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Streaming, Not Just For Shows

We stream everything else, why not stream your video games too?

Streaming video, whether it be through YouTube, Twitch, Netflix, or Hulu, has already become a staple of most households in some fashion, whether or not you’re particularly tech-savvy or not. Smart TVs and other streaming-primed devices make slipping into a world of internet based media all the easier for the average media consumer. But what about video games?

It seems like the video game industry is trying to “Blockbuster” the brick and mortar game stores.

Digital downloads of video games are no new feature of the tech industry. We’ve been legally downloading video games since the early 2000’s when internet bandwidth finally allowed for users to access their content without taking forever. While the technology existed in the 1980’s, the downloading of video games was severely hindered by internet technology. As our bandwidths have grown, companies have increasingly transitioned to distributing their content to us via the internet.

When was the last time you bought a physical version of a non-Nintendo title? While discs are available for the newest generations of consoles, downloading of titles directly from console stores has been around for the Xbox 360/PlayStation for three years, and has only grown in popularity. So much so, that rather than downloading a game on the PS4, you are now able to stream titles from the gaming cloud.

Much like Netflix, services like PlayStation’s “PlayStation Now”, gamers will be able to stream their favorite PlayStation exclusive titles from various console generations, all for a subscription fee. What’s perhaps best of all, is that this streaming service also extends to PC gamers, effectively bridging a very wide gap for many budget-based players. Such services would allow players to enjoy PlayStation titles without having to purchase the system or game themselves.

Myself, I originally purchased an Xbox 360 in the previous generation of consoles and proceeded to trick it out with every game I came across. As a result, when the prices dropped for the PlayStation 3, after the launch of the PlayStation 4, I had limited incentive to purchase the PS3, as many of the games I desired I already owned on the Xbox 360. Exclusives are not always enough to buy an entire console for, I discovered. However, a service like PlayStation Now, would allow me to play a series like The Last of Us, that I’ve been coveting for years, in addition to older titles I may never have purchased for my now-dusty PlayStation 2. While the benefits seem endless on paper, don’t throw your discs away into the Boston Harbor or cancel your game downloads just yet.

While there are loads of great potentials to these new game delivery methods, drawbacks remain. Xbox One’s streaming service, the “Xbox Game Pass”, for example, only allows players to stream titles on an Xbox One console, losing out on one of the great features of the PlayStation Now service. Conversely, PlayStation Now currently only offers older generation games, while the Xbox Game Pass offers current-gen titles. Much like paying for different TV shows or movies from streaming media providers, perhaps differences like these are par for the course?

Gamers will likely need to seek various methods in order to gain access to the titles they want. In the same vein, there’s also the issue of streaming services removing titles. We’ve seen it happen countless times with Netflix or Hulu – your favorite show is pulled before you have a chance to binge-watch it a third time. Could you imagine the outrage a gamer would face when losing access to a game they’ve slowly picked away at, just before they finally got to get all of their achievements or to beat the game at all? I shudder to think of the technology what would be destroyed that day.

We stream everything else, why not video games?

Similarly, rage could easily settle in for gamers who face the buffering boss. While we can all accept that buffering occurs in online media streaming, are we ready to face unavoidable lag caused by streaming our games? Streaming services not only need their own networking technology up to snuff, but also require players to have solid connections on their own end. Additionally, let us not forget that some countries have data caps on their internet services, and large amounts of high-quality streaming may actually be impossible without emptying the bank over internet services.

Is it all worth it? Depending on your origin console of choice, internet access, and spare money, maybe. PlayStation Now currently offers one-month memberships, three-month memberships, and annual memberships. One month costs $19.99 US vs. $100 for the year. Comparatively, the Xbox Game Pass costs $9.99 US for unlimited access to their streaming games library. Depending on what you want out of the streaming service, it can be a great investment. However, on paper, it certainly seems like PlayStation Now has some catching up to do, at least on price-to-product value delivery purely based on the subscription fee. However, if you’re a primarily PC gamer like myself, and want to check out some PlayStation 3 games you missed out on in the previous console generation, it’s the perfect opportunity to explore.

In a world of constant connection, how does video game streaming affect those with limited internet access?

There’s a lot of potential for game streaming services as they continue to be developed on current-gen consoles. While there are a lot of kinks to work out, we can hope to see the development of Netflix-quality level distribution as time goes forward. It may be too much to hope that a single service could acquire rights for digital streaming distribution (i.e. through Steam), but we can at least hope that developers look at their competition and work to bring desirable features to their own brands.

Xbox could take a page from PlayStation’s book, and bring older titles alongside PC access for their streaming services, while PlayStation ought to lower its price and add current-gen titles to their streaming library. Either way, I’m keeping my bandwidth open, and my eyes peeled for streaming developments. And who knows, maybe the next title I get to immerse myself in will be The Last Of Us after all.

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How do you feel about video game streaming? Let us know in the comments below, or hit us up on Discord, on our Facebook page, or Twitter!

Getting the Most from Windows 10 Game Mode

We tinker with Microsoft’s newest ‘game mode’ added to Windows 10, can it help make your gaming rig the best it can be?

I’ll admit it, my system is currently still running Windows 7. Over the years since 8 was released, and now 10, I haven’t really found the need or desire to swap systems. Windows 7 has always offered everything I wanted for my gaming rig, in addition to having control over things and a lack of “apps” on a PC. That being said, Windows 10’s new ‘game mode’ has me questioning whether or not it might be time to take that leap into Microsoft’s double digits and see what the newest software can really do. Hang out a little longer to find out why.

Windows has been a long-standing staple of computer-based gaming. While some titles wander over to MacOS or Linux machines, Windows carries lion’s share of the marketplace. And while it existed before Windows 95, the interface and Windows that we have come to know and love really only started since Windows 95. If you managed to last through all the clips contained in the above-linked YouTube video (my favorite is the last one), you can see what a turning point they thought Windows 95 was to it’s more Mac-looking predecessors. A new era of gaming and Windows was born.

It’s hard to think that the Windows interface we know and love started out over 20 years ago. How far have we come?

