Warcraft is a fantasy video game series and media collection created by Blizzard Entertainment. The series includes six main games: Warcraft: Orcs & Humans (1994), Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness (1995), Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos (2002), World of Warcraft (2004), Hearthstone (2014), and Warcraft Rumble (2023). Originally a real-time strategy (RTS) series, Warcraft later expanded into other game types, starting with World of Warcraft, a popular game where many players can join together online. The franchise has also led to the creation of novels, comics, a tabletop game, a trading card game, and a 2016 movie.

The games are mainly set on a planet called Azeroth, as well as other planets and dimensions beyond the physical world. Azeroth is home to many races and civilizations, including common fantasy groups like elves, dwarves, gnomes, orcs, and trolls, along with unique races and creatures found only in the Warcraft universe. The stories focus on conflicts between different groups on Azeroth, often between the human-led Alliance and the orc-led Horde, telling the stories of heroes and villains from both sides. While rooted in high fantasy, the Warcraft universe also includes influences from science fiction and dark fantasy. The series stands out by featuring races like orcs, trolls, and undead as main characters, giving them detailed development and complex moral choices.

The Warcraft franchise has been very successful, earning more than $12 billion, making it one of the most profitable media collections ever. The games have received strong praise: the first three Warcraft games are seen as important examples of the RTS genre, and World of Warcraft is considered the most popular and influential online game of all time.

Video games

The first three games in the Warcraft series, along with their expansion packs, were released for both the PC and Macintosh computers. All of these games were real-time strategy games. Each game continued the story from the previous ones and added new features to improve gameplay. The name "Warcraft" was suggested by Blizzard developer Sam Didier. According to Blizzard co-founder Allen Adham, the name was chosen because "it sounded super cool," without any specific meaning attached to it.

Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness was the first game in the series to allow online play through Battle.net, though this feature was added in a later version of the game. Warcraft II was also the first to be re-released as a "Battle Chest," a package that included both the original game and its expansion. Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos was the first game to include a Collector's Edition, a format later used for all subsequent games in the series. Warcraft III and World of Warcraft later had "Battle Chests" released after their initial launches. The "Battle.net" version of Warcraft II introduced CD keys, which required each player to own their own copy of the game to connect online.

In 1998, an adventure game called Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans was announced as canceled, after being delayed from its planned 1997 release.

In 2004, Blizzard Entertainment shifted the Warcraft series away from real-time strategy games and released World of Warcraft, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). This game required players to pay a subscription fee and introduced regular updates called patches. World of Warcraft became the most popular subscription-based MMORPG worldwide by 2008, reaching 12 million players in October 2010. As of 2024, the game has had ten expansions, with two more planned. During the development of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, Blizzard co-founder Frank Pearce said that if a team wanted to create another Warcraft real-time strategy game, Blizzard would consider it. However, no such project was underway at the time, as teams focused on other games like Cataclysm, StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, and Diablo III.

In 2013, Blizzard announced a new free-to-play digital collectible card game titled Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft. The game’s beta version was available in summer 2013, and the full release happened in March 2014. Hearthstone includes free-to-play basic gameplay and optional paid features like additional card packs.

On May 3, 2022, Blizzard announced a new free-to-play mobile game called Warcraft Arclight Rumble.

In 2022, Blizzard and NetEase canceled an unannounced mobile spin-off game based on World of Warcraft.

On November 3, 2023, Blizzard released Warcraft Rumble, a free-to-play mobile game combining tower defense and action strategy. At BlizzCon 2023, Blizzard announced three upcoming expansions for The War Within, Midnight, and The Last Titan. These expansions are part of the Worldsoul saga, a story series led by Chris Metzen. Blizzard also announced World of Warcraft: Cataclysm Classic and confirmed plans to release new content more quickly in the future.

In September 2024, reports indicated that discussions about creating Warcraft 4 were ongoing. However, due to the poor reception of Warcraft III: Reforged, Blizzard executives decided not to proceed with the idea.

Other media

• Warcraft: The Board Game – a strategic board game made by Fantasy Flight Games, based on Warcraft III
• Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game – a role-playing game made by Sword & Sorcery Studios
• World of Warcraft: The Board Game – a board game based on World of Warcraft, also made by Fantasy Flight Games
• World of Warcraft: The Adventure Game – a board game based on World of Warcraft, also made by Fantasy Flight Games
• World of Warcraft Miniatures Game – a miniature battle game based on World of Warcraft, made by Upper Deck Entertainment

