What???
• Why do you keep touching me?

Orcs

• Huh?
• Rrrr...
• What?!
• What?!!!
• Stop poking me!

Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness (1995)

Alliance

• Female Hero Elf: You never touch the other elves like that...
• Gnome: I've invented a flying machine!

Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos (2002)

Cinematics

Introduction

---

We never paid any heed to the ancient prophecies...like fools we clung to the old hatreds...and fought as we had for generations. Until the day the sky rained fire, and a new enemy came upon us. We stand now, upon the brink of destruction, for the reign of chaos has come at last.

• Old Man

Thrall's Vision

Medivh: The sands of time have run out, son of Durotan. The cries of war echo on the winds. The remnants of the past scar the land, which is besieged once more by conflict. Heroes arise to challenge fate, and lead their brethren to battle. As mortal armies rush blindly towards their doom, the Burning Shadow comes to consume us all. You must rally the Horde and lead your people to their destiny! Seek me out...

• Medivh

Arthas's Betrayal

Terenas: Ah, my son...
Arthas: You no longer need to sacrifice for your people. You no longer need to bear the weight of your crown. I've taken care of everything.
Terenas: What is this? What are you doing, my son?
Arthas: Succeeding you, Father.
Arthas: This kingdom shall fall, and from the ashes shall arise a new order that will shake the very foundations of the world!

The Destruction of Dalaran

(in the Eredar language) Azhir uval nutarus. Azhir mudas ethanul. Dalektharu il dask daku. Riftuuz e thara samanar utamus. Elas umanes azarathan rakas ibna. Belanora mordanos nenaar ila mornu farlos kada. ("Let this scar signify the first blow against the mortal world. From this seal shall arise the doom of men, who, in their arrogance, sought to wield our fire as their own. Blindly they build their kingdoms upon stolen knowledge and conceit. Now they shall be consumed by the very flame they sought to control.")

• Archimonde

The Death of Hellscream

Grom Hellscream: Thrall... the blood haze has lifted. The demon's fire has burnt out in my veins. I have... freed myself.
Thrall: No, old friend. You've freed us all.

Eternity's End

The roots will heal in time, as will the entire world. The sacrifices have been made. Just as the orcs, humans, and night elves stood united against a common foe, so did nature herself rise up to banish the shadow. As for me, I came back to ensure that there would be a future, to teach the world that it no longer needed guardians. The hope for future generations has always resided in mortal hands. And now that my task is done, I shall take my place amongst the legends of the past.

• Medivh

Dialogue

Uther: (his last words) I dearly hope that there's a special place in hell waiting for you, Arthas.
Arthas: We may never know, Uther. I intend to live forever.

---

Tyrande: I have not had the luxury of sleeping through thousands of years of turmoil.
Furion: If your eternal vigil has hardened you, my love, it must be part of your goddess' plan.

---

Archimonde: You are very brave to stand against me, little human. If only your countrymen had been as bold, I would have more fun scouring your wretched nations from the world!
Jaina: Is talking all you demons do?
Archimonde: STORMRAGE! Show yourself! Or do you intend to have mortal girls do all your fighting for you?

---

Archimonde: You orcs are weak and hardly worth the effort! I wonder why Mannoroth even bothered with you!
Thrall: Our spirit is stronger than you know, demon! If we are to fall, then so be it! At least now we are free!
Archimonde: The wretched little whelp actually hurt me! Ha-ha-ha-ha... Are there none left to stand against the Legion? This is almost too easy! If I had known that this mortal resistance would be so weak, I would have launched this invasion centuries ago!

Individuals

[After Arthas's "purge" of Stratholme]
Medivh: It falls to you now, young sorceress. You must lead your people to the west to the ancient lands of Kalimdor. Only there can you combat the shadow and save this world from the flame.

---

Archimonde: Tremble mortals, and despair! Doom has come to this world!

---

Tyrande Whisperwind: Only the Goddess can forbid me anything, Furion!

---

Malfurion Stormrage: If pride gives us pause, my love, perhaps we have lived long enough. And remember, whatever comes, My Love, our bonding is eternal.

---

Malfurion Stormrage: To arms, my brethren! To arms, brave orcs and humans! Twilight falls, and the enemy awaits.

Unit quotes

Human

Peasant

• "You're the king? Well, I didn't vote for you." (Monty Python and the Holy Grail)
• "We found a witch! May we burn her? (same)
• (if clicked several times) "Help, help! I'm being repressed!" (same)

Footman

• "Don't ask, Don't Tell."
• "Uncle Lothar wants YOU!" (w:Uncle Sam)
• "Grab your sword and fight the Horde!"
• "It's only a flesh wound!"

