Bringing the Magic Home: World of Warcraft Merchandise

The gaming world is obsessed with World of Warcraft. This is not the first multi-player, fantasy-based role playing computer game: many have come before, and many will come after. But there is just something about World of Warcraft that has players making more characters, lining up for expansion packs and living the lives of their characters instead of their own. If anything, this obsession rests on the utter customizability of the game; players can design their characters from the bottom up, both physically, mentally, emotionally and verbally. Their characters can become extensions of themselves, or complete alter-egos. Either way World of Warcraft, for players is another world, maybe an even kinder world compared to the cruel world of day-to-day humanity.

One of the biggest sources of individualization and down-right fun within World of Warcraft is World of Warcraft merchandise. Within the game, merchandise can refer to anything sold by a vendor: weapons, armor, clothing, items, food, reagents, books, backpacks, pouches, jewelry and anything else a character might need to successfully explore the game. World of Warcraft merchandise is bought and sold with money, and forms the foundation of almost every action that takes place within the realms. However, while this World of Warcraft merchandise is integral to a character’s identity within the game, other merchandise is integral to the player’s identity outside the game.

The World of Marketing

World of Warcraft is a trademark, a money-making name known throughout the gaming industry and around the world. With movies in production, books in publication and comics in circulation, World of Warcraft is much more than a video game; for many, it is a way of life. World of Warcraft merchandise is available to quench the continued thirst of many gamers that is not satisfied within the game itself. Action figures, posters, comic books and weapon replicas help players to live the game even when the computer is off. The game has its own language, its own jokes, its own religion and evolutionary biology; World of Warcraft merchandise furthers this exclusive club, making it something gamers can truly bring home.

Even the game itself becomes a type of World of Warcraft merchandise. Similar to video game franchises, the World of Warcraft computer game is marketing with the use of subsequent releases; collector’s editions and gold editions, expanded editions and ultimate editions. While not much is necessary changed from release to release, a gamer will collect this specific World of Warcraft merchandise to seem like the ultimate gamer: having an older version, a less artistic or special edition, is like having a weaker character or a duller sword. While in-game World of Warcraft merchandise can mean the difference between success and failure, the merchandise players bring home has no true bearing on the game, yet it has everything to do with their own personal successes and failures.

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