World of Warcraft: An Introduction

For beginners with the World of Warcraft online role-playing game, some explanation of certain trivia is necessary to be able to gain an in-depth analysis and appreciation of why the game attracts millions of participants worldwide.

World of Warcraft was created by Blizzard Entertainment and at first the company made little impact with its Warcraft:Orcs and Humans. With the creation of Warcraft 2: Tides of Darkness, however, its popularity increased dramatically. This second release in the video game series gained it much more recognition. Fans of Warcraft 2 consider it one of the best games with its exciting game play, outstanding storytelling and superb graphics. This was followed by an equally enthralling game called Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos, thus setting a high mark for gaming.

As Blizzard prepared the world for another release, a huge fan following eagerly awaited a new game that promised to be even more user-friendly and complex. World of Warcraft is the fourth game that exists in the fantasy world of the Warcraft universe.

In the geographical World of Warcraft, two planets are at its centre: Azeroth and Outland. Within Azeroth are the continents of Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor. Residing in Kalimdor are Orcs, Trolls, Blood Elves and Tauren. Outland became part of the game after the release of The Burning Crusade. The geographical area becomes quite complex as each part and each village creates another world within.

Players in World of Warcraft take on the characters of those in the game - Azeroth avatars. There are ten races of avatars and nine character classes. The races are spread out into two opposing factions - the Alliance and the Horde. The Alliance consists of Humans, Dwarves, Gnomes, Night Elves and Draenei. The Horde is made up of Tauren, Orcs, Undead, Trolls and Blood Elves. Other races are included also: Murlocs, Goblins, Ogres and Naga. The nine available classes are: Priest, Druit, Warrior, Rogue, Warlock, Hunter, Mage, Paladin and Shaman.

There's opportunity for players to develop their character skills beyond fighting. These are non-fighting skills called professions. The professions are set out as primary skills related to weapons gathering, creation and secondary professions. While playing the game, players can earn different items for each game character. Items can include herbs, ores, armor and weapons.

Since its creation, World of Warcraft has won many gaming awards and has evolved into a franchise of cards, board games and other products. Of the many books written about the game, each highlights the numerous stories as depicted and related in the original games.

Today, the World of Warcraft continues to gain more and more adherents as it attracts those eager to participate in the wonders of a virtual world. For those wanting an exhilarating experience of exploration and fighting to overcome odds in an alternative virtual universe, World of Warcraft is a good place to begin.

Bob Gill is an online entrepreneur, having been online for over 10 years. He has a fascination for World of Warcraft, especially as the game continues to intrigue its many participants.

For more information on the many aspects of this popular video game, visit: World of Warcraft Reviews [http://www.world-of-warcraft-reviews.com]