Knight

• "I never say ni" (another reference to Monty Python)

Dwarven Rifleman

• "I shot the sheriff,and the deputy,and your wee doggie,too." (Bob Marley's song, "I Shot The Sheriff" and The Wizard of Oz).
• "Guns don't kill people... I DO!!! Hee hee hee!"
• "This... is my BOOMSTICK!" (Army of Darkness)
• "Where's me drink?"
• "Oh! There's me drink. GET IN MY BELLY!" (Austin Powers)

Sorceress

• "Click me baby, one more time." (Britney Spears)
• "For the End-of-the-World spell, press Ctrl-Alt-Delete."

Priest

• "Scalpel. Sponge. Magic wand."
• "I have been chosen by the big metal hand in the sky!" (Toy Story)
• "Side effects may include dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, water retention, painful rectal itch, hallucination, psychosis, coma, death, and halitosis. Magic is not for everyone. Consult your doctor before use."

Paladin

• "It's hammer time!" (MC Hammer)
• "Let me face the peril."
• "Touch me not, for I am chaste!"
• "I want to be your sledgehammer." (Peter Gabriel)
• "No? Is that your final answer?"
• "Is that a sword? Luxury! Is that a horse? Sloth! Is that a helmet? Vanity!" (Referencing Warcraft 2 Paladins)

Mountain King

• "Could you put some bonus points in my drinking skills?" (Reference to the Dungeons & Dragons skill sheet)
• "There's nothing more motivating than fighting with a bad hangover!"
• "Where's the pub?"
• "Let's get pissed!"
• "Where's the nearest fish and chip shop?"

Orc

Grunt

• (singing) "It's not easy being green..."

Blademaster

• "Snatch the pebble from my hand, grasshopper." (Kung Fu)
• "My blade can cut through armour, and still cut a tomato!" (The commercial for the Ginsu knife)
• "Wassaabi?" (Budweiser ad campaign)

Far Seer

• "I see dead people." (Reference to the movie The Sixth Sense., also the cheat to reveal the map)
• "Touch your tongue to mine. (wolf whines)" (reference to Thumb Wars, a Star Wars parody film)

Tauren Chieftain

• "Pass the peace pipe." (Shanghai Noon reference?)
• "Hey. Puff, puff, give. That's the rule." (A reference to Friday)
• "Ohhhhh! I can see my ancestors"
• "Back in the old days, we didn't have plural." (referring to the fact that the word "tauren" is both singular and plural)
• "Only two things come from Texas, and I've got horns." (The phrase "Only two things come from Texas: steers and queers" from An Officer and a Gentleman and Full Metal Jacket)
• "Steer clear."

Shaman

• "You ever get hit by lightning where the sun don't shine?"
• (singing) "Raindrops keep falling on my head..."

Undead

Death Knight

• "Has Hell frozen over yet?"
• "I am the one horseman of the Apocalypse!"
• "I hate people, but I love gatherings." (A subtle Clerks reference)
• "Don't touch me. I'm evil." (A reference to Time Bandits)
• "Ride... or die!" (A reference to DMX and the Ruff Rydas)
• "I'm a death knight rider. (laughs)" (reference to Knight Rider TV series with David Hasselhoff)

Lich

• "I am the ghost of Warcraft past." (Reference to A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens)

Dreadlord

• (phone rings) "Yes? Oh, for the last time. I'm a DREADlord, not a DRUGlord."
• "This is not a dress. It's the standard Dreadlord uniform." (This is a reference to early artwork of the Dreadlord, in which the Dreadlord was seen wearing an outfit that looked very much like a dress. This was changed before the game was released)
• "Dress to kill. Blah!" (possible reference to the Symphony X song "Dressed to Kill")
• (phone rings) "Yes? Darkness, hey, what's up? The Demon Hunter left you a message? No I don't have his number." (first part of the random conversation between darkness and Illidan)

Arthas (Death Knight)

• "Frostmourne hungers."
• "Your pain shall be legendary!" (a reference to Pinhead from Hellraiser)

Acolyte

• "Would you like to know the secret to eternal happiness? Page 246."
• "MY LIFE FOR AIUR! Err, I mean, Ner'zhul." (StarCraft Protoss reference)
• "Once you have downed the dark path, forever it shall dominate your destiny!... and you get dental."

