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''Warcraft'' is a franchise of
video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
s,
novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...
s, and other media created by Blizzard Entertainment. The series is made up of five core games: '' Warcraft: Orcs & Humans'', '' Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness'', '' Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos'', ''
World of Warcraft ''World of Warcraft'' (''WoW'') is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) released in 2004 by Blizzard Entertainment. Set in the ''Warcraft'' fantasy universe, ''World of Warcraft'' takes place within the world of Azeroth ...
'', and ''
Hearthstone ''Hearthstone'' is a free-to-play online digital collectible card game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment. Originally subtitled ''Heroes of Warcraft'', ''Hearthstone'' builds upon the existing lore of the ''Warcraft'' series by u ...
''. The first three of these core games are in the real-time strategy genre, where opposing players command virtual armies in battle against each other or a computer-controlled enemy. The fourth and best-selling title of the franchise is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), where players control their character and interact with each other in a virtual world. ''Warcraft'' is one of the highest-grossing video game franchises of all time, having grossed $11.2 billion in lifetime revenue, as of 2018. Expansion sets were released for ''Warcraft II'' (''
Beyond the Dark Portal Beyond may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Beyond'' (1921 film), an American silent film * ''Beyond'' (2000 film), a Danish film directed by Åke Sandgren, OT: ''Dykkerne'' * ''Beyond'' (2010 film), a Swedish film directed b ...
''), ''Warcraft III'' (''
The Frozen Throne ''Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne '' is the expansion pack for '' Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos'', a real-time strategy video game by Blizzard Entertainment. It was released worldwide on July 1, 2003, for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. ''The F ...
'') and multiple expansions were released for ''World of Warcraft'' (''
The Burning Crusade ''World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade'' is the first expansion set for the MMORPG ''World of Warcraft''. It was released on January 16, 2007 at local midnight in Europe and North America, selling nearly 2.4 million copies on release day alon ...
'', '' Wrath of the Lich King'', ''
Cataclysm Cataclysm is derived from the Greek (), 'down, against', and (), 'wash over, surge'. It may refer to: Common meanings *Generally, any large-scale disaster *Deluge (mythology) *Doomsday event, see hypothetical risks to civilization, humans, and p ...
'', ''
Mists of Pandaria ''World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria'' is the fourth expansion set for the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) ''World of Warcraft'', following '' Cataclysm''. It was announced on October 21, 2011, by Chris Metzen at BlizzCo ...
'', '' Warlords of Draenor'', '' Legion'', ''
Battle for Azeroth ''World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth'' is the seventh expansion pack for the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) ''World of Warcraft'', following ''World of Warcraft: Legion, Legion''. It was announced at BlizzCon on Nove ...
'' and ''Shadowlands''). ''World of Warcrafts ninth expansion, '' Dragonflight'', released November 28, 2022. At BlizzCon 2018 on November 2, 2018, Blizzard announced a
remaster Remaster refers to changing the quality of the sound or of the image, or both, of previously created recordings, either audiophonic, cinematic, or videographic. The terms digital remastering and digitally remastered are also used. Mastering A ...
of ''Warcraft III'' entitled '' Warcraft III: Reforged'' featuring remodeled characters and graphics with a prospective release in 2019. The game was officially released on January 28, 2020. All games in the series have been set in and around the world of Azeroth, a high fantasy setting. Initially, the start of the series focused on the human nations that make up the Eastern Kingdoms, and the
Orc An Orc (or Ork) is a fictional humanoid monster like a goblin. Orcs were brought into modern usage by the fantasy writings of J. R. R. Tolkien, especially ''The Lord of the Rings''. In Tolkien's works, Orcs are a brutish, aggressive, ugly, a ...
ish Horde, which arrived in Azeroth via a dark portal, beginning the great wars. The Orcs came from another world, referred to as Draenor, the world that will be shattered into pieces by demonic magics during the events of ''Warcraft II'', thereafter being known as Outland. Later on in the series the world of Azeroth was expanded, revealing the new continents of Kalimdor, Northrend, Pandaria, Broken Isles, Kul Tiras, and Zandalar, allowing the introduction of the Night Elves, Tauren, Pandaren, and other major races into the universe. The world of Azeroth also contains the traditional
fantasy setting A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A ''campaign'' is a series of individual adventures, and a ''campaign setting'' is the world in which such adventures and camp ...
races of
elves An elf () is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic mythology and folklore. Elves appear especially in North Germanic mythology. They are subsequently mentioned in Snorri Sturluson's Icelandic Prose Edda. He distinguishes "ligh ...
, dwarves,
gnome A gnome is a mythological creature and diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, first introduced by Paracelsus in the 16th century and later adopted by more recent authors including those of modern fantasy literature. Its characte ...
s,
orc An Orc (or Ork) is a fictional humanoid monster like a goblin. Orcs were brought into modern usage by the fantasy writings of J. R. R. Tolkien, especially ''The Lord of the Rings''. In Tolkien's works, Orcs are a brutish, aggressive, ugly, a ...
s, and
troll A troll is a being in Nordic folklore, including Norse mythology. In Old Norse sources, beings described as trolls dwell in isolated areas of rocks, mountains, or caves, live together in small family units, and are rarely helpful to human bei ...
s. Unusually for the genre, all of these races are available to be played, whereas trolls and full-blooded orcs are usually presented in fantasy fiction as being solely antagonists for protagonists of the more "human-friendly" races. The series spawned several books and other media, covering a broad range of characters and timelines in the ''Warcraft'' universe. A collectible card game was published, which offered those who bought
booster pack In collectible card games, digital collectible card games and collectible miniature wargames, a booster pack is a sealed package of cards or figurines, designed to add to a player's collection. A box of multiple booster packs is referred to as a b ...
s a chance to gain access codes to limited in-game content in ''World of Warcraft''. Comics have been released alongside the books, further covering parts of the universe's storyline. A short-lived, online subscription only
magazine A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...
was available but later ceased publication after five issues. A film adaptation, '' Warcraft'', was released in 2016.


