"Classic" is a subtly revamped version of the original version of "World of Warcraft," which was originally released in 2004. Technically
speaking, it's based on version 1.12 of the game, which was released in
2006. To put this into perspective, the modern "World of Warcraft" is at
version 8.2.
"World of Warcraft Classic is a faithful recreation of the original World of Warcraft," Blizzard's website says of the game. "Combat
mechanics, original character models, and [player skills] all contribute
to a truly authentic experience."The new version of the game, called
"vanilla" by longtime fans, was a curious one for many people. I mean,
who wants to pay $13 to $15 a month just to play a more difficult
version of a game that already has a bevy of expansion packs?
There are many players who first stepped into the world of Azeroth in the 2000s and can reminisce about countless hours spent grinding,
finding groups for quests and raids, and just walking around, taking in
the sights.
All of these elements made it the nostalgic experience that many have called for in the wake of the big changes that "World of Warcraft"
has made over the years, bringing fresh content and user-interface
features that simplified the experience. This new approach makes it
easier to survive in-game and look for groups — but at what cost?
The original game was a cultural icon. It spawned viral memes, was featured in TV shows, and eventually helped combat the denigrating
stereotypes of "gamers." It defined a genre of games, broke sales
records, and became the gold standard for the countless online games
that emerged.
