Small World Of Warcraft Is The Board Game We Didn't Know We Needed
Blizzard Entertainment has partnered with Days of Wonder to create a new board game called Small World of Warcraft. As one of the leading video game developers and publishers in the west, Blizzard Entertainment is gearing up to release the next expansion to its popular MMORPG, World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, an expansion that adds controller support to the game after 16 years. Amid delay concerns, the company has assured fans the expansion will launch in the fall of 2020 as planned.
Days of Wonder is a board game publisher that has produced such classics as BattleLore and Ticket to Ride. In 2009, one of the company’s most popular board games, Small World, received three awards, including “Best Game of the Year, “Best Family Game,” and “Best Game Artwork.” The game’s success has led it to be adapted into digital format on the Apple iPad. Since its release, Small World has received multiple expansions, which add special races and powers to the core gameplay.
Combining the best of two worlds, Blizzard Entertainment has partnered with Days of Wonder to create a new board game called Small World of Warcraft. The game utilizes Small World’s gameplay mechanics and World of Warcraft’s universe. Small World of Warcraft sees players conquering territory and collect powerful artifacts. True to Small World’s gameplay, races can fall into decline, which will see players take control of a new race to achieve victory. Players choose combinations of special powers and races from the Warcraft universe, such as Portal Mage Pandarens or Herbalist Goblins, and vie for control of Azeroth. Fans can pre-order the game now.
World of Warcraft annexed control of the MMORPG space when it released in 2004, setting the standard for how such online games should function in the industry. However, over the years, competing titles have tried to replicate Blizzard’s subscription model with little success. Inevitably, it seems, competing MMORPGs, such as Star Wars: The Old Republic and Elder Scrolls Online, don’t impress fans enough to maintain a dedicated community and the services end up becoming free-to-play, though, they maintain a subscription option that provides bonuses for those willing to pay. WoW, on the other hand, is one of the only MMORPGs today that still mandates a subscription for gamers to continue playing after reaching a certain level. Considering the game’s robust, committed fan base and the consistency with which Blizzard releases expansions, it’s no wonder the game is still so successful.
Small World is a board game that has always been colorful and simple yet engaging. Its various races and powers offer enough different mechanics to make each match unique. Sending a race into decline doesn’t guarantee defeat. Indeed, utilizing the decline mechanic can be the difference between victory and failure, as its implementation allows players to use another race to reinforce the one in decline. One race to defend (the one in decline since it can no longer move) and one to conquer). Despite its simple nature, Small World requires a little bit of thought and strategy to achieve victory, assuming RNG favors the bold. Combining World of Warcraft with Small World only makes sense. Mix WoW’s vibrancy with Small World’s gameplay and fans have quite the captivating hybrid.
World of Warcraft is available on PC and Mac.
Source: Blizzard Entertainment