Shade

• "I ain't got no body!" (David Lee Roth's "I ain't got nobody" reference)
• "I'm invisible, gaseous, and deadly." (Mystery Men reference)

Ghoul

• "Whazup?"

Crypt Fiend

• "The sleeper awakes." (Dune)
• "Spiders sense... tingling." (w:Spiderman)
• "Last week, my top half was on the Discovery Channel"
• "While my bottom line was on the Animal Planet"
• "My ass always gets bloated during my spinner cycle."
• "I'm stuck on bandages 'cause bandages are stuck on me." (Band Aid Commerical)

Necromancer

• "Every man lives. Not every man truly dies." (a parody of the tagline for Braveheart)
• "I love the dead... frequently"
• "I see UNdead people..." (The Sixth Sense)

Banshee

• "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! Call me. "
• "There is no banshee, only ZUUL!" (w:Ghostbusters)

Night Elf

Archer

• "Let's move! Five meter spread, no sound." (w:Predator (film))
• "Shot through the heart - and I'm to blame." (Bon Jovi - You Give Love A Bad Name)

Huntress

• "Give a hoot, don't pollute."

Dryad

• "You communicate by clicking on me, I communicate by doing what you say!
• "I'm not the Dryad you're looking for." (Star Wars reference.)
• "I don't reveal much on the minimap. It's all my fault!"
• "I'll attract the enemy with my human call - I'm so wasted, I'm so WASTED!"

Hippogryph Rider

• "The Hippogryph is an amazing creature rarely seen outside the wild. The tricky thing about Hippogryps is their incredible jaw strength; one terrible clap of their beaks can rip a huge beast apart in seconds! Let's see what happens when I stick my hand- AAAAH!" (Steve Irwin)

Priestess of the Moon

• "My tiger was trained for war. He's grrrrreat!" (Tony the Tiger, the cartoon mascot for Kellogg's Frosted Flakes)
• "Curiosity killed my last ride." (Reference to the saying "Curiosity killed the cat")
• "I got my tiger used from Siegfried and Roy." (a possible reference to the white tigers in the Secret Garden of Siegfried and Roy, located in the landmark of The Mirage in Las Vegas)
• "Crouch, tiger! I sense a hidden dragon!" (Crouching Tiger hidden dragon)

Demon Hunter

• "Darkness called… But I was on the phone, so I missed him. I tried to *69 Darkness, but his machine picked up. I yelled "Pick up the phone, Darkness!," but he ignored me. Darkness must have been screening his calls." (Referenced by numerous Undead units)
• (backwards speech) (Sounding like "Seert neerg vol eah!", when played backwards he's saying "I love green trees!" A reference to supposed "demonic" speech hidden in reverse in audio recordings.)

Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne (2003)

Cinematics

Introduction

Illidan Stormrage: Betrayer. In truth, it was I who was betrayed. Still, I am hunted. Still, I am hated. Now, my blind eyes see what others cannot. That sometimes the hand of fate must be forced!
[The Naga arise from the depths]
Now, go forth. Unleash the tides of doom. Upon all those who would oppose us!

Finale: Arthas's Ascencion

[Arthas ascends the spire of Icecrown Glacier. His thoughts are flooded with memories of comrades long past.]

Uther: ...to turn to bloodlust, we will become as vile as the orcs.

Muradin Bronzebeard: Forget this business! Lead your men home!

Uther: You are not my king yet, boy. Nor would I obey that command even if you were!

Arthas: Damn it, Uther! As your future king, I order you to...

Uther: Have you lost your mind, Arthas?!

Arthas: ...I must consider this an act of treason.

Uther:...and you've ground it to dust in a matter of days.

Muradin Bronzebeard: You lied to your men, and betrayed the mercenaries who fought for you! What's happening to you, Arthas?

Medivh: Your young prince will find only death in the cold north...

[Arthas reaches the Frozen Throne.]

Ner'zhul: Return the blade. Complete the circle. Release me from this prison!

[Arthas cries out and strikes the block of ice. It shatters, and Ner'zhul's helm falls to the ground. Arthas dons it, and his eyes move about rapidly under their lids. His eyes open, and glow with radiant blue light.]

Lich King: Now, we are one.

[Arthas is last seen seated atop the Frozen Throne.]

Individuals

Sylvanas Windrunner: (after Arthas tells her to kill him) A quick death... like the one you gave me? No. You're going to suffer as I did. Thanks to my arrow, you can't even run. Give my regards to hell, you son of a bitch.

---

Maeiv Shadowsong: I am the Hand of Justice, Illidan. Long ago, I swore an oath to keep you chained, and by the Gods, I shall!

