I played those early MMOs myself I remember the anarchy and player-killing (Corp Por, anyone?) of Ultima Online, or the mob trains, corpse runs, and vicious grind of Everquest. Those players could explore a vast world full of heroes, villains, gods, and monsters, combined with an experience that was far more player-friendly than its contemporaries. On the backs of titles like Ultima Online and Everquest, the team at Blizzard Entertainment transported players to the world established in Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos, Azeroth.

Mists of Pandaria Pre-Release: 2011-2012įrom the beginning, World of Warcraft was designed as a response to other games, with players of successful MMOs wondering if the experience could be made better.

Wrath of the Lich King: November 13, 2008.

Wrath of the Lich King Pre-Release: 2007-2008.

Some of World of Warcraft's past faction leaders strike a pose. With the release of its seventh expansion, Battle for Azeroth, WoW still boasts a thriving fanbase. World of Warcraft has sold millions of copies, made billions of dollars, and won hundreds of awards. It didn't define the massively-multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) genre, but continues to evolve with it.

For 14 years, World of Warcraft has remained not only active, but relevant.

How big is world of warcraft map