FACA

The last "modern" game I ever played was World of Warcraft, from 2004 to 2010, the end of Wrath of the Lich King. I know there were MMORPGs before (and after), but when the original World of Warcraft launched in 2004, it felt closer to "perfection" than any game before or since. Nothing has changed that feeling to this day. What changed was the game itself after the death of Arthas in Wrath of the Lich King. The original WoW felt so vast, so open, and so alive - it’s hard to put into words. There was no min-maxing yet, no speedruns, no parsing records, no gear score requirements. If you were really "pro," you connected with friends or guildies via Ventrilo. There was no WeakAuras, no threat meters, no Questie guiding you. You quickly learned that even the most expensive vendor gear was trash compared to quest rewards. You had to walk from Elwynn Forest to the Redridge Mountains - and if you dared peek across the river into Duskwood, the spiders there would one-shot you (I’m sure we all did that). The first time you equipped a green item! The first time you swapped it for a blue! And the envy of seeing someone with purple gear, omg! Saving up for a mount and the catharsis when you could finally afford one! The first time you entered the Deadmines, the foolish solo attempt on Hogger only to realize instantly it was a death sentence, stepping into Alterac Valley battlegrounds and being in awe of its size, wiping on Ragnaros again and again before finally killing him, and the sheer joy of celebrating together with your guild. The excitement and awe of entering Naxxramas for the first time, struggling to down Patchwerk, the teamwork, the slow progress, seeing Sapphiron dead on the frozen ground and being moments away from Kel’Thuzad… so close! It truly felt like a massive world - not just in size, but in stories. The announcement of The Burning Crusade and the Dark Portal appearing in the Blasted Lands; you couldn’t wait to walk through it. Then the ultimate climax when Wrath of the Lich King launched, eventually facing the most badass character in gaming history: Arthas. World of Warcraft was magic. Until it wasn’t. Just like Blizzard was once the greatest game studio of all - until they weren’t. Warcraft used to be tough, glorious and epic... now it's pink Disney fluff. Nothing has recaptured that feeling from 2004 to 2010. I wonder if anything ever will again. I sometimes watch the trailer of the original WoW. It still hits close to the (gamer) heart…