But first, a disclaimer: Some will be unimpressed with the visual elements in World of Warcraft. Some prefer a greater graphical degree of realism to coat their world of fantasy. Some prefer their fiction to be caught up a little more snuggly within preconceived constructs. I am thankfully no longer one of these individuals.

The opening motion video does not depict legions of marauding armies. Nope, no burning cities either. No signing of peace treaties or war contracts. Instead, there is the individual. The singular, player-controlled entity placed within the elements, casting about their conundrums or fascinations, alert to an underpinning level of mounting unrest. Then: snap. One-on-one clashes erupt between Alliance and Horde members, tearing away at your computer screen, giving you a bone-crushing handshake with the world that is Warcraft. Seen small, it’s a subtle and brilliant illustration of that world’s shift from an RTS to an MMO. Seen big, it’s a testament to the TLC that went into every inch of this game.