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WoW Archivist: WoW in China, an uncensored history -- part 2
WoW Archivist explores the secrets of World of Warcraft's past. What did the game look like years ago? Who is etched into WoW's history? What secrets does the game still hold? In China, few Western games have been more embraced than World of Warcraft. But few games have endured more scrutiny from the government and more interruptions. As WoW Archivist covered two weeks ago, Chinese players have put up with censorship, endless waits for expansions, and intense bureaucratic meddling that shut the servers down for months. But their enthusiasm for the game remains. Today, we will look at the more recent years of WoW in China, the raiding scene there, and the game's impact on popular culture, including a certain infamous theme park... Too soon, Executus After sorting out issues with the Ministry of Culture and GAPP (General Administration of Press and Publications), WoW operator NetEase was on a roll. Though Cataclysm also faced delays, it launched in China on July 12, 2011 -- just half a year after the Western release. By the standards of prior expansions in China, this release was practically instantaneous. In a bitter irony, however, the expansion actually arrived too soon.
WRUP: That totally safe theme park we're working on
Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW Insider staff and ask them, "What are you playing this week?" -- otherwise known as WRUP. Join us to see what we're up to in and out of game, and catch us in the comments to let us know what you're playing, too! Earlier this week, we reported on World Joyland, the counterfeit Blizzard theme park that recently opened in China. It's got not just one cheap knock-off Arthas, but two cheap knock-off Arthases. You can visit Silvermoon City or even get your picture taken in front of a half-draenei, half-dwarf who is allied with the Horde. It looks super confusing. That got us here at WoW Insider thinking about a real, non-counterfeit World of Warcraft theme park with actual safety standards. A delicious lunch at The Mage Table. People dressed in boomkin costumes earning minimum wage. A fun swim in Thousand Needles! (Too soon?) So this week, in addition to the usual "what are you playing" question, I had our intrepid columnists help design our own WoW theme park. Petting zoos! Fire! It's all there! Care to sign a waiver before following me after the break? Totally routine, I assure you.