So with just over 20 solid gamer-representin’ years under their belt, Microsoft has decided to address their lions and launch their ‘game mode’ for Windows 10. The operating system, which went live in July of 2015, has received a mixed array of comments over the months since it’s initial release, including criticism of its stealth OS upgrades which happened to a large portion of unwitting users. While a lot of that mess is behind them, Microsoft is trying to hold onto its image and keep its market favour, likely in hopes that developers don’t decide to suddenly make the gaming market a bit more even. Enter, game mode.

Back in January of this year, Microsoft announced on its developer blog that it was going to be improving the gaming and streaming tools available to its consumers, boasting increased performance, fan-requested features, and beam streaming to roll out over 2017.

“Whether you play on Xbox One, a Windows 10 PC, your mobile phone, or anywhere you sign-in with Xbox Live, we’re going to make your gaming experiences easier, more social, and better with innovative hardware and software features throughout the year.”

With all the goodies Microsoft purported to be planning for this gaming improvement, many people appeared to be rather excited. However, back in January, very little was actually said by Microsoft about what they had in store, other than “increased performance” for gaming. As users started to gain access to the fledgling mode since late January, opinions have been mixed about whether or not the mode actually helps to optimize your system for increased gaming performance. Basically, the mode is designed to turn your computer more into a console-type hardware experience, in that, it will prioritize your CPU and video card usage to focus on the game you’re playing, rather than those pesky background tasks. We all leave things like Chrome, Discord, or iTunes open while playing games (if your PC can handle it of course), and game mode purport to help make sure those programs are only taking as much juice as they absolutely need to function. Their goal at launch was to target your frame rates and provide a smoother gameplay experience, no matter what the title.

After turning on game mode, you’ll be able to pull up a very Xbox-looking interface over your currently active game UI, in order to enable or disable the improvements. As the video above describes, Microsoft was also toying with the idea of letting games turn on this mode automatically, ensuring an even more seamless user-experience. While it may not provide that much of a boost now, its current installment may help bridge the gap between playable and non-playable games, for less robust PC setups, as RandomGamingHD states in their YouTube video “Does the New Window 10 ‘Game Mode’ Improve Gaming Performance.” Microsoft themselves have said that it is exactly these lower-end systems that they want game mode to help the most.

RandomGamingHD’s conclusions, like many others we’ve reviewed, came to the optimistic conclusion that while game mode might not quite be where it needs to be yet, it genuinely offers an integrated potential for improving gaming, especially when you need to squeeze the last drop of power you can from an aging rig. After following Microsoft’s progression through the years, I’m excited to see what they’ve learned from console production, and operating system development, to see how they will continue to meld them together over the calendar year.

While Windows 10 gaming mode may only offer small tweaks and improvements at this time, it has Windows 10 skeptics like me intrigued about the possibility of a PC running optimally for gaming, rather than it being an afterthought. If the mode is perfected and improved upon over the coming months, you may see myself and others like me, switching to reap the benefits.

There are always countless ways to tweak your Windows performance manually, but game mode might not quite offer you the bang you’re looking for, yet. I intend to keep an eye on what Microsoft has in store for gaming and Windows, and I suggest you do too. After all, even 5 more frames, can make all the difference.

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Have you used Windows 10’s game mode? Will you ever? Are you a min/max gamer or do you just pray to the technology gods that your computer will turn on, let alone allow you to play anything? Join in the conversation below on Discord, on our Facebook page, or Twitter!

There’s Only So Much Time in the World (of Warcraft): AP & You

From pet battles, to PVP, to end-game raiding content, there’s always something to do in World of Warcraft. But is that becoming a problem? The new artifact power system has hindered a longstanding past-time in-game, namely, alt-play. Have you felt the burn?

It all seems well and good. Each new artifact weapon is laden with lore and excitement. You’re encouraged to explore every avenue of story (even if you don’t fully read it) as you progress your character. For lore buffs and altoholics, this makes alt-leveling seem all the more APpealing. But that, of course, is before you see the endless sea of grinding that you have to do to get them up to snuff in the current grind that is artifact power.

Hello, fellow gamers. I’m Shebalo, and I’m an altoholic.

I’ve had alts for years. Ever since Wrath of the Lich King and some untimely real-life issues, I spent a great deal of time in front of the screen. I’ve continued to roll over each of my alts to the next level cap as a new expansion became available. Some expansions have seen easier alt progression than others, but for the most part, getting them to max level and caught up to a useful amount of power wasn’t all that difficult. I have fond memories of how easy it was to gear freshly minted 90s with Mists of Pandaria‘s Timeless Isle gear. Bind on Account bundles of joy helped make even the meekest alt into, well, at least a slightly less meek creature. Some 500 days played across this one server (not including alts which have been deleted over time), and I might finally be reaching my wit’s end. As you can see, I currently have five level-110 characters, with none seriously contending for sixth place. Why is that you may ask? Namely, artifact power and catch-up difficulties.

Catch-up mechanics do exist, but they’re not as helpful as you may think.

I gained access to the highest level artifact research available pretty quickly when the option was released in Patch 7.1.5. All of my alts were happily whisked away to the land of high levels of AP gain, and it was wonderful…for a time. While the initial boost of AP gain is great for alts to catch up to basic levels of talent tree progression, the fact remains that there’s still quite a distance to be covered to get beyond the 30~ talent range (pre-7.2). Additionally, the current patch has changed such that the next set of traits and artifact knowledges decrease the incentive to grind out AP, making it even harder to catch up in a shorter period of time. While there are certain AP “chunks” available (Mythic Plus 10 or higher, some World Quests, Broken Shore special table quests, etc.), most of us are left wanting for a better method of AP acquisition before reaching to the new research levels. As of right now, in short, it just doesn’t feel worth it.

While we wait for more artifact research to be available on our mains, many of us are finding ourselves farming for a resource with very minimal return for the time invested. While this will improve with time, there’s more going on with the AP requirements than just a lack of return for what we’re putting into it, and that’s player burnout. One of the main reasons I stopped curating my alts this expansion was the inundation of grinding I’m facing on my main. As a mythic raider, it constantly feels like I’m behind on things I need to stay on top of in order to squeeze that extra percent out of my weapon or gear. While the need to farm Mythic Plus dungeons isn’t there yet so far this patch, I know the time is coming. The fact remains that I, like so many in my guild and others that I’ve spoken with, faced that grind in the previous patches in order to attain the coveted 54th point. We slaved for weeks, for hours, often neglecting more “fun” things to do in game, in order to achieve min/max success. Was it worth it? I don’t really know. Bosses die, parses are had, but in the end, many of us look at a new grind with disdain—whether it be the new traits on our mains, or the original ones on our alts. When rolling an alt in Legion, you need to re-grind your AP (with some tome help at least if your main has high research completion), your reps, your gear, and your class campaign. While endless content is great for mains, it puts alts in a chokehold, and there’s very little to help alts out in categories outside of basic AP assistance and easily acquirable but Bind-on-Pickup items on the Broken Shore.

Some people just want to watch the world (of Warcraft) burn.

My alts, like your alts, will live on in time. While the daunting tasks of AP farming and alt catch-ups are ominous at this time, if you like alts, chances are you’ll eventually come back around to them. This could happen during the inter-expansion lull, during a guild hiatus, or even perhaps due to class-breaking changes on your main. Alts exist for a reason, and even if you may just be exploring them for the first time this expansion, there is hope. Blizzard continuously cites a desire to help alts this expansion, after repeated requests from the playerbase. Let’s hope they continue to listen, and continue to help. I have a lot of lore to soak up through my alts this expansion, and I’ll dance my way through the burnout, even if it kills me.

How are you dealing with AP requirements and burnout? Do you feel like it’s still relevant to farm, or are you biding your time doing other things until artifact research catches up? Let us know in the comments below, on Facebook, Twitter, or Discord!

Notified: Alerted or Annoyed?

Information overload is an increasingly difficult thing for contemporary individuals in our connected technologically-driven society. We each deal with this bombardment of information differently – how do you stack up?

Information overload is an increasingly difficult thing for contemporary individuals in our connected technologically-driven society. We each deal with this bombardment of information differently – how do you stack up?

Jane wants to go to the mall, Billy just liked your latest Instagram post, Barrie is going live on Twitch, and your boss just emailed you yet another schedule change. Four notifications pop up on your phone, begging you to click on their strips of information, do you? The latest news on your favorite TV show, more patch notes for World of Warcraft, or rumors of the next Google phone. So many different avenues of notifications to pop up on your phone or computer at any given time, that it stands to reason that they cannot all be equally effective in their goals at gaining our attention.

We all like to stay up to date on what’s most important to us in our daily lives. Our friends, our hobbies, our choice methods of entertainment. Apps and websites know this too. They continually throw information at us left and right, regardless of whether or not it’s something we actually want to see. Comment on that one post from that former group member you kinda became friends with? Now you’re receiving every other message someone posts on the same thread. Sometimes it’s relevant, sometimes it’s not–quite often, it’s just white noise amongst everything else.

How many screens do *you* need to keep up?

Many people have become adept in sifting through the news they want to hear, or at the very least, grow accustomed to the onslaught of information they receive on a daily basis, enough to figure out what they want from their personal news highway. I know for myself, it’s a constant struggle to dismiss every notification that I can justifiably get rid of. Every little motivational comment from FitBit or news about my favorite band coming to town is pretty much instantly set to automatically be blocked by my phone before I even see them.

Other applications, like Instagram, Snapchat, or Discord, are allowed to (mostly) peek their notifications on to my screen as available. I will usually swipe them away pretty quickly, however, in efforts to keep my screen clear. I never let emails or notifications on Facebook sit too long without being cleared, regardless of how thoroughly I actually read the messages upon initial opening. In the end, it’s more important for me to acknowledge that something wants my attention and file it away than it is to leave it to sit there as a constant reminder that there’s something else I could be doing.

In-game, or out of game, notifications are pretty much everywhere.

It’s not that I don’t want to address everything that comes up on my screen. I want to stay up to date and in communication with as many of the important things and people in my life as possible, but when it comes down to it, I just don’t have the time. And the not-so-surprising fact is, neither do you. I swipe away notification after notification in hopes that I will have more time to go back and treat each one individually with more depth and care than I could in that moment. Leaving it to sit on my screen for hours (days, weeks or even months as some of my friend’s trigger-worthy mailboxes sit), does not help me accomplish that goal.

I’ve spoken to many people on this subject over past few months since this topic has really started to itch itself in the back of my mind – much like that one annoying Facebook thread that you only half need to keep track of, but seems to be the most bumpin’ thing online this week. My friends and family alike have nearly, without fail, fallen into two groups: the annoyed and the alerted.

The annoyed, like myself, will do whatever they can to keep their screens clear of pop-ups and numbers, putting the brunt of the effort onto their brains to remember who to contact, what to go back to, and more. The alerted individuals, on the other hand, keep everything open until they’ve had a chance to deal with it. Most commonly this has to do with text messages, news alerts, etc. that end up showing up throughout the day. If it hasn’t been dealt with yet, it doesn’t go away. People’s inboxes grow and grow to 800+ unread emails in this category, often without blinking an eye. They still need to be looked at, right?

In the end, both camps probably absorb the same amount of information and have the same amount of response rate to those stimuli, when averaged out over large groups. My point is by no means to make one camp stand above the other, but rather to draw attention to the world in which we live, and the different coping mechanisms we have all incorporated to try and reduce the amount of information overload we receive daily.

Is “Reflect and Review” a new app I can install?

We often seek gaming as an escape from the madness of everyday life. The chance to kill something big and reap the benefits, or at the very least, to blow off some steam and chill with friends in an environment that is all our own. It’s easy to forget that these worlds are not devoid of the same information chaos we have in our real lives daily, and to forget the importance of stepping back and reassessing how we manage what information we take in in-game and IRL. Is it more important for you to live in a quieter world where you address things when you have the time, or do you need the reminder staring at you in order to address what’s important?

Where do you stand? Are you annoyed by the notifications you receive daily or are you simply alerted by them?

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Would you have it any other way? Let us know in our discussions and join us on Discord, on our Facebook page, or Twitter!

Heroines of Warcraft: Magical Maidens Edition

This week, In honor of Women’s History month, we conclude our heroines series with two of the most powerful mages Azeroth has ever known.

This week, In honor of Women’s History month, we conclude our Heroines series with two of the most powerful mages Azeroth has ever known.

