Overview
Blizzard looked at Dune II and saw potential for fantasy warfare. Warcraft pitted humans against orcs in real-time battles, but more importantly, it introduced Blizzard’s design philosophy—polished, accessible, and intensely competitive multiplayer. The Warcraft universe would eventually spawn an empire.
Fast facts
- Developer: Blizzard Entertainment.
- Setting: Azeroth.
- Factions: Humans, Orcs.
- Legacy: Launched major franchise.
Dune II evolution
| Inherited | Modified |
|---|
| Base building | Fantasy setting |
| Resource harvesting | Gold mines, lumber |
| Unit production | Medieval/fantasy units |
| Tech trees | Building prerequisites |
Faction design
| Faction | Units | Magic |
|---|
| Humans | Knights, archers | Clerics, mages |
| Orcs | Grunts, spearmen | Necrolytes, warlocks |
Resource system
| Resource | Source |
|---|
| Gold | Mines (finite) |
| Lumber | Forests (renewable) |
Multiplayer focus
| Feature | Innovation |
|---|
| Head-to-head | Competitive matches |
| Modem play | Remote opponents |
| Balance | Symmetric factions |
| Speed | Fast-paced decisions |
Series evolution
| Title | Year | Innovation |
|---|
| Warcraft | 1994 | Foundation |
| Warcraft II | 1995 | Naval, air units |
| Warcraft III | 2002 | Heroes, RPG elements |
| World of Warcraft | 2004 | MMO transition |
Blizzard identity
| Element | Establishment |
|---|
| Polish | High production values |
| Accessibility | Easy to learn |
| Depth | Hard to master |
| Support | Long-term patches |
See also