Although it's now 4 years old, Blizzard's World of Warcraft retains its top position as the world's most popular MMO (massive multiplayer online) game currently in existence.
First released in 2004 in the U.S. and 2005 in Europe the popular game now has over 11 million loyal followers around the world. The latest extension, Wrath of the Lich King, attracted thousands of keen players when it was simultaneously released in North America, Europe, Chile, Argentina and Russia. The previous immensely popular game extension, The Burning Crusade, sold around 2.4 million copies in the first day of its release. This record was broken by the latest release which sold 2.8 million copies in the first 24 hours.
Being a WoW fanatic is not a cheap hobby. In order to play Lich King gamers will have had spend cash on the upgrade from the original WoW, plus more cash for Burning Crusade and then pay the monthly subscription of £8.99 before shelling out another £24.99 for this latest extension.
So what is the secret to World of Warcraft's runaway success? There is no shortage of challengers for the lucrative number one position as the world's most popular MMO game. Funcom's Age of Conan and Electronic Arts' Warhammer Online use similar, fictional environments but don't yet have the established player-base enjoyed by WoW. More players may see them attain the top slot in 2009.
But we haven't really answered the question explaining why WoW is so popular. If you are a young gamer aged around 12 or 13 and all of your classmates are playing WoW online which game will you be asking for this Christmas? This is an important factor in the success of this game.
Another key factor is how Blizzard have made the game accessible and engaging by making it simpler than older MMO games. This has made the game less off-putting and more engaging to many new gamers. This is another key element in the WoW success story. And another outstanding feature is, of course, the graphics. The characters and game environment are very engaging and well designed.
What is particularly remarkable is that, although the world is falling into an ever deepening economic recession, there is still enough spare cash around to spend on escapist entertainment like WoW.
If you want to save some serious money I'd recommend a van lease or car leasing contract for great savings.
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