MAGNA AEGWYNN, GUARDIAN OF TIRISFAL

“I was facing dangers far worse than that little twerp of a demon when your great-grandparents were infants.” – Cycle of Hatred, 209

Aegwynn was one of five human apprentices under Guardian Magna Scavell, and was the only woman. They often goaded her, trying to dissuade her from her studies to be a wizard. She persevered, despite their antics, and went on to master the Meitre scrolls, great ancient Highborne magic documents left behind nine thousand years before Aegwynn’s classes. These scrolls were often left for human mages at the end of their training, and even most elven mages didn’t even look at the scrolls until their tenth year. This accomplishment ensured her place in line as the next Guardian of Tirisfall, following Scavell. Her peers complained, but the council insisted that she was best suited for the job. She spared no time in getting started as Azeroth’s next Guardian once she was given the powers of the Tirisfalen.

For 500 years she stood steadfast against demons and ill turns of fate for the globe before she came to meet Sargeras, or at least his avatar. In Northrend, she battled a group of demons which were attacking dragons there. Near the ashes of the burned demons, arose the avatar of Sargeras. The dragons rose to her aid, and combined, they defeated the avatar, or so she thought. Unbeknownst to her, Sargeras’ essence had sealed itself within her. This battle would come to set the many paths of Azeroth and Draenor’s denizens into the events which would ultimately comprise the Warcraft titles, as well as World of Warcraft today.

Current *Legion* model for the Avatar of Sargeras

Unknowingly imbued with the Dark Titan’s powers, Aegwynn grew arrogant following the historic battle. She turned her back on the council and its ways, deciding that it would be she who would determine her successor, not the council. After this decision was made, Aegwynn disappeared and became increasingly distant from human affairs. She used her magic powers to extend her life, and elude various traps and trackers set out by the council, in efforts to reel her in. Eventually, Aegwynn came to Karazhan, a tower of solace she had built and kept secret for a long time. Eventually, the mages found her, and she was forced to escape into the shattered remains of Suramar, where she would remain for over two hundred and fifty years.

About seventy years before the start of the World of Warcraft timeline, Aegwynn emerged from her solitude as she knew she would have to find a successor for her powers. Still determined to prevent the council any say in where those powers went, she ultimately chose to consort with Nielas Aran. This union would result in the birth of Medivh (Keeper of Secrets in Highborne), a well-known figure in the minds of current World of Warcraft players for his association with Karazhan dungeon/raid and the Black Morass dungeon, where players relive the opening of the Dark Portal, which brought Orcs to Azeroth from Draenor. But Medivh’s story is not our focus today.

In giving birth to Medivh, the essence of Sargeras passed into his body, freeing her from its influence alongside the loss of her Guardian abilities. When he reached maturity, Sargeras’ plan for Medivh began to reveal itself. Aegwynn tried to warn King Llane about the impending invasion by the orcs, however, now lacking the powers of a Guardian, she knew there was very little else she could do for Azeroth. She took to her refuge and intended to die away from the peoples of Azeroth – a goal which was frequently interrupted. Once, events caused her to revive her fallen son after his corruption had passed, and two, when Jaina Proudmoore located her and beseeched her help in hunting a herd of thunder lizards. In this quest, Jaina and Aegwynn were sealed away by Aegwynn’s old foe and narrowly escaped. Aegwynn sacrificed most of herself by imbuing Jaina with her essence, in order to escape the demon who trapped them. Afterward, she accepted an advisor position along Jaina’s side, under the premise that her true identity never be revealed. Some players have speculated her presence within World of Warcraft in either the characters of Pained or Tabetha.

LADY JAINA PROUDMOORE

“You can control the winds as a shaman. But the winds of war are blowing, and if we do not stop Garrosh now, many innocents will pay the price for our hesitation.” – Tides of War

Lady Jaina Proudmoore has been a prominent figure throughout Warcraft and World of Warcraft‘s titles. Jaina is the youngest of Admiral Daelin Proudmoore of Kul Tiras, a human naval empire, and ally to Lordaeron before the First War. Jaina grew up in the ranks of human nobility and after demonstrating significant magical prowess at a young age Jaina edged her way into the student ranks at Dalaran, under Antonidas. Like Aegwynn, she too was one of the few female wizards studying at the time. Throughout her studies, she struggled to maintain focus on magic, alongside her royal responsibilities. Through these responsibilities, she would be ultimately matched with then Prince Arthas. While they maintained a friendship, their impending union was questioned by Arthas, and caused them to go their separate ways in order to focus on themselves first.

As naturally happens in tragic stories, the Third War broke out and Jaina was sent to investigate the Plague in Lordaeron’s kingdom. It is during this time that the events of Warcraft III take place, and where ultimately Arthas would be turned into the Lich King. While she fought alongside Arthas as long as she could, ultimately he was turned and she was forced to abandon his side after the events at Stratholme.

Following the events at Stratholme, Jaina found herself sent by a mysterious prophet (aka Medivh) to Kalimdor, where at first she did battle with the orcs there. When she came upon Thrall and Caine, the three were prevented from fighting upon interference from the prophet/Medivh. Due to this encounter, Thrall and Jaina became allies and would share a mutual respect for many years to come.

Eventually, Jaina would come to found the city of Theramore, one of the only Alliance points on the continent of Kalimdor, outside of the Night Elf zones. Jaina continued to be a force throughout Wrath of the Lich King as we saw her diplomacy after the events of the Wrathgate, throughout the exploration of Ulduar, and finally the battle against the Lich King. When retrieving the item “Jaina’s Locket” following the defeat of the Lich King, Jaina weeps for what was left of Arthas inside the Lich.

“You spit on mercy? Then you will have NONE. You want carnage?! Garrosh will get more blood than EVER he bargained for!” – Jaina, following destruction of Theramore

As events have continued to unfold for Jaina throughout World of Warcraft, she has continued to see defeats and betrayals on behalf of the Horde and the Kirin Tor. Following the destruction of Theramore by Garrosh Hellscream in Mists of Pandaria, Jaina was forever changed. In retaliation, she tried to urge Stormwind onto war, but they refused. The Kirin Tor of Dalaran too remained steadfast in their neutral ambitions. Her last blow was to nearly drowned Orgrimmar with her water elementals. Thrall attempted to stop her but failed and it was Kalcegos who ultimately did. While her rage was ultimately tempered, she purged the Blood Elves from Dalaran after learning that they had helped the Horde, despite the Kirin Tor’s neutrality.