---

Sylvanas Windrunner: The Capital City is ours. But we are no longer part of the Scourge. From here on out, we shall be known as the Forsaken. We will find our own path in this world, Dreadlord, and slaughter anyone who stands in our way!

Unit quotes

Alliance

Blood Mage

• "I find your insolence... disturbing." (Star Wars)
• "If you don't master your anger, your anger will master you. I should know." (Mystery Men)
• Blood Mage: "Hi, my name is Roy. I'm a magic addict."
  Group: "Hi Roy." (parody of Alcoholics Anonymous)
• "My blood cries out for the vengeance of my people's blood, which can only be repaid with at least twice as much blood! Or maybe three times as much blood! Like if you went to hell, and it was full of blood, and that blood was on fire, and it was raining blood, then maybe that would be enough blood! Eh... but probably not."
• "For Quel'thalas!"
• "The ghosts of Quel'thalas cry out for vengeance."
• "They shall burn!"
• "Bah! Childsplay"

Spell Breaker

1. *sniffs* I smell magic in the air...Or, maybe, Barbeque

Orc

Shadow Hunter

• "Call me for your free readin'." (Reference to self-proclaimed psychic, Miss Cleo)
• "Humans! They think they know everyting!" (Sebastian from The Little Mermaid)
• "The Commander is a fool." (Reference to Mr. T)
• "You lack discipline!" (Reference to Detective John Kimble in Kindergarten Cop)
• "Stop whining!" (Reference to above film)
• "Look at me, I'm happy." (Line from "Don't worry, Be Happy" by Bobby McFerrin)
• (Barry White voice) "Ooh, baby."
• "I pity the fool." (Another Mr. T reference)
• "You're the baddest soul in town, mon."
• "Want to see something real scary?" (Twilight Zone reference)
• "Who do I kill first?"
• "Direct my blade."
• "Killin' be easy."

Spirit Walker

• "My hoof and your ass have an appointment."
• "FEAR MY MOO OF FURY!!! *Meeeoooow*"
• "Yes, the spirits are talking to me. *fart* Oh yes, they are coming in clearly. *fart* Ah, now they're forming into a gaseous material. *fart* I can actually see them now... *fart* The spirits are very powerful today!"

Undead

Crypt Lord

• "The strands of destiny weave only a web of death."
• "It was good to be the king." (A reference from History of the World, Part I)
• "Humans check in. They don't check out."
• "I'm the fifth beetle." (in a British accent)
• "And they say Blizzard games don't have bugs." (The Crypt Lord is a monster that is similar to a beetle)
• "The Scourge will devour all!"
• "I serve only the Frozen Throne!"
• "My might cannot be matched."
• "I consume the living and the dead."
• "Oblivion awaits."

Night Elf

Warden

• "Truth, justice, and the Night Elf way!" (Reference to Superman: The Movie (1978))
• "What we have here is a failure to communicate." (Cool Hand Luke)
• "Justice may be blind, but I'm not."
• "He's of no use to me if he's dead." (Reference to Boba Fett from Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back)
• "I shall be your executioneer."
• "Only the guilty need fear me."
• "You think you're above the law?"
• "My prey is near."

Neutral

Beastmaster

• "The beasts obey me."
• "Where I lay my head is home. See that rock? That's my pillow." ("Wherever I May Roam" by Metallica)
• "The beasts around me are nothing compared to the beast within."
• "I summon the… ah, ACHOO! (horrific beast roars)" (possible Reference to Ash's failed spell in Army of Darkness)
• "Don't have a cow. (A cow moos) Oh, dear. (A deer snorts) Oops! Please, bear with me. (A bear roars) Oh, rats. (Rats squeek and scurry)"
• "I shall summon the Afete Dwain'tor!"
• "I hear the call of the wild"(The Call of the Wild is a novella by American writer Jack London)
• "Unleash my strength"
• "I'm ready to track"
• "Flush them out"
• "What lies before me?"
• "By fang and claw!" (twist on the phrase "by tooth and nail", or possibly referring to the term "nature red in tooth and claw"))
• "I'm acting on instict." ("Act On Instinct" is a track of the game Command & Conquer)(Also a possible Star Wars reference)
• "On the prowl!" (so is "On The Prowl")
• "For the Mok'Nathal!"