Video games

The first three games in the ''Warcraft'' series, including their expansion packs, were all released on both the PC and
Macintosh The Mac (known as Macintosh until 1999) is a family of personal computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple Inc. Macs are known for their ease of use and minimalist designs, and are popular among students, creative professionals, and ...
. All of these games were of the real-time strategy genre. Each game proceeded to carry on the storyline of the previous games, and each introduced new features and content to improve gameplay. The name "Warcraft" was proposed by Blizzard developer Sam Didier. It was chosen because "it sounded super cool", according to Blizzard co-founder
Allen Adham Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. is an American video game developer and publisher based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, the company was founded on February 8, 1991, under the name Silicon & Synapse, Inc. by three gradua ...
, without any particular meaning attached to it. '' Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness'' was the first game in the series to feature play over the internet using
Battle.net Battle.net is an Internet-based online game, social networking service, digital distribution, and digital rights management platform developed by Blizzard Entertainment. The service was launched on December 31, 1996, followed a few days later ...
, although this was not included until a later release of the game. ''Warcraft II'' was also the first in the series to be re-released as a "Battle Chest", a bundled copy of the game containing both the original and expansion. '' Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos'' was the first game in the series to feature a Collector's Edition, which all subsequent games have released as well. ''Warcraft III'' and ''
World of Warcraft ''World of Warcraft'' (''WoW'') is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) released in 2004 by Blizzard Entertainment. Set in the ''Warcraft'' fantasy universe, ''World of Warcraft'' takes place within the world of Azeroth ...
'' also have both had "Battle Chests" released for them subsequent to their initial release. The "Battle.net" edition of ''Warcraft II'' was also the first to introduce the use of
CD key A product key, also known as a software key, serial key or activation key, is a specific software-based key for a computer program. It certifies that the copy of the program is original. Product keys consist of a series of numbers and/or letters ...
s to the series, requiring each user online to have their own copy of the game in order to be able to connect. In 1998, an
adventure game An adventure game is a video game genre in which the player assumes the role of a protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and/or Puzzle video game, puzzle-solving. The Video game genres, genre's focus on story allows it to draw ...
in the series, '' Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans'', was announced as being canceled, having been previously delayed from a 1997 release. In 2004, Blizzard Entertainment moved the series away from the real-time strategy genre and released ''
World of Warcraft ''World of Warcraft'' (''WoW'') is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) released in 2004 by Blizzard Entertainment. Set in the ''Warcraft'' fantasy universe, ''World of Warcraft'' takes place within the world of Azeroth ...