This hatred and feelings of betrayal would only hasten through the events of Warlords of Draenor and early Legion. While Jaina has been missing since the early days of the most recent expansion, there remains a large amount of speculation over what her return to the story will bring alongside her. Will we see the rise of Kul Tiras? Will Jaina return to being a diplomatic figure in our eventual trip to Argus?

After so much pain and struggle in her life, much like Sylvannas, is it any wonder Jaina was finally pushed to her breaking point? It remains to be seen what will come of her in patches to come, however, she remains one of the strongest female figures still active in the game today. Let us hope, she saves herself from the darkness which has swept away Sylvannas.

What do you think about the power and stories of the mages we discussed today? How have you enjoyed our spotlight WoW women spotlight this month? Let us know your insights, theories, and comments in the comments below, on Facebook, Twitter, or our Discord.

Heroines of Warcraft: The Windrunners Edition

In honor of Women’s History month, we are running a series surveying the lore and history surrounding some of Azeroth’s most notable heroines and figures. This week, we look into one of the most prominent and skillful ranger families in Azeroth’s history.

In honor of Women’s History month, we are running a series surveying the lore and history surrounding some of Azeroth’s most notable heroines and figures. This week, we look into one of the most prominent and skillful ranger families in Azeroth’s history.

Whether you play Horde or Alliance, you’ll know the surname Windrunner, notably attached to Lady Sylvanas. The current Warchief of the Horde, and long-standing Banshee Queen of the Undead, Sylvanas is but one of three sisters from the Windrunner family. A high-elf family of high repute, the Windrunner dynasty touts one of the most tragic familial stories in Warcraft lore. Now spread between the Alliance and the Horde, the family’s legacy for producing the best rangers in Azoerth’s history lives on in its surviving members.

ALLERIA WINDRUNNER

“There is no problem. The Alliance wants every orc dead. So do I. We can work together on that.” ~ Alleria in Beyond the Dark Portal

Alleria is the oldest of the three Windrunner sisters and has served both the High Elf faction, as well as the Alliance throughout her longstanding career as a ranger. As early as the Second War, she aided Lordaeron and its King in defending the city against the invasion of the Horde. Alleria held the belief that the Horde would be a threat to the kingdom of Quel’Thalas, unlike many of her kind, leading her to send rangers to Southshore to help bolster defenses there. She continued helping the Alliance, working closely with Khadgar and Turalyon in the defense of Silvermoon.

She fought alongside her sister Sylvanas and successfully protected their home city. Unfortunately, this battle saw a change in Alleria, and she came to see Orcs as vermin. As a result, she hunted down as many of the Bleeding Hollow clan as she could find. She pursued them all the way through the Dark Portal. The conflict on the other side of the Dark Portal resulted in large-scale destruction in Outland, in their efforts to protect Azeroth. They successfully closed the portal from Draenor but were forced to leap into the Twisting Nether in order to avoid dying with the planet. While many survived this leap, and journeyed to Honor Hold or were able to return to Azeroth, Alleria was not heard of in-game until she was uncovered in the Broken Isles, alongside her husband Turalyon.

Before leaving to fight in Outland, Alleria had her prize necklace (a gift from her parents containing a ruby, an emerald, and a sapphire) broken down and split between herself and her two sisters, giving the ruby to Vareesa, and the sapphire to Sylvanas. While she was presumed dead for many years, her memory lived on throughout the cultures of both Outland and Azeroth, and in both the factions. In Stormwind, there remains a statue of Alleria, inscribed:

“Renowned Troll Hunter of Quel’Thalas. Lead Scout and Intelligence Agent for the Alliance Expedition that marched into the orc homeworld Draenor. Presumed deceased. Your Heart flew straight as any arrow upon the wind, sister. You were the brightest of our Order. You were the most beloved of our kin. – Sylvanas Windrunner – Ranger General of Quel’Thalas.”

VERESSA WINDRUNNER

Vereesa Windrunner, much like her eldest sister, continues to fight alongside the Alliance. The youngest of the Windrunner sisters, she helped Rhonin in destroying the Demon Soul and freeing Alexstraza–a mission which would bring Vereesa and Rhonin together in love. She also served as Alliance Ambassador, touring the Alliance and reminding them of fears beyond orcs. She was one of the few well-known survivors of the plague which destroyed Lordaeron, Dalaran, and Quel’Thalas after the rise of Arthas as the Lich King.

“Quel’Thalas is as much my home as it is yours and I would not see it fall to our ancient enemy.” ~ With my bow, I have shot orcs dead at a hundred yards. I have battled trolls, demons, and more. I have nearly traveled the length and breadth of Azeroth…yes my love, I think I can handle the situation until Jalia arrives.” ~ Vereesa in War of the Ancients 1: The Well of Eternity

Many years later, Vereesa would also help Jaina Proudmoore in the defense of Theramore in the days before its destruction by Garrosh Hellscream using what he dubbed the Mana Bomb. In this battle, Vereesa lost Rhonin, as he sacrificed himself to save Jaina as the future of the Kirin Tor. His actions also spared Kalecgos, Vereesa, Shandris Feathermoon, and a number of scouting parties.

Before Garrosh’s betrayal, Vereesa could be found in the Violet Citadel of Northrend’s Dalaran, alongside Rhonin, as the leader of the Silver Covenant. The militant high elf group stood in opposition to the inclusion of the blood elves into the Kirin Tor at the time. She has been actively involved in player quests within World of Warcraft ever since, including the uncovering of Alleria’s whereabouts. Most recently, she aided in the founding of the Unseen Path, the Hunter order hall, in Legion.

LADY SYLVANAS WINDRUNNER, THE BANSHEE QUEEN

The middle of the Windrunner sisters, Sylvanas is probably the most well-known to Warcraft players, even outside of World of Warcraft. She featured prominently in Warcraft III and has ever since been a tragic tale within the game series’ lore. In Warcraft III, players experience both Sylvanas’ time as Ranger-General of Silvermoon, a military leader of all high elf forces, but also her fall to Arthas in the city’s defense. This failure would lead to her corruption by the Lich King into the Banshee Queen, a creature under his thrall for a long duration of the war.

