The original World of Warcraft was released on Nov. 23, 2004 and, what now feels like overnight, changed the industry forever. A longstanding and deeply embedded player base, plus the game’s innovation in live service and massively multiplayer online gaming, have made World of Warcraft one of the most played video games of all time.
Here, you’ll find a collection of stories about World of Warcraft today, 20 years ago, and at many notable points between (remember the blood plague?).
Almost 20 years in, World of Warcraft is the freshest it’s been in years — and it’s thanks to WoW Classic
Game of Thrones star Kristian Nairn says World of Warcraft got him off drugs
World of Warcraft’s 20-year anniversary will be a full patch of celebration
How Netflix’s Remarkable Life of Ibelin pulled off its World of Warcraft scenes without Blizzard’s knowledge
World of Warcraft’s new character-select screen made me emotional
Why I still hold onto my Phantom Blade in World of Warcraft