'', a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). Requiring a subscription fee to be paid to play, it also introduced regular additional content to the series in the form of patches. ''World of Warcraft'' gained popularity worldwide, becoming the world's largest subscription-based MMORPG in 2008. The game reached a peak 12 million subscribers worldwide in October 2010. ''World of Warcraft'' has had eight expansions as of 2022 with a ninth on the way. During the production of '' StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty'', Blizzard co-founder Frank Pearce stated that "If there's a team that's passionate about doing another ''Warcraft'' eal-time strategy then that's definitely something we would consider. It's nothing that we're working on right now, we have development teams working on ''
Cataclysm Cataclysm is derived from the Greek (), 'down, against', and (), 'wash over, surge'. It may refer to: Common meanings *Generally, any large-scale disaster *Deluge (mythology) *Doomsday event, see hypothetical risks to civilization, humans, and p ...
'', '' StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty'', ''
Diablo III ''Diablo III'' is a hack-and-slash action role-playing game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment as the third installment in the Diablo (series), ''Diablo'' franchise. It was released for Microsoft Windows and OS X in May 2012, Play ...
'', and when those teams are all off the projects they're working on, they'll be intimately involved in the discussions about what's next". In 2013, Blizzard announced a new free-to-play
online In computer technology and telecommunications, online indicates a state of connectivity and offline indicates a disconnected state. In modern terminology, this usually refers to an Internet connection, but (especially when expressed "on line" or ...
digital collectible card game, originally titled '' Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft'', with the beta being available in summer of 2013. In March 2014, ''Hearthstone'' was released. In addition to free-to-play basic gameplay ''Hearthstone'' contains fee-based features such as additional card packs. On May 3, 2022, Blizzard announced a new ''Warcraft'' free-to-play mobile game called ''Warcraft Arclight Rumble''. In 2022, Blizzard and
NetEase NetEase, Inc. () is a Chinese Internet technology company providing online services centered on content, community, communications, and commerce. The company was founded in 1997 by Ding Lei. NetEase develops and operates online PC and mobile game ...
cancelled an unannounced ''
World of Warcraft ''World of Warcraft'' (''WoW'') is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) released in 2004 by Blizzard Entertainment. Set in the ''Warcraft'' fantasy universe, ''World of Warcraft'' takes place within the world of Azeroth ...
'' mobile spin-off game.


Other media


Tabletop games

* '' Warcraft: The Board Game'' – strategic
board game Board games are tabletop games that typically use . These pieces are moved or placed on a pre-marked board (playing surface) and often include elements of table, card, role-playing, and miniatures games as well. Many board games feature a comp ...
from
Fantasy Flight Games Fantasy Flight Games (FFG) is a game company based in Roseville, Minnesota, United States, that creates and publishes role-playing, board, card, and dice games. As of 2014, it is a subsidiary of Asmodée Éditions. History Fantasy Flight Publish ...
, based on ''Warcraft III'' * '' Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game'' –
role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within ...
from
Sword & Sorcery Studios Sword and Sorcery Studios (S&SS) was an imprint of White Wolf, Inc., used to publish its d20 System & Open Gaming License material in from 2000 to 2008. The imprint also acted as publisher for other small press game developers, such as Monte Co ...
* '' World of Warcraft: The Board Game'' – board game based on ''World of Warcraft'', also by Fantasy Flight Games * ''World of Warcraft: The Adventure Game'' – board game based on ''World of Warcraft'', also by Fantasy Flight Games * ''World of Warcraft Miniatures Game'' – a miniature war game based on ''World of Warcraft'', by Upper Deck Entertainment.