• World of Warcraft Trading Card Game – released from 2006 to 2013

• Warcraft: Of Blood and Honor (2000)
• Warcraft: Day of the Dragon (2001)
• Warcraft: Lord of the Clans (2001)
• Warcraft: The Last Guardian (2002)
• Warcraft: War of the Ancients (2007) The Well of Eternity (2004) The Demon Soul (2004) The Sundering (2005)
• World of Warcraft: Cycle of Hatred (2006)
• Warcraft Archive (2006)
• World of Warcraft: The Chronicles of War (2010) World of Warcraft: Rise of the Horde (2006) World of Warcraft: Tides of Darkness (2007) World of Warcraft: Beyond the Dark Portal (2008)
• World of Warcraft: Night of the Dragon (2008)
• World of Warcraft: Arthas: Rise of the Lich King (2009)
• World of Warcraft: Stormrage (2010)
• World of Warcraft: The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm (2010)
• World of Warcraft: Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects (2011)
• World of Warcraft: Wolfheart (2012)
• World of Warcraft: Jaina Proudmoore: Tides of War (2012)
• World of Warcraft: Vol'jin: Shadows of the Horde (2013)
• World of Warcraft: Dawn of the Aspects Parts I-V (2013)
• World of Warcraft: Paragons (2014)
• World of Warcraft: War Crimes (2014)
• World of Warcraft: Destination: Pandaria (2014)
• World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 (2016)
• World of Warcraft: Illidan (2016)
• Warcraft: Durotan – The Official Film Prequel (2016)
• Warcraft: The Official Novelization (2016)
• World of Warcraft: Traveler (2016)
• World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2 (2017)
• World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3 (2018)
• World of Warcraft: Traveler: The Spiral Path (2018)
• World of Warcraft: Before the Storm (2018)
• World of Warcraft: Traveler: The Shining Blade (2019)
• World of Warcraft: Shadows Rising (2020)
• World of Warcraft: Sylvanas (2022)
• World of Warcraft: War of the Scaleborn (2023)

• World of Warcraft (2007–2009), a series published by DC Comics imprint WildStorm
• World of Warcraft: Ashbringer (2008–2009), a four-issue miniseries published by WildStorm
• World of Warcraft: Curse of the Worgen (October 9, 2012)
• World of Warcraft: Pearl of Pandaria (September 25, 2012)
• Warcraft Saga Issue 1
• World of Warcraft: Dark Riders (May 7, 2013)
• World of Warcraft: Bloodsworn (August 13, 2013)
• World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor (2014), a three-issue series published by Blizzard
• Warcraft: Bonds of Brotherhood (2016)
• World of Warcraft: Legion (2016), a four-issue series published by Blizzard

• Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy, a manhwa series published by Tokyopop. Dragon Hunt (March 2005) Shadows of Ice (March 2006) Ghostlands (March 2007)
• Warcraft: Legends (2008–2009), a five-part graphic novel series, which continues The Sunwell Trilogy
• World of Warcraft: Death Knight (December 1, 2009)
• World of Warcraft: Mage (June 1, 2010)
• World of Warcraft: Shaman (September 28, 2010)
• World of Warcraft: Shadow Wing The Dragons of Outland (June 2010) Nexus Point (March 2011)

In 2009, Blizzard Entertainment announced it would release a magazine with Future US Ltd. The magazine was sold only through online subscriptions and not in stores, making it a collector’s item. It was published quarterly and had 148 pages with no advertisements. In September 2011, Blizzard announced the magazine would stop being published. Subscribers received refunds, plush toys, or in-game pets based on how long they had subscribed.

On May 9, 2006, Blizzard Entertainment and Legendary Pictures announced plans to make a live-action film set in the Warcraft universe. At BlizzCon 2008, a script was being written. In January 2013, Duncan Jones was named director, working from a script by Charles Leavitt. The film was planned to begin filming in early 2014, based on the novel Warcraft: The Last Guardian. On July 20, 2013, Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. showed a short video of the film during their San Diego Comic-Con 2013 panel. Production started on January 13, 2014. The first trailer was released on November 6, 2015. The film premiered in Los Angeles on June 6, 2016, and was released in the United States on June 10, 2016. Critics gave it mostly negative reviews, and it earned $439 million worldwide.

In 2015, Blizzard released Heroes of the Storm, a crossover multiplayer online battle arena video game. Players can choose characters from Blizzard’s games,

Setting

The Warcraft series mostly takes place on the planet Azeroth. Other planets in the Warcraft universe include Draenor (and its broken parts, called Outland), Argus, K'aresh, Mardum (also known as the Shattered Abyss), Xoroth, Rancora, and Nathreza. There are also otherworldly places like the Emerald Dream, the Elemental Planes, the Twisting Nether, the Great Dark Beyond, and the Shadowlands. The first game in the series, Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, happens on Azeroth.

Azeroth has four known continents: the Eastern Kingdoms, Kalimdor, Northrend, and Pandaria, which was recently discovered. All continents are separated by the Great Sea. Three major groups of islands are also in the Great Sea: the Broken Isles, Zandalar (where trolls originated), Kul Tiras (a sea-faring human nation), and the Dragon Isles (where dragons originated). In the center of the Great Sea is a huge, never-ending whirlpool called the Maelstrom. Beneath the Maelstrom lies the underwater city of Nazjatar, home to the Naga, an amphibious race. Near the Maelstrom is the volcanic island of Kezan, where goblins live.

