Karsten lost his innocence in Azeroth
Game: World of Warcraft | Developer: Blizzard Entertainment | Platform: PC | Release Date: November 23, 2004 | Model: Buy2Play with subscription
Karsten Scholz: In the 38 years that I have been gaming, there have been some moments that have burned into my brain. For example, the first time controlling the most likeable plumber with an analog stick in Super Mario 64. The first virtual reality experience. Or also, and here we are on topic, the first steps in World of Warcraft.
Experiencing such a vast world as Azeroth, where you can meet other players everywhere, was something completely new and incredibly fascinating for me in 2005. WoW also delighted the Warcraft 3 fan in me, as everything – races, classes, spells, icons, 3D assets – immediately reminded me of the great RTS from Blizzard. It felt almost like “coming home”.
One of the many beautiful stories from the WoW community:
And then the mix of role-playing progression and social interaction also pressed the right buttons for me. I leveled up together with friends, joined a great guild with them, and stayed there for many years. We took down raid bosses, defeated PvP teams, celebrated weddings and guild meetings, and had the time of our lives.
Looking back, I even have to say today: WoW changed my life back then. I will never forget that “first time” and it marks the starting point of my MMORPG enthusiasm.
Paul Kutzner: Like for probably many players, World of Warcraft was also the first MMORPG that could captivate me. As a big fan of Warcraft 3, the fascination was hard to put into words. Just traveling to so many places that I already knew from the strategy game was enough to excite me.
But within the game, there was also a significantly larger aspect that captivated me and kept pulling me back into this world: the players. No matter where you traveled and completed quests – the players were omnipresent. And even though I initially had no idea what exactly I was supposed to do, I had a great time.
I remember how I spent ages with my Orc Warrior in Durotar. But not to complete quests here – but to sell bags. Yes, bags. The good 6-slot bags that I could craft for my warrior by (perhaps questionable) choice of the tailoring profession.
I wandered around the area for ages, farming linen cloth and advertising my bags in the area chat – successfully. I earned a small fortune for the time before moving on to the next areas. Economically it didn’t help much though: I still had to borrow gold for the mount at level 40. But it did provide me with enjoyment. And great memories that I will probably never forget.
On the next page, continue with two heartwarming anecdotes from MeinMMO editors Jasmin and Anna.