Collectible card games

* ''
World of Warcraft Trading Card Game The ''World of Warcraft Trading Card Game'' (''WoW TCG'') is an out-of-print collectible card game based on Blizzard Entertainment's MMORPG, ''World of Warcraft''. The game was announced by Upper Deck Entertainment on August 18, 2005 and released ...
'' – 2006-2013


Novels

*''Warcraft: Of Blood and Honor'' (2000) *''Warcraft: Day of the Dragon'' (2001) *''Warcraft: Lord of the Clans'' (2001) *''Warcraft: The Last Guardian'' (2002) *''Warcraft: War of the Ancients'' (2007) **''The Well of Eternity'' (2004) **''The Demon Soul'' (2004) **''The Sundering'' (2005) *''World of Warcraft: Cycle of Hatred'' (2006) *''Warcraft Archive'' (2006) *''World of Warcraft: The Chronicles of War'' (2010) **'' World of Warcraft: Rise of the Horde'' (2006) **'' World of Warcraft: Tides of Darkness'' (2007) **''World of Warcraft: Beyond the Dark Portal'' (2008) *''World of Warcraft: Night of the Dragon'' (2008) *'' World of Warcraft: Arthas: Rise of the Lich King'' (2009) *''World of Warcraft: Stormrage'' (2010) *''World of Warcraft: The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm'' (2010) *''World of Warcraft: Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects'' (2011) *''World of Warcraft: Wolfheart'' (2012) *''World of Warcraft: Jaina Proudmoore: Tides of War'' (2012) *''World of Warcraft: Vol'jin: Shadows of the Horde'' (2013) *''World of Warcraft: Dawn of the Aspects Parts I-V'' (2013) *''World of Warcraft: Paragons'' (2014) *''World of Warcraft: War Crimes'' (2014) *''World of Warcraft: Destination: Pandaria'' (2014) *''World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1'' (2016) *'' World of Warcraft: Illidan'' (2016) *''Warcraft: Durotan - The Official Film Prequel'' (2016) *''Warcraft: The Official Novelization'' (2016) *''World of Warcraft: Traveler'' (2016) *''World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2'' (2017) *''World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3'' (2018) *''World of Warcraft: Traveller: The Spiral Path'' (2018) *''World of Warcraft: Before the Storm'' (2018) *''World of Warcraft: Traveller: The Shining Blade'' (2019) *''World of Warcraft: Shadows Rising'' (2020) *''World of Warcraft: Sylvanas'' (2022)


Comics

*''
World of Warcraft ''World of Warcraft'' (''WoW'') is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) released in 2004 by Blizzard Entertainment. Set in the ''Warcraft'' fantasy universe, ''World of Warcraft'' takes place within the world of Azeroth ...
'' (2007 – 2009), a series published by
DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
imprint Imprint or imprinting may refer to: Entertainment * ''Imprint'' (TV series), Canadian television series * "Imprint" (''Masters of Horror''), episode of TV show ''Masters of Horror'' * ''Imprint'' (film), a 2007 independent drama/thriller film ...
WildStorm Wildstorm Productions, (stylized as WildStorm), is an American comic book imprint. Originally founded as an independent company established by Jim Lee under the name "Aegis Entertainment" and expanded in subsequent years by other creators, Wilds ...
. *'' World of Warcraft: Ashbringer'' (2008 – 2009), a four-issue mini-series published by WildStorm. *''World of Warcraft: Curse of the Worgen'' (October 9, 2012) *''World of Warcraft: Pearl of Pandaria'' (September 25, 2012) *''Warcraft Saga Issue 1'' *''World of Warcraft: Dark Riders'' (May 7, 2013) *''World of Warcraft: Bloodsworn'' (August 13, 2013) *''World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor'' (2014) a three-issue series published by Blizzard *''Warcraft: Bonds of Brotherhood'' (2016) *''World of Warcraft: Legion'' (2016) a four-issue series published by Blizzard


Manga

*'' Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy'', a manhwa series published by
Tokyopop Tokyopop (styled TOKYOPOP; formerly known as Mixx Entertainment) is an American distributor, licensor and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa and Western manga-style works. The German publishing division produces German translations of licensed J ...
. **''Dragon Hunt'' (March 2005) **''Shadows of Ice'' (March 2006) **''Ghostlands'' (March 2007) *'' Warcraft: Legends'' (2008 – 2009), a five-part graphic novel series, which is a continuation from ''The Sunwell Trilogy''. *''World of Warcraft: Death Knight'' (December 1, 2009) *''World of Warcraft: Mage'' (June 1, 2010) *''World of Warcraft: Shaman'' (September 28, 2010) *''World of Warcraft: Shadow Wing'' **''The Dragons of Outland'' (June 2010) **''Nexus Point'' (March 2011)