Eventually, the Lich King began losing control over his minions, and in this time Sylvanas regained her free will. She plotted against him with the help of other Undead who had regained their free will, alongside the Nathrezim. While she failed at her attempted assassination of the Lich King, she eventually took over what was left of Lordaeron for herself, renaming it “The Undercity”.

During this time, an official story had been touted by the elves of Silvermoon – namely that Sylvanas had perished in the great fire which had ensorcelled most of the city during the attack by the Scourge. After breaking free from the control of the Lich King, she eventually founded a dark order of rangers and began building the Forsaken and collecting other minions which would serve her along the way.

Even in death, Sylvanas still considers herself to be a protector of Quel’Thalas. When the Blood Elves came to World of Warcraft, in Burning Crusade, she opened the Undercity to them when the Alliance refused. She brokered their admission into the Horde shortly thereafter, despite the fears of the Blood Elves after so many years detesting the faction.

Sylvanas has been involved a lot of questionable behaviors since Wrath of the Lich King and many lore enthusiasts find themselves questioning her end-goals and background motivations. Following events like the “Battle for the Undercity”, the production of the Forsaken Blight, and most recently, her attempt to enslave a Val’kyr in Stormheim, Sylvanas continues to be a character of intrigue.

While she is now Warchief of the Horde, her story is filled with tragedy and bloodshed – both within her family and without. While her love for her family remained, she has struggled to maintain any degree of relationship with them, Vereesa in particular. At one point, she and Vereesa plotted to assassinate former Warchief Garrosh, lacing his meal with an untraceable poison. Following this Vereesa debated joining her sister in the leadership of the Forsaken, despite leaving her children behind to do so. However, Sylvanas realized that the Forsaken would not accept a living creature in their leadership, and began planning to murder her sister in order to raise her as an Undead. Vereesa eventually relented and warned the Alliance of the attempted poisoning, thus severing ties with her sister once more. This betrayal affected Sylvanas greatly.

Lore enthusiasts and in-game characters alike have also begun questioning Sylvanas’ behavior as of late, as she continues to be further changed. Following a battle against Gilneas, Sylvanas is killed by Lord Godfrey. She was ushered to Shadowfang Keep where three of her Val’kyr sacrifice themselves in order to raise her, ultimately leading to Sylvanas’ plan for a new Forsaken future. This was the second time Sylvanas has died since becoming the Banshee Queen, the first being her suicide following the death of the Lich King, by throwing herself from Icecrown Citadel. Here too, she was raised by Val’kyr–ones which sought a place by her side. After each foray with death, and finding that it will find her no comfort, she has become markedly more selfish, vicious, and cold as the story moves forward.

While an entire article can be written on Sylvanas and her story, she is without a doubt one of the most tragic and formidable women in Warcraft’s history. It’s hard to imagine that if any of us were faced with what she has, that we would not choose the same paths for ourselves. “The Forsaken’s ruthless leader is a formidable champion of her people. But with the Burning Legion invasion, the stakes for the Dark Lady have never been higher. Should Sylvanas perish, her demise will be the beginning of her eternal damnation. All that stands between her and this doom are her Val’kyr, yet few of these spirit guardians remain. As her fate edges closer to the abyss, Sylvanas must decide how far she’ll go to protect her people and whether they’re more precious to her than her soul.” ~ World of Warcraft official website “Heroes & Villains: A World Divided”

What do you think about the Windrunner sisters? Is Sylvanas as shady as she seems these days or is there more we have yet to uncover? Do you believe she’s still sympathetic or has simply gone off the rails after visiting death one too many times? Let us know in the comments below or join in the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, and in our Discord.

Heroines of Warcraft: Around the Well of Eternity Edition

This week, we visit the Well of Eternity…

In honor of Women’s History month, beginning March 8th, we’ll be running a series of editorials surveying the lore and history surrounding some of Azeroth’s most notable heroines and figures. This week, we visit the Well of Eternity…

In World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, we were told that the night elves came about as a race descendant from dark trolls who found their way to the Well of Eternity. At the Well, they discovered Elune and would be forever changed. Through the twisting powers of the arcane font, the trolls were transformed into Night Elves, or Kal’dorai “Children of the Stars”. From that race would be born many strong leaders and figures who have come to make their mark on World of Warcraft lore, good and evil alike. Their notoriety has reached beyond just Warcraft and has found its way into countless tie-in novels, and other Blizzard titles. Let’s take a closer look.

QUEEN AZSHARA

Many people have known and been defeated by the Burning Legion. Queen Azshara, however, is the only one (that we’re aware of) to look at them as an opportunity to find greater power, and an equal in the Dark Titan Sargeras.

It’s not surprising given Queen Azshara’s position within the Kal’dorei world. They adored her—perhaps a little too much to be considered outside the realm of a spell. She was powerful and people fell at her feet. Those who disobeyed were met with exile and steep punishment. She was born with golden eyes, something the Kal’dorei believed would predict greatness in her. While her greatness and ambition brought about the War of the Ancients (and the initial attack of the Burning Legion 10,000 years before the game starts), her fate was not sealed that day.

As the Well of Eternity exploded at the hands of rebellious Night Elves during the Great Sundering and the water rushed around her, the Old Gods whispered to her and offered her more power. More importantly, the power to survive. Azshara accepted and was twisted into a Naga along with her followers. She would continue her efforts for power and domination secretly below the waves of Azeroth’s tremulous seas.

A grand sorceress even before the Old Gods gave her more power, Azshara’s motives remain unknown at this time. She pops up briefly during our trip through Azuna, but we’ve seen little direct contact with their agents since Cataclysm. It raises the question of what she may be up to, now that her would-be consort Sargeras has come knocking on Azeroth’s door?

TYRANDE WHISPERWIND

“For her part, the priestess Tyrande emerged as one of the greatest members of the Sisterhood of Elune…In time, Tyrande would be come the high priestess of Elune, the revered leader of her sacred Sisterhood.” – *World of Warcraft Chronicle: Volume 1,* 100

Born of the same generation as Azshara, Tyrande remains the modern-day Night Elf faction leader of what remained after the Great Sundering. A former general for the sentinels, she has remained in power ever since Azshara fell below the waves. Along with her mate Malfurion Stormrage, she helped to transform the Night Elf people and their ways, in efforts to repair their civilization, and to purge it from behaviours which they believed had drawn the Burning Legion to Azeroth in the first place: Arcane magics.