The Eastern Kingdoms are the main setting for the first two games and their expansions, as well as the first part of Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos. This area has 22 regions. The kingdom of Stormwind is located in the south of the Eastern Kingdoms, south of the dwarven kingdom of Khaz Modan and north of the jungle called Stranglethorn Vale. Stormwind City, the capital of Stormwind, is in the northwest of Elwynn Forest, a large forest in the center of the kingdom. The dwarven capital, Ironforge, is in Dun Morogh.

The former human kingdom of Lordaeron, which led the human Alliance in Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness but was later taken over by the Scourge in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, is located north of the southern kingdoms. The ruined city of Lordaeron now lies beneath the Undercity, the capital of the Forsaken, a group of undead rebels. This area is now called Tirisfal Glades and is near the Western Plaguelands, which are held back by The Bulwark. Northeast of Lordaeron is the elven nation of Quel'Thalas and its capital, Silvermoon, both of which were conquered by the Scourge in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos.

The continent of Kalimdor was introduced in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and has 18 zones. While the Eastern Kingdoms resemble medieval Europe with kingdoms and cities, Kalimdor is like the Americas before European arrival, with wild, untamed lands. Kalimdor’s geography includes large forests and mountains in the north and deserts and savannahs in the south. The Night Elf kingdom is in the northwest of Kalimdor, including the island Teldrassil, a giant tree off the northwest coast, which holds the city of Darnassus.

To the south of Kalimdor, past the Ashenvale Forest, is the Barrens, located between the grasslands of Mulgore to the west and Durotar, the land settled by orcs, to the east. Mulgore is home to Thunder Bluff, the Tauren capital, built on high plateaus accessible only by air travel and lifts. In the north of Durotar is Orgrimmar, the orcish capital.

The third continent, Northrend, is in the northern polar region of Azeroth and is the main base of the Undead Scourge. Northrend appears in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and its expansion, The Frozen Throne, and is the main setting of World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, the second expansion of World of Warcraft.

In the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm expansion, Azeroth changed permanently in the game, even for players without the expansion. The corrupted Black Dragon Aspect, Deathwing the Destroyer (formerly Neltharion, the Earth-Warder), broke free from imprisonment in Deepholm, part of the Elemental Plane, causing major changes and destruction. Many previously inaccessible areas of Azeroth became important parts of the world.

Lore-wise, this is the second major change to Azeroth’s appearance. The first was the Sundering, which happened during the War of the Ancients when demons from the Burning Legion invaded Kalimdor. This caused a massive explosion that split the single continent into four and created the Maelstrom.

World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria, the fourth expansion, focuses on Pandaria, a continent far to the south that was hidden by magical mists. Pandaria is home to the Pandarens, a race of giant panda-like humans. Adventurers from both factions explore Pandaria, discovering the ancient Pandaren people, their enemies the Mantid, and the Mogu. The story of Mists of Pandaria is divided into chapters. The initial chapter teaches players about Pandaria and its history, while later chapters bring the Horde and Alliance back into conflict, eventually returning players to Kalimdor for a final battle against Warchief Garrosh Hellscream.

World of Warcraft: Legion, the sixth expansion, focuses on the Broken Isles, a group of islands northeast of the Maelstrom in the Great Sea. One island holds the Tomb of the Dark Titan Sargeras. The Burning Legion invades Azeroth, and players must find powerful artifacts to stop the invasion. After defeating the Legion, players travel to Argus, the Legion’s homeworld, to end the threat. Although successful, they could not fully stop Sargeras, who left a magical sword embedded in Azeroth, causing it to bleed a substance called "Azerite."

World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth, the seventh expansion, focuses on the islands of Kul Tiras and Zandalar, which are home to their respective kingdoms. This is the first expansion to introduce two new continents at launch. During this expansion, the Horde and Alliance seek help from the kingdoms of Zandalar and Kul Tiras to fight the renewed conflict between the factions. Players learn the histories of both kingdoms and uncover plots involving the Old Gods. Events linked to N'Zoth and his followers lead to the discovery of Nazjatar, the underwater kingdom of Azshara, and Mechagon, an island inhabited by the Mechagnomes. The final patch of Battle for Azeroth takes players to the Vale of Eternal Blossoms and Uldum to cure them of N'Zoth’s corruption and face the Old God in his empire of Ny'alotha. This expansion also gives players choices that affect their adventures, such as joining the orc Varrok Saurfang in his rebellion.

Reception

In 1999, Next Generation ranked Warcraft and StarCraft as number 32 on their list titled "Top 50 Games of All Time." They noted that Warcraft did not start the real-time strategy game genre, but it helped make it popular with many players. Warcraft II improved the genre by being simple to play, well-designed, visually attractive, and very fun. By 2004, the series had sold more than 15 million copies.