World of Warcraft Gets Childish with Official Kids Book

[IanDavis]

World of Warcraft Gets Childish with Official Kids Book

Snowfight is a passion project from the head storyteller at Blizzard.

Blizzard's Warcraft has a pretty sizable body of lore, so much so that it built an entire world around it. Now, that lore's branching into a new territory with its first official childrens book. Entitled Snowfight, the book is a passion project from senior VP of story and franchise development Chris Metzen and illustrated by Blizzard artist Wei Wang. [a href=http://www.polygon.com/2013/7/18/4536236/world-of-warcraft-gets-its-first-official-childrens-book]Blizzard recently announced[/a] the book at the San Diego Comic-Con, according to Polygon.

Metzen said that the idea came to him while watching his children growing up and asking questions about Warcraft's characters. Working on the book was a pleasant change for the lore master. "There was just something about these ideas... that just felt really fun and like getting back to basics," he told Polygon.

Wei Wang has been an artist as Blizzard for years and has contributed to most of its franchises. A selection of his artwork can be found [a href=http://www.sonsofthestorm.com/gallery.php?artist=glowei]here[/a].

"It's so weird but it's one of those passion projects we wanted to chase," Metzen said. "I hope it just pops."

While Blizzard has published maps, novels, and lore compendiums, it's never released a kids book before. I'd love to see what a Diablo kids book would look like. Gather around kids, stay awhile, and listen.

Source: [a href=http://www.polygon.com/2013/7/18/4536236/world-of-warcraft-gets-its-first-official-childrens-book]Polygon[/a]

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[RJ 17]

Yay! Now we can watch as Chibi-Arthas descends into madness and becomes a murderous tyrant! Pay attention kids, it's not quite Thomas the Magic Train, but it's a good one!

 

[weirdee]

Yay! Now we can watch as Chibi-Arthas descends into madness and becomes a murderous tyrant! Pay attention kids, it's not quite Thomas the Magic Train, but it's a good one!

"Arthas picked up Frostmourne, but it was cursed, and he ended up losing his humanity and killing his own father.

And that's just terrible."

(various sliding paper tabs depicting Arthas stabbing things)

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

"This is Garona. She has a hard time making friends, because she's half-Orc and half-Human and that means neither race likes her much. And that's sad."

Jokes aside, the guy is one hell of an artist. And who knows, this might be cute.

 

[Stevepinto3]

God, they're marketing this stuff to kids now!? Trying to start em young so they're addicted as adults? Bah, I won't stand for this insidious plot.

Think about the children! Won't someone PLEASE think about...oh. I guess Blizzard did.

 

[LordLundar]

Given how the World of Warcraft story has been progressing lately, a children's book seems about right for Metzen's skills.

 

[RJ 17]

Given how the World of Warcraft story has been progressing lately, a children's book seems about right for Metzen's skills.

I'd say that sounds about right, considering that their last expansion originated as an April Fools gag.

(various sliding paper tabs depicting Arthas stabbing things)

Gotta say that got a decent laugh outta me.

 

[Aramis Night]

I find the title a little confusing. How can anyone imply with a straight face the notion that wow was ever anything but childish. When i played it(for the hour i could stomach it), all i saw was bright cartoon animation and everyone jumping around. It was like i was back in the 80's watching Disney's: The Gummi Bears, except at least using the remote to flip to the channel was better gameplay then WoW had on offer.

 

[Evil Smurf]

If it gets kids into reading that's cool.

 

[Terminate421]

Typical WoW hate here....

Didn't take long, someone tries something new and they freak out about it.

Warcraft could do something mindblowingly awesome and people here would still hate it.

 

[Colt47]

Wait, a world with actual color and life to it is childish? And I'm guessing having gritty looking dirt brown games with linear plots and massive emotional repression somehow qualifies as adult?

(Not in reference to the article, just some responses to it.)

 

[Genocidicles]

Is that their plan now? Get the kids hooked on WOW while they're still young and impressionable eh?

 

[TiberiusEsuriens]

Wait, a world with actual color and life to it is childish? And I'm guessing having gritty looking dirt brown games with linear plots and massive emotional repression somehow qualifies as adult?

You made me laugh, high-five to you sir!

 

[Scorpid]

"This is Garona. She has a hard time making friends, because she's half-Orc and half-Human and that means neither race likes her much. And that's sad."

Jokes aside, the guy is one hell of an artist. And who knows, this might be cute.

I don't know I agree the artists Blizzard uses have always been fantastic but this feels like a moment that an EP should of stepped in and said ".... Yeeeah...no, this would undermine the brand."

 

[LordLundar]

Typical WoW hate here....

Didn't take long, someone tries something new and they freak out about it.

Warcraft could do something mindblowingly awesome and people here would still hate it.

Actually, I play it and enjoy the story when it doesn't revolve around the faction war. When it does it becomes lopsided because the devs are firmly dedicated to writing one group and the other group is an afterthought. As of late they've been fairly arrogant in it as well. I would LOVE something mindblowingly awesome, I just don't see it coming from the ones doing the story.

It's not WoW hate (at least not from me), it's Metzen dislike.

 

[Mr.Mattress]

"This is Garona. She has a hard time making friends, because she's half-Orc and half-Human and that means neither race likes her much. And that's sad."

"However, later on, she realized she was not half-human, but half-Draenai. And not the Draenai that live in the swamp. No, the Draenai that is her parent lives in a magic crystal kingdom filled with the nicest, kindest people who fight the evil creatures of the Universe.

She still had a hard time making friends."

OT: I think it's funny, but then again, that's just me.

 

[shintakie10]

"This is Garona. She has a hard time making friends, because she's half-Orc and half-Human and that means neither race likes her much. And that's sad."

Jokes aside, the guy is one hell of an artist. And who knows, this might be cute.

I don't know I agree the artists Blizzard uses have always been fantastic but this feels like a moment that an EP should of stepped in and said ".... Yeeeah...no, this would undermine the brand."

Consderin the amount of poop jokes in WoW I'd think a childrens book could only elevate the brand.

Jokin aside, I loved this idea when I heard about it. That artwork is adorbs to the max. I might pick it up simply for that.

 

[piinyouri]

That looks like it could be adorable.
I would totally not mind owning that.