After seven expansions, World of Warcraft’s story never had a chance

It was inevitable that World of Warcraft would ruin its story. The current hubbub surrounding the leadup to the Battle for Azeroth expansion has Horde leader and fan-favorite character Sylvanas Windrunner becoming a war criminal to kick off the storylines. And while there are debates surrounding whether this fits the characterization of Sylvanas, how it fits into the lore, or whether the writers are succeeding or not, these seem to me to all miss the point: That World of Warcraft is unable to maintain its serialized storytelling.

There aren’t many parallels to WOW’s narrative progression in game history. A story told across a main game, seven expansions, 14 years, and millions of players while using the same characters is essentially unprecedented — most franchises have long since rebooted or ended or switched focus. Instead, World of Warcraft’s closest parallels in serialization are on television or in comic books, and the precedent there is not good.

Unlock premium content and VIP community perks with GB M A X! Join now to enjoy our free and premium perks. 

Join now →

Sign in to your account.