Magazine

In 2009, Blizzard announced that it would be releasing a magazine with Future US Ltd. This magazine would be purchasable by online subscription, and not for sale in newsagents or stores, making them collector's items. The magazine released quarterly, and each contained 148 pages. No advertisements were included in the magazine. In September 2011, Blizzard announced that the magazine was ceasing publication. Refunds, plush toys or in-game pets were given to subscribers depending on the outstanding length of subscription.


Film adaptation

In a May 9, 2006 press release, Blizzard Entertainment and
Legendary Pictures Legendary Pictures Productions, LLC (doing business as Legendary Entertainment or simply Legendary) is an American film production and mass media company based in Burbank, California, founded by Thomas Tull in 2000. The company has collaborated ...
announced that they would develop a live-action film set in the ''Warcraft universe''. At
BlizzCon 2008 BlizzCon is an annual gaming convention held by Blizzard Entertainment to promote its major franchises including ''Warcraft'', ''StarCraft'', '' Diablo'', ''Hearthstone'', ''Heroes of the Storm,'' and ''Overwatch''. The first BlizzCon was held ...
, according to Mike Morhaime, a script was being written. In January 2013, Duncan Jones was announced to direct the adaptation,"'Warcraft' Movie Lands 'Source Code' Director (Exclusive)"
. The Hollywood Reporter, January 30, 2013.
from a script by
Charles Leavitt Charles Leavitt (born 1956) is an American screenwriter best known for writing the 2006 film ''Blood Diamond''. Life and career Leavitt's screenwriting career began in 1996 when he wrote ''Sunchaser''. He wrote the screen adaptation of the Rod ...
."'World of Warcraft' drafts new scribe"
. Variety, August 2, 2012.
The film was set to begin principal photography in early 2014 with a plot based on the novel '' Warcraft: The Last Guardian''. On July 20, 2013, Legendary Pictures and
Warner Bros. Entertainment Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American Film studio, film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank, Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, Califo ...
unveiled a sizzle reel during their San Diego Comic Con 2013 panel, with Duncan Jones hopping on stage briefly to discuss the project. Production on the film started shooting on January 13, 2014. The first full-length trailer for the film was released on November 6, 2015. ''Warcraft'' premiered in Los Angeles on June 6, 2016, and was released by Universal Pictures in the United States on June 10, 2016. It received mostly negative reviews from critics, and grossed $433 million.


''Heroes of the Storm''

In 2015, Blizzard released '' Heroes of the Storm'', a crossover multiplayer online battle arena video game in which players can control various characters from Blizzard's franchises as playable heroes, the majority of which come from the ''Warcraft'' universe. The game also features numerous mounts based on mounts or other creatures from ''World of Warcraft,'' as well as a battleground based on the PvP zone Alterac Pass. A number of ''Warcraft''-themed skins have been introduced for ''Heroes of the Storm'' in the “Echoes of Alterac” event in June 2018. Various soundtracks from ''World of Warcraft'', such as ''Obsidian Sanctum'' from ''Wrath of the Lich King'', ''The Wandering Isle'' from ''Mists of Pandaria,'' and ''Stormwind'' theme, are present as background music in the game. ''Heroes of the Storm'' is inspired by '' Defense of the Ancients'', a community-created
mod Mod, MOD or mods may refer to: Places * Modesto City–County Airport, Stanislaus County, California, US Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Mods (band), a Norwegian rock band * M.O.D. (Method of Destruction), a band from New York City, US ...
based on '' Warcraft III''.


Setting


Location

Most of the ''Warcraft'' series takes place on the planet of Azeroth. Other planets in the ''Warcraft'' universe include: Draenor (and its sundered remnants, known as Outland), Argus, K'aresh, Mardum (also known as the Shattered Abyss), Xoroth, Rancora, and Nathreza. There are also several metaphysical areas mentioned, including the Emerald Dream, the Elemental Planes, the Twisting Nether, the Great Dark Beyond, and the Shadowlands. ''Warcraft: Orcs & Humans'', the first game in the series, takes place in Azeroth.


Azeroth

Azeroth has four known continents, named the Eastern Kingdoms, Kalimdor, Northrend, and recently rediscovered Pandaria. All continents are separated by the Great Sea. Three major archipelagos also reside in the Great Sea: the Broken Isles, Zandalar, the birthplace of the troll civilization, and Kul Tiras, a maritime human nation. In the center of the Great Sea is an enormous, everlasting vortex called the "Maelstrom" beneath which lies the aquatic city of Nazjatar, home of the amphibious Naga. Near the Maelstrom lies the volcanic Isle of Kezan, home of the goblins. The Eastern Kingdoms are the primary setting of the first two games (and their expansions) and the first half of '' Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos''. It is made up of 22 areas or zones. The kingdom of Stormwind lies at the south of the Eastern Kingdoms, south of the dwarven kingdom of Khaz Modan and north of the jungle known as Stranglethorn Vale. The capital city of Stormwind, Stormwind City, is nestled into the northwest of Elwynn Forest, a large forest at the center of the kingdom. The Dwarven capital in Khaz Modan, called Ironforge, is located in Dun Morogh. The former human kingdom of Lordaeron, which successfully headed the human Alliance in '' Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness'' but later fell to the Scourge in '' Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos,'' is located north of the southern kingdoms. Underneath the ruined city of Lordaeron now lies the Undercity, capital of the Forsaken, a rebel band of the undead Scourge. The area is now known as Tirisfal Glades and is threatened by the Western Plaguelands held back at The Bulwark. Northeast of Lordaeron is the elven nation of Quel'Thalas and its capital city, Silvermoon, both of which were conquered by the Scourge in '' Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos''. The continent of Kalimdor was introduced in '' Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos'' and is made up of 18 zones. Whereas the Eastern Kingdoms can be described as the equivalent of medieval Europe, with traditional kingdoms and advanced cities, Kalimdor can be compared to the Americas at the time of the first arrivals of Europeans, full of wild lands. The geography and topography of Kalimdor are similar to North America and Africa, with massive, ancient forests and mountains covering the North and vast deserts and savannahs in the South. The Night Elven kingdom is located in the northwest region of Kalimdor, also including the island Teldrassil (actually a giant tree, similar in lore and spelling to
Yggdrasil Yggdrasil (from Old Norse ), in Norse cosmology, is an immense and central sacred tree. Around it exists all else, including the Nine Worlds. Yggdrasil is attested in the ''Poetic Edda'' compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional s ...
) off the northwest coast, which contains the city of Darnassus. To the south, past the Ashenvale Forest, is a stretch of land known as The Barrens, situated between the grasslands of Mulgore to the west, and Durotar, the land settled by the Orcs, to the east. Mulgore is home to the Tauren capital of Thunder Bluff, a large city of tepees and lodges built on top of a conglomerate of high plateaus which are only accessible by air travel and a great series of lifts built down to the ground. In the north of Durotar is the fortress-city of Orgrimmar, the capital of the Orcs. The third continent, Northrend, is located in the northern polar region of Azeroth and is the primary stronghold of the malevolent Undead Scourge. Northrend is featured in ''Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos'' and its expansion set '' Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne'', and is the main location featured in '' World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King'', the second expansion pack to ''
World of Warcraft ''World of Warcraft'' (''WoW'') is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) released in 2004 by Blizzard Entertainment. Set in the ''Warcraft'' fantasy universe, ''World of Warcraft'' takes place within the world of Azeroth ...
