5 Years of Warcraft 3

[SantaBla]

Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos Five-Year Anniversary: July 2007

With the launch of Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos five years ago this month, gamers worldwide first began to play out the story of the corruption of Arthas Menethil and the cataclysmic return of the Burning Legion to Azeroth. In addition to spotlighting the exploits of several heroic and villainous characters from Warcraft lore, including Thrall, Jaina Proudmoore, Kel'Thuzad, and Illidan and Malfurion Stormrage, Warcraft III introduced a number of enhancements to the Warcraft real-time-strategy series. The broadest of these was the shift to 3D graphics and the addition of two more playable races for multiplayer competition -- the Undead and the Night Elves.

Of the many new elements that Warcraft III brought to Warcraft multiplayer battles, one of the most notable was the concept of legendary heroes which grew significantly in power as they gained experience and acquired magical items located throughout each map. Combined with substantial Battle.net upgrades, such as anonymous matchmaking and an advanced ladder system complete with seasonal tournaments, Warcraft III quickly became a fixture in international competitive gaming. Countless players across the globe continue to play the game actively today -- for fun on Battle.net and also professionally.

Another major feature of Warcraft III is its extensive set of mapmaking tools, dubbed the World Editor, which players use to create their own maps, ranging in complexity from basic to extremely elaborate. One of the most popular Warcraft III World Editor maps has been Defense of the Ancients (NO THX), which has inspired multiple spinoffs (some of which have been featured in amateur and professional tournaments) as well as an entrancing Swedish dance song.

The warm reception that Warcraft III earned from players was mirrored by the press. As a result, the game went on to win numerous industry awards and is still counted among the highest rated PC games of all time. Via the links below, you can check out some of the generous reviews the game received back during the second half of 2002:

* The Armchair Empire
* FiringSquad
* Game Over Online
* GamePro
* Game Revolution
* The Gamers' Temple
* GameSpot
* GameSpy
* IGN
* MacGamer
* Macworld

We thank all the Warcraft III players and fan sites out there for the overwhelming enthusiasm they've shown for the game these past five years. With your ongoing support, we believe that the global Warcraft III communities will continue to thrive for many more years to come. If you have a chance, be sure to stop by our Mod Support website to check out some of the incredible Warcraft III maps that players have created. Also, feel free to visit our Warcraft III forums to share your favorite Warcraft III gaming moments or discuss anything else related to the game.

Source:http://www.blizzard.com/press/5-years-warcraftiii.shtml

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