Escape From Mount Stupid: World of Warcraft

Danny journeys to Azeroth to see what has kept gamers coming back to World of Warcraft.


With this show we try to strike a balance between covering a game's history for fans of the series and educating those who want to learn more. Usually there is a significant crossover between the two, but when it comes to World of Warcraft, they tend to be mutually exclusive. Though millions around the world have played it to death, there is a larger group of gamers who think WOW fans are some sort of breed of super-nerd and want nothing to do with it.

I think it's a shame that one of the best games ever made has such a terrible public image. Mention you play it at a party, and chances are the conversation will turn to games addiction or live-action role-playing within a few sentences. Not that you'd ever mention it at a party. Unless you particularly enjoy being ostracized and having people point and laugh at you from across a room. I'm sure we'll tackle games addiction properly in the future, but this really wasn't the place to do it.

This episode is largely skewed towards those of you who've never been to Azeroth. Those of you who've never gotten the hook, how the general gameplay works, and the reason behind its enduring popularity. Personally I think WOW may be jumping the shark with these pandas, but if this episode can evoke even a small amount of the wonder we felt playing WOW for the first time, then I'll be pleased.

World of Warcraft isn't for everybody, but its significance in gaming should be recognized and celebrated by all.



I've played WoW for about half a year and got to lvl 70. I beat all of the dungeons I could at my lvl, and even made a fifty-player guild, but I didn't want to spend $30 on the next expansion, and my friends (in real life and WoW) couldn't afford it anymore so I just quit. It really is your friends that keep you playing once you reach a high level.