Dark Ranger

• "Direct my hatred."
• "Let the living beware."
• "End my torment."
• "Go on, death."
• "You're the lucky one."
• "Let phantom arrows fly!"
• "I hate what I've become." (possible reference to Johnny Cash's Hurt)
• "The living haunt me."
• "Men are from Mars, I'm from the grave." (Twist on the saying that "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus")
• "I went on a job interview the other day and they were like 'uhh, what's that smell?' and I was like, 'Oh, sorry, it's me'. And then they said they didn't think I'd be able to fit in with the other employees, 'cause they're living and, you know, I'm dead, so I wouldn't be a team player. But then I said I could work 24 hours. And they said 'Oh, right. You could work the graveyard shift'."

Naga Sea Witch

• "I keep tripping over this damn tail."
• "Damn sea water! I'll never get these coils out of my hair!"
• "It's far too bright in this surface world, and this.. *sniff* fresh air is irritating my eyes!"
• "If you think I'm cute you should see my cousin!"
• "I will not be trifled with"
• "Time is short, mortal."
• "Taste my sting"
• "My son is your son!

Pandaren Brewmaster

• "Ale is my bear necessity." (A reference to the song "Bear Necessities" sung by Baloo in Disney's Jungle Book)
• "Last Call before closing."
• "Come drown your sorrows."
• "This'll put hair all over you."
• "I'd kiss you, but I've got puke breath." (Reference from Bob and Doug McKenzie's movie "Strange Brew")
• "My dad… he was bipolar." (a pun on an ursine species and/or a reference to 'Queer Duck')
• "I can't breed in captivity." (A reference to the difficulty in breeding panda bears in captivity)
• (burp)"Sorry"
• "Fresh, cool ale here!"
• "You seem a little parched."
• "Another round?"
• "I'll give it a shot"
• "Have one on the house."
• "I'll put it on your tab."
• "This will be grizzly!"
• "Now you're endangered!"
• "Prepare to get trashed!"
• "I bring PANDAmonium! (Pandemonium)
• "For Pandaria!!!"

Pit Lord

• "You know what burns my ass? A flame about this high."
• "Unh, I think I have someone stuck in my teeth."
• "Hey, hey, hey!"
• "I think a certain finesse is called for here. RAAAARGH!"
• (Talk show intro music)
  Announcer: "Welcome back to...Jaina in the morning!"
  (crowd applauds)
  Jaina: "We're here with Malvingeroth, Hunter of Night, and his girlfriend Kim. Now Kim, you think you're here for a makeover, right?"
  Kim (sounding confused): "Um, yeah..."
  Jaina: "Mal, why don't you tell her why you're really here?"
  Pit Lord (embarrassed): "Well, Kim-cake, I love you but I have something to tell you… uh, I'm a demon."
  (crowd mutters)
  Crowd member: "Oh boy, he pulled the wool over your eyes!"
  Pit Lord: "Actually, more of a… Pit Lord."
  Kim: "What? I don't understand."
  (crowd starts shouting angrily)
  Crowd member: "He's a bum! Throw him out!"
  Kim: "I thought you said you work for the post office?"
  Pit Lord: "Well, I moonlight."
  
• "I come from the darkness of the pit."
• "In Mannoroth's name!" (Mannoroth is a hero pit lord in Reign of Chaos)
• "Tremble before me!"
• "I bring darkness!"
• "You fail to amuse me"
• "What a foolish ploy!"
• "To the slaughter!"
• "I go to destroy!" (maybe a reference to Rammstein's song "Zerstören")
• "This will please me!"

Goblin Tinker

• "I'm more than meets the eye." (Transformers reference)
• "(bell rings) Uh-oh, my Tinker bell." (Peter Pan reference)
• "Yeah, runs on 220, 221. Whatever it takes." (Mr. Mom reference)
• "She'll hold together. (quietly) Hear that, baby? Hold together." (Star Wars reference)
• "(squeaking, then a loud explosion) Woah! Gonna need a new hamster."
• "That noise? That's a bad noise." (Galaxy Quest reference)
• "I've got a rocket in my pocket." (Reference to Earthworm Jim, which in his turn is a reference to the Dr. Seuss book "I've got a woket in my poket")
• "That guy's nuts! Grab 'em!" (Reference to the comedian "The Champ")
• "Yeah, baby." (spoken as the Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs at Midnight from The Tick)
• "You have 10 seconds to comply." (Reference to ED-209)
• "You're terminated." (Reference to the Terminator)

Firelord

• "I will reduce all to ashes."
• "No thanks, I don't smoke."
• "Damn moths. Unh…"
• "Am I hot, or what?"
• "Why does that bear with the Forest Ranger hat keep following me?" (referring to Smokey the Bear)
• "So thirsty... (throaty, dry gurgle)"
• "I am the lord of all fire! *splash* (meek, and weedy) Hey, that wasn't funny."

