Gaming Guide We do the math
World of Warcraft is as famous as any game out there and probably older than quite a bit of its player base, too.
WoW became “the thing” back in the early 2000s and today it’s part of pop culture around the globe with millions of fans across all continents. I was never really much of a fan, but I respect greatness when I see it.
Now, I have to admit that I have “a thing” for physical copies of games. There is nothing quite like having the game DVD in your hand, admiring its artwork, sipping a nice French wine and reminiscing the moments you spent with the game, not unlike with a photograph of an old fling.
When I feel nostalgia for some old game I’ve played and it stayed in my memory, it’s often quite enough to have a glance at the game DVD on my rack and have that nostalgic feeling satisfied.
If there is a choice, I always go for physical copies of games. But this can often be a double-edged sword. Sometimes an attractive looking package can catch my attention and wake up a desire even though I never planned to play the game within. But then, it’s that true for all areas of life?
Hence, when a nice deal pops out on my favorite retail stores and the package looks nice, I just shut up and offer them my money.
WoW Classic Box
The moment I saw the WoW Classic box displayed at a local retail store I knew I’ll fall to the temptation. It looked simply stunning. It is double the size of a standard DVD case and it is inside a cardboard box rather than plastic.
The package was exactly how I like it and it spoke to me, a promise of a journey, a new world I can visit and explore. And I am such a sucker for worlds and visits. When I visit my family & friends, they cannot get rid of me.
The famous “World of Warcraft” logo is printed on a discrete texture and bellow it, an inscription „Your epic quest begins here“.
My hands quickly went through all the holes in my coat and I managed to pluck enough bills to pay the 18 bucks someone asked for when I grabbed the game and tried to leave.
For a price of one indie game, you basically get all WoW expansions until Battle for Azeroth, or at least that is what is written on the box.
Taking It Home
After coming home and opening a nice bottle of Bordeaux, it was time to unwrap the object of my desire. The package opens like a book to reveal sketches and characters with several guides and in-game basics.
You’ll need to peel off or cut a plastic sticker to open the case and pull out a cardboard with the disc and instructions placed inside.
That cardboard looks cheap and it ruins the whole presentation a bit, but that is also part of the ritual, the standard fare. I’ve hardly unwrapped anything without at least raising an eyebrow.
Inside the package you’ll find the Lich King pointing a sword at you. On that piece of paper is a registration code for the first month. A pretty blonde on a second card suggests that I can play for free until level 20.
The DVD itself is in a paper case with a sketch from the face of the box. The most interesting object I found inside is a book about the game.
It is a rather thick volume, with some 240 pages of lore, races, characters’ classes and their professions, game styles and all the things you can possibly ask for.
It throws you straight into the fire explaining the two sides at war, who belongs to Alliance, which races are part of the Horde, why Pandaren can choose between those two sides and where you’ll do the fighting.
Of course, most of you are never going to read the whole guide book – what is sweeter than personal experience and learning it for yourself, but it is a nice touch and I know the exact place where it will go on my shelf.
With all the ingredients present, my epic quest can begin now. I missed the chance when WoW originally came out, but now I can jump on the boat. Time alone will tell if this box will keep its place on the shelf and in my never-big-enough collection.
You can watch the unpacking below:
