It all started with vanilla
The online MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) World of Warcraft has been around since November 23, 2004, 20 years this year. Every few years there was an expansion, which provided new zones, higher levels, other playable characters and, above all, a lot of new content to experience. Many of those expansions were well received by the growing fan base. But that was sometimes disappointing. Which led to less popularity, a declining trend in the number of subscribers and less success for Blizzard.
Blizzcon 2017
But at Blizzcon 2017 a new direction was chosen. There, J. Allen Brack announced Vanilla, known among players as the first version of the game. And still considered by many to be the best version. So a separate server was created to play Warcraft Classic. And that turned out to be a smart move. The success of World of Warcraft: Classic has made Blizzard decide to continue with Classic: The Burning Crusade. Classic Wrath of the Lich King. And Classic Cataclysm will also follow before the summer of 2024.
The World Soul Saga
In the meantime, the normal timeline continues. The 9th expansion of World of Warcraft: Dragonflight was released in 2022. Followed by The Worldsoul Saga. That is another expansion that will consist of 3 parts. The first part of which, The War Within, will also be published this year.
Classic: Hardcore
And Blizzard has started listening to its fans even better. Which also gave the option to opt for a real challenge in World of Warcraft Classic: Hardcore mode. You have to stay alive at all costs because dying is permanent. And if that’s not enough of a challenge, you also have the Selfmade mode. Where players cannot use in-game mail and auction house, and trading with other players is also not possible. Which makes the challenge even more challenging.
Season of Discovery
If you want something completely different, there is also Classic: Season of Discovery. Where the characters you are normally used to playing with are given completely different possibilities. A Mage who takes on the role of healer. Or a Warlock that serves as a tank. The rollout of Season of Discovery is also gradual. With a lot of new content that is constantly becoming available, new possibilities and of course new raids and PVP challenges.
Warcraft: Orc and Humans
Since January of this year, the games, where it all started for most, have also been “Warcraft: Orc and Humans” & “Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness (and of course Beyond the Dark Portal)” made available via Battle.net. A bit of nostalgia with these classic RTS games.
Warcraft Rumble
At the end of last year, a mobile game based on the Warcraft universe was also released. Warcraft Rumble is a free-to-play (with micro payments options, of course) tower defense game. Where you can compete against other players in a PVP mode. Or you can play the normal Dungeons, Heroics and Raids with a team of units that you put together yourself, led by, for example, Jaina Proudmoore, Sylvanas Windrunner or Baron Rivendare.
Plunderstorm
And since last month, Blizzard has also made the jump to a Battle Royale edition of Warcraft, called Plunderstorm. This will only be a temporary thing for now. Where players can also earn items to use in regular games. But if this proves to be a success, there will of course be a sequel.
Warcraft is popular again
All these different ways and options of playing together ensure that World of Warcraft, in the year that the game has existed for 20 years, is a lot more attractive to fans. There is something for everyone. And so it has regained some popularity. These will not be the numbers from 2010 when there were more than 12 million players who took on the Lich King for the first time. But certainly a lot more than the low point of 4 million players during Battle For Azeroth.
Keep it up Blizzard!