Goblin Alchemist

• "Care for a cocktail?"
• "What do you want to be when you blow up?" (Reference to parents talk to children, just "grow" instead of "blow")
• "I'm a chemical superfreak." (The Rock reference)
• "No! Shake it, not… (sudden explosion)" (possible reference to James Bond)
• Alchemist: "Ugh, one of these potions smells awful..."
  Ogre: (giggles quietly)
• (Glass breaking)
  Alchemist: "Oh, no, what did I drop?"
  Ogre: "Oh yeah..." (Marvin Gaye begins to play in background)
  Alchemist: "Wait, what are you doing?! Oh no! Not the love potion!"
• "Ready to brew"

World of Warcraft

Cinematics

Four years have passed since the mortal races banded together and stood united against the might of the Burning Legion. Though Azeroth was saved, the tenuous pact between the Horde and the Alliance has all but evaporated. The drums of war thunder once again.

• Tyrande Whisperwind, World of Warcraft opening cinematic

---

Imprisoned for ten thousand years... banished from my own homeland... and now you dare enter my realm? You are not prepared... You are not prepared!

• Illidan Stormrage, World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade opening cinematic

---

My son...the day you were born, the very forests of Lordaeron whispered the name...Arthas.
My child...I watched with pride as you grew into a weapon...of righteousness.
Remember, our line has always ruled with wisdom and strength,
and I know you will show restraint in exercising your great power.
But the truest victory, my son, is stirring the hearts of your people.
I tell you this, for when my days have come to an end...you shall be King.

• King Terenas Menethil II, World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King cinematic

---

It's begun.
Young heroes, I was once like you.
You have come to this place seeking to bring judgement upon the damned.
You will venture deep into forgotten lands.
You will see wonders beyond imagining.
But, be warned. The land itself will rise up against you.
Long forgotten terrors will smother your courage.
Sacrifice everything as the final darkness falls...
In the end, all that awaits you is death.
Only then will you understand,
you've been following in my footsteps all along.
So come then, you heroes! Come in all your power and glory!
For in the final hour, all must serve the one... true... king...

• The Lich King, World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King trailer

---

Did You think we had forgotten? Did you think we had forgiven? Behold now, the terrible vengeance of the Forsaken! Death to the Scourge! And death to the Living! ... Now, all can see. This is the hour of the Forsaken!

• Grand Apothecary Putress at the Wrathgate

---

Terenas Menethil II: Can you feel it, my son? Closing in all around you, the Light's justice has been awakened. The sins of the past have finally caught up to you. You will be called to account for all the atrocities you committed, the unspeakable horrors you have loosed upon this world, and the dark, ancient powers you have enslaved. Though my soul was one of the first to be devoured by your evil, there are thousands more bound within this blade, and they cry out... for release. Look now to your defenses, my son, for the champions of justice gather at your gate!
Lich King: Let them come. Frostmourne hungers!

• World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King patch 3.3 trailer

In-Game Quotes

His name brought light to darkest Azeroth.
His valor tore the walls of mis'ry down.
The Silver Hand would ne'er do better more
than give the world the knight who'd give himself.
His fame was not that which he sought to grow.
Nor was the lordship over his own kind.
Instead he chose to fight for Lordaeron
to hope his kin would have to fight no more.
The tragic tale of this most holy knight
will never end with his unholy death.
We honor him, and we shall give him thanks!
Uther always shall know glory and light!

• For the Light!, in-game book

---

His name will not die.
His sacrifice will always serve to show the way.
Shackles once that choked the inhale of honor's breath no longer bind us.
Can you hear his scream?
A battle wail for the Horde: Victory or death!
We must remember his strength in the face of death.
His dream, reality.
Dangers are abound.
Enemies seek to bring us back to the shackles.
When we fight, think of he who did what must be done.
Grom Hellscream, forever!

• The Horde's Hellscream, in-game book

---

You no take candle!

• Kobolds

I am he who watches they. I am the fist of reribution. That which does quell the recalitrant. Dare you defy the Warchief? Dare you face my merciless judgement?

