AWorld of Warcraftplayer recently shared a few screenshots from the original beta test from 2004. These nostalgic pictures were a blast from the past for manyWorld of Warcraft players who have been around for the last 20 years.
World of Warcraftconducted a series of beta tests starting around March 2004, running up until its final release on November 23. Since then,World of Warcrafthas launched nine expansion packsand dozens of major updates over the course of nearly two decades.
RELATED:World of Warcraft Game Director Comments on Third Evoker Specialization Rumors
Recently, long-timeWorld of Warcraftplayer F0xySt0at shared three screenshots they took during their time on the beta. One shows their human character sitting on a ballista in Elwynn Forest, another exploring the Jangolode Mine in Westfall, and the final picture of a raid ofAlliance characters inWorld of Warcraftswimming up the coast to attack the Undercity. Though F0xySt0at lost most of the other pictures they took, these three relics survived and maintained their quality thanks to their high-end PC at the time.
These screenshots underpin just how differentWorld of Warcraftis now compared to how it looked back then. EvenClassic WoWhas a distinctly different feel to it, despite largely replicating the original Vanilla servers. In many ways, these screenshots are a time capsule to a different era of gaming.
F0xySt0at’s screenshots instantly struck veteranWorld of Warcraftplayers with nostalgia. Many players literally grew up withWoW, so seeing these screenshots took them back to their high school and college years. These fans wondered how many of the players in these screenshots were still playing. Others were even younger when the gamefirst came out, so they enjoyed seeing shots of a major point inWorld of Warcraft’shistory.
Other fans couldn’t help but notice that some of these screenshots looked painfully similar to some forgotten corners ofWorld of Warcraft. The massive game world has some truly spectacular visuals, but some areas look the same as they did back in VanillaWoW. Many of these players are hopingWorld of Warcraftdoes another world revampto breathe life back into these rusty areas of the game.
Though it may not be the same as it was back in 2004,World of Warcraftis still going strong. A recent build of theWoW Classicdeveloper servers indicate something bigis coming soon, andDragonflightis about to releaseEmbers of Neltharion, its first major patch. Whether interested in reliving their nostalgia or soaring into new adventures, there’s plenty forWorld of Warcraftfans to enjoy right now.
World of Warcraftis available now for PC.
MORE:World of Warcraft: Dragonflight Missed the Perfect Time Window For One Major Revamp