''. In the expansion '' World of Warcraft: Cataclysm'', Azeroth has been changed permanently in-game, even for players without the expansion set installed. The corrupted Black Dragon Aspect, Deathwing the Destroyer (formerly Neltharion, the Earth-Warder) has broken free from imprisonment in Deepholm, part of the Elemental Plane, and caused major changes and destruction in the land. In addition, many new parts of the continents of Azeroth that have previously been inaccessible have become key parts in the new world. Lorewise, this is the second major change to the face of Azeroth, the first being the Sundering. The Sundering was caused as a result of the War of the Ancients where demons of the Burning Legion invaded the ancient Kalimdor. It caused a massive explosion that split the one continent into the four seen in-game and created the Maelstrom. '' World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria'' was the fourth expansion released and it focuses on the mythical and long-forgotten lands of Pandaria, a continent far to the south that has until now been shrouded in magical mists. With both factions landing on Pandaria, adventurers rediscover the ancient Pandaren people, whose wisdom will help guide them to new destinies; the Pandaren Empire's ancient enemy, the Mantid; and their legendary oppressors, the enigmatic Mogu. The storyline for ''Mists of Pandaria'' is split into multiple chapters. The story arc that introduces Pandaria—where players discover the continent and level up, helping to solve problems and figure out what happened for the past 10,000 years and why—was included entirely within the initial expansion release. Later chapters in the storyline brought the war between the Horde and the Alliance back into focus, including changing parts of Pandaria (via phasing) to show additional settlements, and eventually returning the players back to Kalimdor for a final showdown, dethroning Warchief Garrosh Hellscream. '' World of Warcraft: Legion'' was the sixth expansion released and it focuses on the Broken Isles, a continent and group of islands located northeast of the Maelstrom in the middle of the Great Sea; one of the islands contains the Tomb of the Dark Titan, Sargeras. The Burning Legion has started an invasion of Azeroth and the player characters must find powerful artifacts to stop the invasion. Having thwarted the Burning Legion's attempts to invade Azeroth, the players and other significant lore characters traveled to Argus, the homeworld of the Burning Legion, in order to end its threat. While successful, they couldn't stop Sargeras entirely. Before being banished and imprisoned, he thrust a magical sword into the surface of Azeroth, leaving the planet wounded and bleeding a magical substance called "Azerite". '' World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth'' was the seventh expansion released and it focuses on the islands of Kul'Tiras and Zandalar, two islands which are home to their respective kingdoms. This is the first expansion that introduces two new continents on initial release. During this expansion, the Horde and Alliance seek the aid of the kingdoms of Zandalar and Kul'tiras, respectively, for the reignited war between the factions. Throughout campaigns on both continents, adventurers learn the history of both kingdoms and uncover plots involving the Old Gods. Events influenced by N'Zoth and his followers lead to the discovery of the continents of Nazjatar, the underwater kingdom of Azshara, and Mechagon, an island inhabited by the Mechagnomes. The final patch of Battle for Azeroth takes players back to the Vale of Eternal Blossoms and Uldum to cure them of the corruption of N'Zoth, and ultimately face the Old God himself in his empire of Ny'alotha. The story of Battle for Azeroth is also the first time players are given choices that can have a significant impact on their own adventures. One significant choice is whether to join the orc Varrok Saurfang in his rebellion against the Horde Warchief Sylvanas Windrunner. Another choice that players are given is whether to become a servant of N'Zoth. Both choices lead to unique dialogue, cinematics, and quests, depending on the choices made.