As part of this, Tyrande was forced to ban Arcane magics used within the Night Elf civilization. This population of scattered elves was comprised of the victorious rebels under Tyrande’s forces, as well as those who had seen the light after following Azshara, and wished for things to return to normal. Many of Azshara’s former followers had been grand masters of the arcane and struggled with leaving the spell-type behind. They began practicing their arts in secret, but were eventually uncovered. Initially their sentence was death, but Tyrande proved slightly more lenient and instead exiled them. This group would eventually become the High Elves, and later the Blood Elves we know today.

Tyrande has been a major feature in pretty much every major battle since the Great Sundering, including in the original Warcraft III title. She was paramount in the Battle of Mount Hyjal, in helping with the Scourge Invasion, and is an ongoing presence in the struggle for Azeroth’s survival since the launch of World of Warcraft. Most recently, after the events in Val’sharah, Tyrande has aided players in taking back the Nightborne city of Suramar in the questlines leading to the launch of the Nighthold raid.

Despite so much tragedy, Tyrande stands as a beacon for her people—as steadfast as a sentinel, and beaming with the light of Elune. Few characters have seen as much as she in 10,000 years, and further few still who would continue to push forward in faith of a better tomorrow for Azeroth and their people.

GRAND MAGISTRIX ELLISANDE

“Grand Magistrix Elisande, feared that the Legion did not have the Highborne’s best interests in mind. The monstrous demons had already destryoed much of the night elves’ glorius empire and poisoned the surounding land with their fel magics. Elisande’s distrust of the Legion only deepened…” – *World of Warcraft Chronicle: Volume 1* – 103

We see very little of Grand Magistrix Elisande in comparison to the others on this list. While Queen Azshara herself has graced the pixels of World of Warcraft even less than Elisande, her presence and her story were more widely spread. Unsurprising given her legacy. Elisande, on the other hand, has an equally important story to tell.

When we see Elisande in the most recent expansion, she is pushed to the edge. Having rebelled 10,000 years ago in order to save her people, she sealed herself and her followers away in a prison of their own making. Saved from the Legion and the Great Sundering, yet forced to live in a never-ending cycle of what they had already built. No room to expand, no fresh water, or fresh food to sustain themselves, they were forced to live from the Nightwell’s energies alone and changed into the Nightborne. While her initial actions came out of a distrust of Azshara’s motives and the Burning Legion, she ultimately found herself in much the same position she originally rebelled against. After 10,000 years in solitude, Gul’dan breached the barrier surrounding the city with little effort. Shaken, Elisande was given three days to chose whether to allow the Legion in or face destruction. By now, I’m sure you know the rest.

When you face Elisande in the Nighthold raid, however, she is remorseful at the end of the battle. Rather than kill her, she offers us her aid in defeating the Legion. Having taken the only course she believed would save her people, much like she had done before the Great Sundering, Elisande becomes a sympathetic character. She was not out for power, nor for taking the Nightwell for herself. Like Tyrande, she was only interested in saving what she could before the Legion took everything else. She succeeded to some degree, but at what cost? We have an expansion to learn what help Elisande may or may not provide in fighting the Legion as time goes on from our encounter with her.

Do you have any favourite Night Elves, Nightborne, or Highborne? Let us know in the comments below, or join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, or our forums!

Heroines of Warcraft: They Came Before Edition

In honor of Women’s History month, beginning March 8th, we’ll be running a series of editorials surveying the lore and history surrounding some of Azeroth’s most notable heroines and figures.

EONAR, THE LIFE-BINDER

“No one knows when or why the first titan awoke, but legends hold that his name was Aman’Thul” – *World of Warcraft Chronicle: Volume 1*, 19

One of the earliest notable female figures in Azeroth’s history comes from a time before history was even known on Azeroth; possibly before even Azeroth itself. Hailing from the race of celestial wanderers, the Titans, Eonar is the only confirmed female titan. While there are some in-game and fan theories suggesting that Azeroth too may be a female, Eonar was at least the first.

Awakened by Aman’Thul, the Highfather, Eonar would become his bronze-skinned consort. She carried an alabaster staff through the cosmos as she stood vigilant as the protector of life, nature, and healing in the universe. She often kept from the field of battle, preferring a supporting role in the great Titan Pantheon. If brought to fight, she remained a fierce force who would confuse and disperse her enemies before engaging them. She stood in opposition to the dark Titan Sargeras, and aided the Pantheon in combating him until her ultimate demise at his hand.

Eonar also spent a great deal of time establishing the titanforged which would one day nurture Azeroth, in addition to empowering the naturally-occurring life which Azeroth itself created, namely, the dragons. While Eonar was defeated, her essence and gifts lived on in the populations of Azeroth. She is worshiped where her memory remains, including both the great red and green Dragonflights, which tasked themselves with combating chaos and destruction, while maintaining nature, healing, and life, within the world.

Some hypothesize a connection between Eonar and Elune, as well as the Tauren’s Earthmother, as all three share many common threads of beliefs and traits; however, at this time, we have no formal notes from Blizzard about how these entities are connected.

ALEXSTRASZA, THE LIFE-BINDER & DRAGONQUEEN

“The nurturing and ever-merciful Freya called upon her creator, Eonar, to empower the proto-dragon Alexstrasza. Known thereafter as the Life-Binder…” *World of Warcraft Chronicle: Volume 1*, 46

While the Titans would eventually come to create the titanforged to safeguard Azeroth, the planet had already gone about creating its own species of life, one of these were the dragons. While the Pantheon created the Keepers (better known for their appearance in-game in Ulduar) to safeguard the planet and the mechanization they had set in motion, there was nothing let to govern Azeroth’s native entities. Over time, one dragon came to overtake them all and tore about Kalimdor destroying and consuming everything in its path. His name was Galakrond. The Keepers came to decide that they would empower the smartest of the nascent species and help to take the great beast down. These would come to be known as the Dragon Aspects, of which Alexstrasza was one. The Keeper Freya had been created by Eonar and it was she who infused Alexstrasza and her dragonflight with guardianship of all life on Azeroth.

