Blizzard has finally unveiled the firstWarcraftthemed game in eight years, and it is a mobile title under the nameWarcraft: Arclight Rumble. While the studio continuously updatesWorld of WarcraftandHearthstone, it is still not using theWarcraftbrand to its full potential. Riot Games has greenlit a boatload of differentLeague of Legendsspin-offs, for example, but Blizzard has elected to only release two sinceWorld of Warcrafthas been on the market.Hearthstoneeven went so far as to drop theHeroes of Warcraftmoniker and addDiabloto the title, making it move farther away from the greaterWarcraftfranchise.
TheWarcraftfranchise has been going strong ever since the first title launched in 1994. The series began as an RTS series before making the transition to theMMO genre with 2004’sWorld of Warcraft, and the focus of the franchise has been on that ever since. Azeroth and its residents have become one of the most well-known characters in the PC landscape, and it has become one of the most popular fantasy worlds out there. While Blizzard has created many tie-in novels and a film, it has yet to fully embrace the brand on the gaming side. With only two spin-offs sinceWorld of Warcraftwas released, Blizzard really needs to capitalize on the series.
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Blizzard Has Released Some Warcraft Content
Almost every year, Blizzard releases a couple oftie-in novels toWorld of Warcraft. These novels expand upon the in-game lore and help to set up future events on Azeroth, and while Blizzard is often criticized for putting crucial story material into these novels, they serve as really fun reads for fans who want to learn more about the world that they are exploring. These novels have ranged from history textbooks and fairy tales to important story beats and prequels to upcoming expansions. They have helped Blizzard tell stories outside the game and have gone a long way to making Azeroth feel more fleshed out, even if there is some contradicting information sometimes.
The focus of theWarcraftbrand has been onWorld of Warcraftever since it was released. Blizzard has constantly added new content and is currently gearing up to releaseWorld of Warcraft: Dragonflight. The studio has also greenlit two different spin-offs forWorld of Warcraftwhich have let players explore these characters in different genres.Hearthstonewas released in 2014 and brought theWarcraftseries to the trading card game world, but the story inside it has been deemed non-canon by Blizzard. There is also the upcomingWarcraft: Arclight Rumblewhich will bring the series back to its strategy roots, but it is also going to be non-canon toWorld of Warcraft.
The only otherWarcraftthemed content that has released sinceWarcraftbegan was theWarcraftfilm that released in 2016. The film retold the events ofWarcraft: Orcs and Humansin live-action form. It received mixed reviews and there has not been any hints that a sequel will come to light, even with many fans hoping fora live-action film about Arthas.Warcraftcharacters also made an appearance as playable heroes inHeroes of the Storm, but the events of that game have zero connection to what is happening inWorld of Warcraft. There was also a time whenWorld of Warcraftwould appear in various ads for companies like Mountain Dew, but that has long since ended.
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The Warcraft Brand is an Untapped Gold Mine
WhileWorld of Warcraftis still chugging along, theWarcraftbrand has barely been tapped by Blizzard. Since 2004, the studio has only released two spin-off titles that are non-canon to the franchise even thoughWorld of Warcrafthas dominated the MMO genre. In comparison, Riot Games announced a slew ofdifferentLeague of Legendsspin-offsin 2019 that will all tell stories featuring theLeaguechampions. Blizzard has yet to do the same thing with the characters across Azeroth, and that is a missed opportunity.
Azeroth is ripe with storytelling potential, but Blizzard has seemingly elected to tell it solely through novels andWorld of Warcraft. While it makes sense that Blizzard would focus on the MMO, the studio should also consider releasing standalone titles focusing on thedifferent characters that make up Azeroth, These games could bridge the gap between expansions, tell stories during expansions, fill characters in on backstory, and help flesh out the fantasy world more than the MMO ever could. It could also provideWarcraftfans with games to play while the MMO has content droughts.
There are so many characters across Azeroth that could benefit from a standalone title, and the franchise could fit in a multitude of different genres. Blizzard could craft an RTS game similar to the olderWarcraftgames set duringBattle for Azeroth. There could be an RPG focused on theevents that lead Sylvanas Windrunnerto where she is at the end ofShadowlands. Blizzard could create a side-scroller following Chromie as she traverses history to stop some adversary.Warcraftcould even work in the fighting game genre with a title focusing on Thrall’s gladiator days as he fights for his own freedom. Whatever form these spin-offs take, they would go a long way to making Azeroth feel more alive.
The lack ofcanon spin-offs in theWarcraftfranchiseis a disservice to Azeroth. The series is one of the biggest fantasy series in gaming and is one of the most successful brands that Blizzard owns, so it only makes sense to capitalize on it. Giving players more opportunity to explore their favorite fantasy world will only benefit the franchise in the long run, and it may even pull more players to the world of Azeroth.
