| World of Warcraft (or WoW) was the first game in the Warcraft series that allowed gamers to play online in a virtual universe with one another. However, WoW wasn't the first entry in the Warcraft series. Blizzard Entertainment--creator of the Warcraft games--released three very popular Warcraft titles before WoW was introduced. WoW is classified as an MMORPG--a massively multiplayer online role playing game. Games of this genre allow players from across the world to play with one another simultaneously in an ever-evolving computer universe. This means that if you log off the game's server, the world continues without you and won't be the same the next time you log in. When a gamer purchases WoW and logs into the World of Warcraft server for the first time, he must create his own virtual character. There are eight different races to choose from and nine character classes. Some of the characters that players can choose from include humans, the undead, gnomes, elves, and trolls. Which character a player chooses will dictate the faction he's associated with: either Alliance or Shamans for the Horde. World of Warcraft has become so popular that it has spawned a secondary market for its virtual assets. World of Warcraft players are buying and selling in-game items and gold from one another for real money via auction sites, often using PayPal to manage the payment transaction. This is a controversial practice to say the least. While lawyers are trying to settle the legal issues surrounding the sale of virtual items, Blizzard has been vocal in its opposition of this activity and are actively suspending and canceling users suspected of selling these items. Since its release in November of 2004, the game has become the most popular MMORPG in the world, selling over 240,000 copies in the first 24 hours--more than any other PC game in history. With over 4,000,000 players throughout the world--and with over 500,000 logged in at any given time--the WoW phenomenon shows no signs of slowing down. And, with so many great deals available for purchasing the WoW game, it's the perfect time for those interested to delve into the world of Warcraft. |