In-game, the Life-Binder can be found in many areas, including atop the Wyrmrest Temple in Dragonblight, and in the Dragon Soul raid. No longer content to step aside and watch the world in its suffering, she brought the Dragon Aspects and their flights together in order to actively defend against evils which would harm life on her beloved planet. Even in light of sacrificing her power to save the world from Deathwing, her fallen brother Neltharion, back in Cataclysm, the Dragon Mother remains the most powerful, if not the eldest dragon alive today. She is also one of the last remaining of the original Dragon Aspects.

YSERA, THE DREAMER

“Freya also beseeched Eonar to bless Alexstrasza’s younger sister, the proto-dragon Ysera, with natures influence. Ysera was charged with keeping watch over the flowering wilds of Azeroth from within the Emerald Dream.” – *World of Warcraft Chronicle: Volume 1*, 46

While Alexstrasza’s charge was to guard the life of the world, Ysera was in charge of its dream, the Emerald Dream, a place which held the original blueprint for Azeroth’s ordering by the Titans. All creatures would visit the Dream in their rest, but it was Ysera’s domain to watch over. Like her older sister, she would be a part of all lives on Azeroth, and would also take up arms to protect it. She fought alongside her siblings in protecting Azeroth, titanforged and native creatures alike. Ysera spent a great deal of time asleep in order to defend the Emerald Dream, waking only so often when situations were dire enough to warrant it. As a result, in-game, we bore witness to Ysera’s active role in Cataclysm throughout Mount Hyjal, as well as in the Dragon Soul raid, where she used the latent power of Eonar which made her an Aspect of the green dragonflight, in order to help stop Neltharion.

While tragedy befell her this expansion during the campaign in Val’sharah, her spirit lives on in the Emerald Dream and wanders through its purified fields, no longer a creature of both worlds.

Do you have any favourite female characters from the dawn of the world of Azeroth? Let us know in the comments below, or join in the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, or Discord!

Blizzard Previews SC2 Patch 3.11 “Dead of Night”

Not even space is safe from a zombie-like horde; StarCraft II is about to become infected with their own breed of shambling horrors.

It seems as though zombies have been everywhere these days, ever since the uprising of shows like The Walking Dead and iZombie, alongside games like Left4Dead. In their next patch, Blizzard will be adding a zombie-like survival invasion to a new co-op mission in StarCraft II.

Dubbed “Dead of Night”, the new mission will emulate popular arcade game Left2Die, and will assault players with an endless stream of infested baddies. Throughout the night, players must coordinate which places to hold the enemy at bay, as well as where reinforcements are to be sent, in order to keep back the relentless assault. During the day, the infested creatures are unable to mobilize, giving a window for players to strike back. Oscillation between defense and attack throughout the day/night cycle will be crucial for players’ successes on the battlefield.

“On the fringes of the Dominion, an unsuspecting world has become the target of a rapid zerg infestation. Even if evacuation efforts began immediately, they would not be fast enough to ferry the majority of the planet’s inhabitants to safety.” – Blizzard’s official preview release

In addition to traditional shambling-type mobs, there will be special infested which are genetically engineered to tear your defenses to shreds. These will include a Spotter, a Choker, a Hunterling, and a Kaboomer—and yes, he does much what his name would suggest. There will also be a number of bosses which will hinder your survival, including Stank, who is resistant to daylight and will ultimately make your tactical daylight retaliations more than just a cakewalk.

Team up to help Lieutenant Morales burn away the zerg infestation before it’s too late!

While there has yet to be an official date released for the 3.11 patch for StarCraft II and the “Dead of Night” mission, you can be rest assured that Blizzard will have it Soon™.

Why I’m Excited for the Nintendo Switch (And Why You Should Be Too)

When was the last time you got really excited for a console release? Ripping apart shreds of Christmas paper to reach your shiny new Nintendo 64 type excited…

I have been pretty fazed since the most recent generation transition from Xbox 360/Xbox One, PS3/PS4, and of course the Wii/Wii U debacle. Back in 2005, I built my first gaming-ready computer and in watching gaming trends, apart from certain console-specific exclusives, I haven’t felt the draw back to hitting the mean streets of console-land ever since. I was an avid console gamer from my first Sega Genesis system, and I was surprised to find such an easy transition to PC gaming when I finally made the leap. With the dividing lines between PC and console gaming becoming narrower, the decisions gamers must make about what to play on, requires more work on the part of companies to make their hardware stand out.

I’m sure many of us have at least dabbled in a form of mobile gaming other than our phones, if not having a DS or Vita kicking around collecting dust, outside of road trips or Pokémon title launches. As far back as Game Gear, or the original Game Boy, we’ve been kicking it mobile long before phones received anything more enticing than a game of Snake (and no, I don’t mean MGS). As phone-based mobile gaming has taken control of a strong share in the larger gaming market over the years, handheld gaming systems are struggling to find new ways of enticing consumers.

A closer look at the breakdown from last year.

Enter the Switch.

The Nintendo Switch purports to be an entirely new console experience. Seamlessly switching between an at-home console experience to a handheld one, as its namesake suggests, Nintendo seems to have put all its eggs in a convertible basket in order to try and stay relevant. And dare I say it? I think it’s worked. Players like me who have shied away from the brand as of late are drawn back in not only due to its innovative design, but also its attention to graphics and detail. Still the Nintendo we know and love, it has chosen to evolve and serve a consumer beyond the family-with-kids demographic. Surely, that market is not isolated from this design, and is in truth included, other gamers have more to find in the Switch than any Nintendo console since the 64. The goal to bridge the gap between home and mobile play will not be easy for Nintendo to breach, but they have a solid grasp on their attempt to try. Leading with one of the most gorgeous Zelda games in recent years, certainly helps Nintendo here as well.

While time will tell if the Nintendo Switch will be a hallmark of nex-gen gaming, like we expect to see out of augmented and virtual reality kits, remains to be seen. However, gamers can be sure that the hype is real, and is not unfounded. I’ll certainly be keeping an eye on the Switch as it releases this week, and I hope you join me.

What is your opinion on Nintendo’s latest release? Gimmick or game-breaking shift in console design? Let us know in the comments or join in the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, or Discord!