World of Warcraft Swells to 5m
Another milestone as Blizzard's life-stealer moves further into Southeast Asia.
While many publishers are seeing some of their top franchises suffer, Blizzard is instead comfortably watching its world-dominating massively multiplayer online game World of Warcraft go from strength to strength. And the company has just announced that it has hit another milestone.
Already one of the most popular online games ever, World of Warcraft has now welcomed more than 5 million people to its ever-expanding online world.
Blizzard has not got to this point without hard work, though. The company has made a conscious effort to keep the experience fresh for old-timers while still keeping things simple for newcomers.
Another reason for the game's surging population is its expansion into Southeast Asia, where online gaming is taken to the next level. World of Warcraft launched in China earlier this year and November saw it spread into Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
After several patches that made minor additions to the core experience, Blizzard is preparing to release the first official expansion pack for the game later this year. World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade will add new monsters, skills and story elements and also raise the level-cap for experienced players.
Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games
Satoru Iwata Video Interview - the late Nintendo president spoke with Kikizo in 2004 as 'Nintendo Revolution' loomed.
Kaz Hirai Video Interview - the first of Kikizo's interviews with the man who went on to become global head of Sony.
Ed Fries Video Interview - one of Xbox's founders discusses an epic journey from Excel to Xbox.
Yu Suzuki, the Kikizo Interview - we spend time with one of gaming's most revered creators.
Tetris - The Making of an Icon: Alexey Pajitnov and Henk Rogers reveal the fascinating story behind Tetris
Rare founders, Chris and Tim Stamper - their only interview? Genuinely 'rare' sit down with founders of the legendary studio.
The History of First-Person Shooters - a retrospective, from Maze War to Modern Warfare