Fiction: Last day of WoW

EU - Magtheridon, 22 August 2022

A bleak sun sets over the dusty plain of Durotar on this, the last, day of European World of Warcraft. A motley crew of (level 120) characters from both Alliance and Horde, of course no longer actually at war since the shocking changes in patch 9.5. share this view for the last time.

"We'll carry on on a private server, it's become so much a part of our lives now." One of the players comments. People have grown to maturity since this game was first played over 18 years ago. Almost 9 years after release of the last expansion to this game, and over 4 years since it's last patch, Blizzard has decided to call it a day for WoW and close the last remaining server in Europe.

Then, the event begins. In the distance, through the haze of the dust and sun, comes a processions, heroes and villains, great and small. Legendary and common. As they parade past the revellers several Blizzard gamemasters appear and thank everyone for their presence. they announce that the time has come. 5 server messages will herald the end of this world.

Server shutdown in 15 minutes.

"Memories of past glory, great deeds, heroic adventures, they'll stay with me forever." The sentiment is echoed by a lot of the players present. "I got married around the second expansion" one player said, "had kids when the fourth came out. My parents in law weren't too pleased with a grandson named Thrall." He laughs, as the countdown continues.

3 Minutes. I feel a sadness remembering the greatness that was once the greatest MMO on the planet, so big it skewed every statistic related to MMO's.

As the last minutes count down, players burst into dance, consume flasks and disenchant their legendary weapons.

Then, my screen goes blank and I'm exited to my login screen where a single line of text heralds the true end: "Servers are no longer available."