Draenor (Outland)

Draenor, which is featured in '' Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal'', is the original homeland of the Orcs and past home of the Draenei. Draenor was torn apart when the Orcish leader, Ner'Zhul (later the first Lich King) opened dozens of portals to other worlds in an attempt to escape the invading Alliance Armies from Azeroth. The sheer number and combined power of the portals ripped Draenor into fragments and cast the remainder into the mysterious parallel dimension called the Twisting Nether, Home of the Demons. The remnants of the world are now known as Outland, and feature in the last mission of the human campaign of '' Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal'' (though, without any actual terrain changes), '' Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne'' and more prominently in '' World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade''. An intact Draenor is the main feature of the fifth ''World of Warcraft'' expansion, '' Warlords of Draenor'', which takes place 35 years earlier in an alternate timeline.


Major races and factions

The following races have been sorted into their respective factions:


The Alliance

The Alliance has been present in some form in all ''Warcraft'' games. In all three real-time strategy games, the Alliance are the protagonists of their campaign, and are one of the two main protagonist factions in ''World of Warcraft''. They are also the primary antagonists of '' Warcraft'' and the orc campaigns in '' Warcraft II''. The Alliance began in ''Warcraft II'' when the human kingdoms and demihumans strategically united to fend off the conquering Horde. Thus they are enemies to the Horde. The Alliance has evolved over the course of the franchise, losing allies and gaining new members, but the Alliance has endured over the years. They are united to uphold their common noble ideals and are bound together by a sense of brotherhood forged by all the battles they've endured together. The major races of the Alliance are the
human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...
s of Stormwind, the High
Elves An elf () is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic mythology and folklore. Elves appear especially in North Germanic mythology. They are subsequently mentioned in Snorri Sturluson's Icelandic Prose Edda. He distinguishes "ligh ...
, the Night Elves of Teldrassil, and the Dwarves of Ironforge. Other races who have joined or allied with the Alliance include the
Gnome A gnome is a mythological creature and diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, first introduced by Paracelsus in the 16th century and later adopted by more recent authors including those of modern fantasy literature. Its characte ...
s of Gnomergan, the Draenei of Outland, the Worgens of Gilneas (creatures that resemble hunched over
werewolves In folklore, a werewolf (), or occasionally lycanthrope (; ; uk, Вовкулака, Vovkulaka), is an individual that can shapeshift into a wolf (or, especially in modern film, a therianthropic hybrid wolf-like creature), either purposely or ...
), and the Tushui Pandaren.MMO-Champion - Mists of Pandaria Press Tour
/ref> The Alliance is led by a military commander who coordinates the military actions of all the races in the Alliance. The title for this position depends on the rank of the individual (e.g., Anduin Lothar was a
knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...
and his title was Supreme Allied Commander. Varian Wrynn is a
king King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
and his title is High King). This title may require an aspect of diplomacy or has strong political clout as the other leaders can choose not to commit their forces to the commander if they dislike the commander's leadership. Though how much forces and resources are contributed to the war effort is left to each individual leader's discretion, when the military commander issues a call to arms, all races of the Alliance are expected to contribute.


The Horde

In the first two Warcraft games, the Horde is made of the
orc An Orc (or Ork) is a fictional humanoid monster like a goblin. Orcs were brought into modern usage by the fantasy writings of J. R. R. Tolkien, especially ''The Lord of the Rings''. In Tolkien's works, Orcs are a brutish, aggressive, ugly, a ...
s under the command of the Burning Legion and are enemies of the human led Alliance. The orcs attempt in both games to conquer the human kingdoms. Eventually the Horde was defeated, most of its leaders killed, and the orcs placed in internment camps. The third Warcraft game, Reign of Chaos, details the orcs shaking off both the chains of the Alliance, and the corruption of the Burning Legion. The Horde expanded their ranks by forging alliances with the Blood Elves, the Forsaken, the Goblins, the Huojin Pandaren, the Tauren, and the
Troll A troll is a being in Nordic folklore, including Norse mythology. In Old Norse sources, beings described as trolls dwell in isolated areas of rocks, mountains, or caves, live together in small family units, and are rarely helpful to human bei ...
s.


Reception

In 1999, ''
Next Generation Next Generation or Next-Generation may refer to: Publications and literature * ''Next Generation'' (magazine), video game magazine that was made by the now defunct Imagine Media publishing company * Next Generation poets (2004), list of young ...
'' listed ''Warcraft'' and ''Starcraft'' as number 32 on their "Top 50 Games of All Time", commenting that, "While ''Warcraft'' did not create the realtime strategy genre, it made it appealing to a broad audience. ''Warcraft II'' went on to refine the genre. Easy to play, nuanced in design, a pleasure to look at, and often a laugh riot, ''Warcraft II'' was nearly perfect."


References


Further reading

*


External links


Official ''World of Warcraft'' community site (US)

Official ''World of Warcraft'' community site (EU)
* {{Authority control Activision Blizzard franchises Blizzard games Real-time strategy video games by series Video game franchises introduced in 1994 Video games adapted into comics Video games adapted into films Video games adapted into novels Video games set on fictional planets Science fantasy role-playing games Fantasy franchises Science fiction franchises