| World of Warcraft is a landmark game and has been | | | | in 2006 is the upcoming expansion, The Burning |
| a sensation in its first year of release. As it proceeds | | | | Crusade. This title will incorporate elements from a |
| through its second year, it is likely to continue its | | | | previous game, Warcraft 3, by including the former |
| success and see its fan base become even greater. | | | | villains, the Burning Legion. It will add a new playable |
| The game world of Azeroth is also set to grow, as a | | | | race to both the Alliance and the Horde, with the |
| new game expansion is coming to enhance the World | | | | race of Blood Elves confirmed as joining the Horde. It |
| of Warcraft experience. | | | | is set to raise the game's level cap to 70 and open |
| World of Warcraft's challenge in 2006 will involve | | | | up the area of the Outlands. The planned content |
| maintaining its success. When the game first came | | | | and features look very promising. |
| out, it wasn't clear how it would perform. Blizzard | | | | It is interesting to consider how the World of |
| Entertainment were confident in the game and had | | | | Warcraft expansion will be received. It should satisfy |
| great hopes for it, but the gaming world was | | | | people, as it will offer growth and variety to the |
| uncertain, wondering how well the traditional | | | | whole experience. It will be fascinating to see what |
| Warcraft elements would fit with an interactive online | | | | new race is joining the Alliance, and it will be intriguing |
| world. It actually worked brilliantly, and so the game | | | | and different for the Horde to have their own |
| took off. | | | | "pretty" race in the form of the Blood Elves. In |
| Now the question is whether this is sustainable. It is | | | | general, the expansion is a good thing and will give |
| extremely likely. By this point, it is clear that World of | | | | the game more depth. It should make the game |
| Warcraft is not simply a passing craze but rather a | | | | more appealing to players. |
| title with serious, long-lasting appeal. The game saw | | | | World of Warcraft will also see its influence grow in |
| huge international growth in 2005 and in the early | | | | 2006. Its success has inspired the game industry to |
| weeks of 2006 has already reached 5.5 million | | | | develop similar titles and explore where the |
| subscribers worldwide. The game has built up major | | | | role-playing genre can go. There are games in |
| momentum and it does not feel like it has peaked. Its | | | | development that intend to follow Warcraft's lead. |
| sales are in great health, and more and more people | | | | The title "Borderlands" from Red Mushroom is one |
| are becoming interested in it. | | | | such example. This massively multi-player online |
| World of Warcraft should see its subscriber base | | | | role-playing game aims to refine its genre even |
| grow even further. It is impossible to predict the | | | | further, by making the game play more competitive |
| future, but it is plausible that it could reach a figure of | | | | and ruthless. It will be interesting to see how it |
| 6 to 7 million subscribers in the course of the new | | | | performs. |
| year. It is important to consider that a number of | | | | World of Warcraft has a lot to look forward to in its |
| countries received the game later than America, so | | | | second year. The subscriber base for the game |
| there is much potential for growth, as in global terms | | | | should grow, as it is now a genuine mainstream |
| it is a relatively new game. It was only in November | | | | success. The expansion will be the most significant |
| 2005 that it launched in Hong Kong, Macau and | | | | update to the game yet. It is clear that World of |
| Taiwan, so to those markets it is still a fresh title. | | | | Warcraft will continue to prosper and will be around |
| The most crucial development for World of Warcraft | | | | for a long time to come. |