• High Overlord Saurfang, in Orgrimmar

Unsorted

• Noble countrymen, evil is upon us. Darkness has befallen our shores. Rise and slay thy enemies… strike, strike so others shall live. The meek shall not fade into the night… live my brethren, live.
  • King Terenas - map description of Terenas Stand (Warcraft III patch map)

• The beginning of wisdom is the statement 'I do not know.' The person who cannot make that statement is one who will never learn anything. And I have prided myself on my ability to learn.
  • Thrall

• We don't go do stupid things when somebody yells, 'For the Horde'.
  • Thrall

• This! Was! Not! In my contract!
• Can't we all just get along?
  • Imp

• I am Void where prohibited
• I... don't like... this place
  • Voidwalker

• Are you too pathetic to fight your own battles?
  • Felguard

• You can't call yourself a seasoned adventurer until you've spent some time killing rats! Haw!
  • Grub

See also

• Starcraft
• Diablo

External links

• Warcraft Forums
• World of Warcraft Official Site
• Warcraft News/Community Portal
• Wiki of WoW
• Warcraft News

From Wikibooks, the open-content textbooks collection

This page has moved to http://strategywiki.net/wiki/World_of_Warcraft. Please update all bookmarks and links that refer to this page or notify the webmaster of the webpage that referred you here.

From StrategyWiki, the free strategy guide and walkthrough wiki

World of Warcraft
Developer(s)	Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher(s)	Vivendi Universal
Release date(s)	November 12, 2004  November 23, 2004  November 23, 2004  November 23, 2003  November 23, 2003  January 18, 2005  February 11, 2005  June 6, 2005  July 21, 2005  November 8, 2005  November 8, 2005  November 8, 2005
Genre(s)	RPG
System(s)	Windows, Mac OS, Direct2Drive
Players	MMOG
Rating(s)	ESRB: Teen PEGI: Ages 12+ OFLC: General 8+
Website	http://worldofwarcraft.com
Expansion pack(s)	World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
Series	Warcraft

World of Warcraft, created by the video game company Blizzard Entertainment, is a wildly popular massively multiplayer online role playing game which takes place in the mythical and expansive world of Azeroth. A MMORPG is a multiplayer computer role-playing game that enables thousands of players to play in an evolving virtual world at the same time over the Internet. MMORPGs are a specific type of massively multiplayer online game (MMOG).

This world is filled with two types of game play: player versus environment (PvE) and player versus player (PvP). In the PvE part of the game, players travel around the world completing thousands of quests with hundreds of interesting story lines, whereas, the PvP aspect of the game pits players against other players in order to gain prestige, power, and peer respect.

In game, players choose to create a unique character from eight unique races and nine powerful classes. Each race in the game has it's own interesting look, a look which is further customizable in the character creation screen. As well as look, each race has a series of racial traits and talents which help to give variability in character types. Further helping to individualize characters, each class is give a plethora of skills and abilities which are enhanced as the character gains levels through game play and exploration. With the added ability to freely create multiple characters in the game, change the abilities of an existing character by respecting their talents, World of Warcraft excels at keeping game content variable thus having long-term playability.

As an added benefit, Blizzard Entertainment has put much effort into creating a game that casual players and hardcore players enjoy alike. For casual players, a few quests can be completed in a matter of a couple hours in the evening, unlike other MMORPGs which require playing the game like a full-time job to feel that you've accomplished something. They also implemented a "rested xp" game mechanism and allows for 200% experience gained from destroying monsters which is activated if a player hasn't gained monster XP for a certain period of time, helping casual players to level at a respectable pace. For hardcore players, who have time and desire to put man hours in, there are item rewards for competing in PvP game play which often requires five or more hours daily, as well, completing instanced dungeons which take hours to complete often yield desirable items.

Table of Contents

External links

• Thorium Brotherhood — Most popular WoW wiki, for the Thorium Brotherhood Server.
• Earthen Ring — Wikia used by the guild Earthen Ring.
• World of Warcraft — Database for anything regarding WoW.
• World of Warcraft leveling guide
• The Doom Brigade — Editable version of the The Doom Brigade Guild Charter and Policy manual.
• Order of the Living — Wikia used by the OOTE guild, to register people for upcoming guild-events.

From Wikia Gaming, your source for walkthroughs, games, guides, and more!

