World of Warcraft
News, coverage and analysis tracking World of Warcraft across the outlets.
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My first MMO character #5: Fraser Brown
Fraser Brown recounts his first MMO character, Zarwulf, an Orc Hunter from World of Warcraft, though he also mentions playing Ultima Online, Star Wars Galaxies, and Guild Wars. He notes that while Zarwulf remains frozen in time, a character with the same name exists in Guild Wars 2.
Discord is not my friend
Lincoln, a writer with 12 years of experience, has joined PC Gamer as a full-time News Writer in 2024. His background includes writing for Waypoint, Polygon, and Fanbyte, with expertise in games like Dwarf Fortress, World of Warcraft, Caves of Qud, Crusader Kings, and Monster Hunter.
My first MMO character #4: Lincoln Carpenter
The author recounts their first MMORPG character experience, starting with RuneScape and Star Wars Galaxies before settling on Maldirr, an Orc Warrior in World of Warcraft, which became their main character for years. Despite initially intending to play a hunter, a misclick led to the warrior class, which they embraced through multiple expansions.
Join me in meditating on clubbing a WoW scorpion
Lincoln, a writer for PC Gamer, brings over 12 years of experience in games journalism, with a background in titles like World of Warcraft, Dwarf Fortress, and Monster Hunter. His expertise spans various genres and includes a focus on procedural storytelling and game design.
WoW: Forever has a secret snake druid form
A hidden druid shapeshift form has been discovered in the World of Warcraft beta, which transforms players into a serpent when wearing the five-piece Embrace of the Viper set from the Wailing Caverns dungeon. The article praises Blizzard for including such hidden mechanics.
$14,000 for a PC with titanium-alloy flowers that unfurl as your system temps get toasty? Well, okay then...
Australian PC maker Aftershock PC has released the 'Cherry Bloom,' a custom PC featuring handcrafted titanium-alloy cherry blossoms that unfurl as system temperatures rise. The high-end build includes an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU and Nvidia RTX 5080 graphics, with a price tag of approximately $14,000 USD.
My first MMO character #3: Steve Haines
Steve Haines recounts his first MMO character, Ovidlords, a Night-elf Druid in World of Warcraft, created around 2006. He details his experience playing a Druid tank during The Burning Crusade, achieving difficult feats like tanking Gruul and obtaining a server-first Ashes of Al'ar.
World of Warcraft: Forever dev addresses the debate over who it's made for: 'I did not spend the last year of my life relearning and mastering how to do things like we did it 20+ years ago for retail players'
World of Warcraft: Forever world builder Matthew Armstrong addresses the debate over the game's target audience, stating it's not made for retail players but for those who value artistic integrity and the spirit of the original 2004 MMO. The article suggests the game is for players who prioritize social interaction and world exploration over a linear storyline, highlighting its unsolved and uncategorized nature as a positive.
Sometimes it's fun to hit a scorpion with a club for 38 seconds
The author argues that modern MMOs, including World of Warcraft, have become too focused on speed and instant gratification, losing the meditative quality of slower gameplay. The experience of slowly bludgeoning a scorpion in WoW: Classic is highlighted as a positive example of how taking more time can enhance appreciation for the game world and design.
World of Warcraft Forever continues to delve into character creation while players discover crazy items in the beta
Blizzard Entertainment has released new developer diaries for World of Warcraft Forever, detailing expanded character creation options including new class/race combinations and the debut of the Skyborne race. The update also features a rework of racial traits with active and passive abilities. Meanwhile, players in the beta have discovered unique items like the Coldflame Saber and a sleeping bag that grants an XP buff.
World of Warcraft: Forever is "for the millions of people who have had their accounts lapse" in Classic, dev…
World of Warcraft world builder Matthew Armstrong stated that World of Warcraft: Forever is designed for lapsed players and dedicated Classic fans who were unsatisfied with changes to the original game. He emphasized a commitment to an authentic vanilla experience, distinct from the retail version, and a philosophy that prioritizes artistic integrity over broad appeal.
Casually Classic: World of Warcraft Forever aims to be a most epic do-over
The announcement of World of Warcraft Forever at BlizzCon signals a much-needed do-over for the MMORPG franchise, aiming to blend the foundational design of Classic with improvements from the retail version. This new iteration seeks to carve out a fresh path, moving beyond pure nostalgia and offering a modern MMORPG experience for the long term.
My first MMO character #1: Harvey Randall
Harvey Randall recounts his first MMO character, Leetman, a Human Rogue in World of Warcraft, created around 2004-2006. Despite being a novice player, he managed to afford a mount, a significant achievement at the time. He later transitioned to an Earthborn troll shaman in The Burning Crusade expansion.
A tribute to PC Gamer's first MMO characters—may they never be forgotten
Several PC Gamer writers share nostalgic memories of their first characters in Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games, primarily from the mid-2000s. Games like World of Warcraft, RuneScape, and EverQuest feature prominently as writers recall their early gaming experiences and character creations.
Halo Studios cinematic director promoted, then laid off in the same week
Xbox cinematic director Josh Daniels was promoted and then laid off in the same week as part of Microsoft's ongoing series of layoffs affecting 1,600 employees. This situation highlights the current instability within the video game industry, where even promotions do not guarantee job security.
I have fallen to my own hubris
The author expresses regret over min-maxing in World of Warcraft by hoarding quests before a level cap increase to 30. They are now struggling with limited inventory space due to quest items, highlighting a personal hubris in their approach to the game.
Dela ditt starkaste vanilla-minne och vinn en Forever-betakod
Three beta keys for World of Warcraft: Forever are being given away to players who share their strongest memories from the vanilla era of World of Warcraft. The contest closes on Thursday, with winners announced Friday. World of Warcraft: Forever is a new branch of the game building on the classic version, with a level cap of 60.
Evening Reading - September 22, 2026
Xbox has confirmed significant layoffs affecting 268 employees across Halo Studios, Xbox Game Studios, and more. This restructuring includes the next Halo game being developed by Activision, and the merger of Turn 10 and Playground Games. Additionally, Obsidian Entertainment and Rage/World's Edge will now report under Bethesda and Activision respectively.
Massively OP Podcast Episode 580: A Loftia set of goals
The Massively OP Podcast episode 580 covers a range of MMO news and discussions, including WoW Forever's beta, Guild Wars 2's final content drop, Loftia's early access launch, and RuneScape's Dragonwilds release. The hosts also touch on Soulframe, rage quit moments, minigames, and a potential Pokémon MMO.
StarCraft Doesn’t Sound Like An Xbox Exclusive
Blizzard Entertainment's upcoming StarCraft shooter will not be an Xbox exclusive, though the exact platforms remain unclear. While Blizzard stated it's incorrect to call it an Xbox exclusive, they did not confirm PlayStation availability beyond PC. This announcement comes amidst Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard and a recent shift by Xbox towards console exclusives for some of its franchises.