My nostalgic thirst for all things World of Warcraft has hit hard this year. It’s a pattern that’s repeated nearly every autumn since 2010, wherein the colder weather and dreary days send me spiraling in search of fond memories. And Blizzard’s decade-and-a-half-old MMORPG must be something special because my mind seems to pull me towards…
This is ancient history by internet standards, but Blizzard has delayed the latest World of Warcraft expansion, Shadowlands. Originally, Shadowlands was scheduled to launch on October 27th, 2020. But, citing quality concerns, the studio made the decision to delay the game. I’m assuming all is not well with Shadowlands, because Blizzard hasn’t even set a new release date. As of…
With World of Warcraft: Shadowlands set to drop in just under two months, I’m running out of time with the game’s current expansion, Battle for Azeroth. Such is the case in an MMORPG. Although WoW’s world is persistent, the game’s content ages like bread. Stale content needs to be regularly refreshed and replaced with new offerings.…
I’ve been writing about how World of Warcraft has really been scratching my gaming itch lately. But something I haven’t covered is my enjoyment of WoW’s daily quests. These (sometimes infinitely) repeatable quests have been an integral element of WoW for some time now. They’ve also earned the ire of many players, which seems to stem from how…
I’ve been struggling to understand my affinity for World of Warcraft lately. Historically, I’ve never held a sustained interest in the game beyond a month or two. Don’t get me wrong: the online world of Azeroth is charming, mesmerizing, and unforgettable. But WoW’s core gameplay pales in comparison to the richness of other titles. Where other…
I’ve played World of Warcraft on-and-off extremely casually since 2009. The game’s colorful, charming art style and extensive lore still hold a certain allure all these years later, even if WoW’s emphasis on grinding has repeatedly pushed me away. But now that WoW is more respectful of its players’ time, I’ve found more reason to stick around…
It was a few weeks after the launch of World of Warcraft Classic, and I was navigating my Gnome Mage through the tepid Wetlands. With a click of my keyboard, my character deftly weaved his hands and hurled a magical bolt, dealing the killing blow to a nearby spider. The fuzzy-legged creature fell and writhed in agony.…
Grinding, or repeatedly participating in a mundane in-game activity in anticipation of an in-game reward, is nothing new. Both single-player and multiplayer games have featured elements of grinding, whether intentional or as a byproduct of bad design. While I don’t have a problem with optional grinding in standard games, the inclusion of grinds in subscription-based…
After wrapping up The Last of Us and pondering what to play next, I found it strange that World of Warcraft came to mind. Where The Last of Us forces you to navigate tense and dynamic combat scenarios, World of Warcraft’s gameplay is dull and formulaic. For the most part, you’ll be performing the same sequence of…
As the launch date of World of Warcraft Classic rapidly approaches (whoa, is it mid-August already?), I find myself getting excited to dip my toes into Blizzard’s reincarnation of their megalithic MMORPG smash-hit. November’s WoW Classic announcement definitely piqued my interest, but ultimately, I was ambivalent. At the time, August 2019 was far away, and I…