Portal: MMOs		World of Warcraft at WoWWiki

World of Warcraft
Developer(s)	Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher(s)	Blizzard Entertainment
Release date	November 11, 2004 (NA), February, 2005 (EU)
Genre	MMORPG
Mode(s)	Massive Multiplayer Online
Age rating(s)	ESRB: T
Platform(s)	PC, Mac
Media	CD-ROM
System requirements	Windows® System 98/ME/2000/XP OS: 800 MHz CPU, 256 MB, 32MB 3D graphics card (GeForce 2 or better), 4 GB Hard Drive space, DirectX® 9.0c or above, Internet connection Mac System OS X 10.3.5 OS: 933 MHz CPU (G4 or G5), 512MB RAM; DDR RAM recommended, 32MB VRAM, 4 GB Hard Drive space, Mac OS X 10.3.5 or newer, Internet connection
Credits | Soundtrack | Codes | Walkthrough

World of Warcraft is a MMORPG released by Blizzard Entertainment in the fall of 2004. It continues the story of Blizzard's Warcraft universe, picking up where Warcraft III and its expansion Frozen Throne left off.

There are two expansions for World of Warcraft with a third on the way. The first expansion, titled World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, was released on January 16, 2007, the second, World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, was released on November 13, 2008 and the third World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, is due for later release.

The playable factions are split into Alliance and Horde, each containing four races and nine classes, one of which is unique to each faction. World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King added the Death Knight class. World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade added a new race for each faction (Draenei for the Alliance and Blood Elves for the Horde) and made all classes available to both factions. World of Warcraft: Cataclysm adds the Worgen race for the Alliance and Goblins for the Horde.

Contents 1 Alliance Races and Classes 1.1 Human 1.2 Dwarf 1.3 Gnome 1.4 Night Elves 1.5 Draenei 1.6 Worgen 2 Horde Races and Classes 2.1 Orc 2.2 Troll 2.3 Tauren 2.4 Undead 2.5 Blood Elves 2.6 Goblin 3 Collector's Edition 4 External Links 5 Videos

Alliance Races and Classes

See also Classes in World of Warcraft

Human

Humans are the most versatile Alliance race in terms of initial choice. They have the following class choices:

• Warrior
• Paladin
• Rogue
• Mage
• Priest
• Warlock
• Death Knight

Dwarf

Dwarves are a sturdy race from Dun Morough. Their class choices are:

• Warrior
• Paladin
• Hunter
• Priest
• Rogue
• Death Knight

Gnome

The Gnomish race has suffered considerably since the end of Warcraft III. They have lost their capital city, Gnomeregan, to the Troggs. They have the following class choices:

• Warrior
• Rogue
• Mage
• Warlock
• Death Knight

Night Elves

The Night Elves can choose from the following classes:

• Warrior
• Hunter
• Druid
• Rogue
• Priest
• Death Knight

Draenei

The Draenei can choose from the following classes:

• Warrior
• Priest
• Mage
• Hunter
• Paladin
• Shaman
• Death Knight

Worgen

Horde Races and Classes

Orc

Orcs can choose from the following classes:

• Warrior
• Shaman
• Hunter
• Rogue
• Warlock
• Death Knight

Troll

Trolls can choose from the following classes:

• Warrior
• Shaman
• Hunter
• Rogue
• Mage
• Priest
• Death Knight

Tauren

The Tauren can choose from the following classes:

• Warrior
• Shaman
• Hunter
• Druid
• Death Knight

Undead

The Undead can choose from the following classes:

• Warrior
• Rogue
• Mage
• Priest
• Warlock
• Death Knight

Blood Elves

The Blood Elves can choose from the following classes:

• Hunter
• Rogue
• Mage
• Paladin
• Priest
• Warlock
• Death Knight

Goblin

Collector's Edition

The Collector's Edition of the original World of Warcraft release was more than just a (much) nerdier, pretty box. Anyone lucky enough to snatch this beauty up before the game took over the world was greeted by copies of the game on both CD and DVD, a beautiful art book and soundtrack, and an in-game pet.

External Links

• www.worldofwarcraft.com: The official website.
• Main Page: A Wikia wiki dedicated to World of Warcraft.
• A blog that shows statistics on WOW
• Information & Videos for WoW: Cataclysm
• WOW Guild Chat resource

Videos

• WoW:The internet is for porn
• Leroy Jenkins

Warcraft universe
Warcraft - Warcraft II - Beyond the Dark Portal - Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos - The Frozen Throne Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans World of Warcraft | The Burning Crusade | Wrath of the Lich King | Cataclysm
Other games
World of Warcraft Trading Card Game - Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game
Classes & Races
Classes | Races |Humanoid races
Locations
Warcraft locations
Literature
Warcraft: Day of the Dragon Warcraft: Night of the Dragon • Warcraft: Lord of the Clans • Warcraft: Of Blood and Honor • Warcraft: The Last Guardian • Warcraft: War of the Ancients Trilogy • Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy • World of Warcraft: Cycle of Hatred • World of Warcraft: Rise of the Horde