World of Warcraft is a game of rich fantasy lore that's full of magic, myth, and monsters. Much like other members of its genre, the game is an immersive role-playing experience for players to have epic adventures, either alone or alongside other brave champions. That being said, World of Warcraft has a few aspects within its lore that tend to noticeably bend the consistency of a medieval fantasy realm.
Technology is a hallmark of many genres such as steampunk and sci-fi, but fantasy settings tend to give modern tech a wide berth. It typically doesn’t make a lot of sense for machines and gunpowder to exist in a world where those same problems are solved with magic or medieval methods. There are benefits to having machinery and the like in any world, but if not carefully used, it can cause a hiccup in that world's logic that becomes more noticeable as time goes on.
World of Warcraft Has Technology That Doesn’t Fit Its Fantasy Setting
It’s perfectly acceptable for some advanced technology to exist in a fantasy role-playing game. One excellent example of this is in The Elder Scrolls universe, wherein an extinct race called the Dwemer left behind sentient technology imbued with magical properties that modern-day players can still interact with. However, the difference here is that this technology is poorly understood by even the inhabitants of that world given the Dwemer’s technological advancement are still leagues ahead of the Elder Scrolls’ medieval-fantasy inhabitants.
In World of Warcraft, technology is more often treated as a quirk or an easy solution to a problem that could be solved with magic instead. Motorbikes, helicopters, and even mech suits exist as plausible means to traverse the landscapes, but other characters use big cats, horses, and wolves to the same effect. It’s difficult to conceptualize how these machines have not replaced other methods, as a sword and shield is just as effective as a rifle. It’s important to acknowledge that there are races in the game, such as goblins and gnomes, whose entire identity revolves around their skill with technology rather than magic. Yet there should be limits to what those inventions could accomplish, establishing that using tech to solve problems otherwise accessible through creative use of magic is a waste of the fantasy potential of a universe like World of Warcraft’s.
A good example of the use of technology in World of Warcraft is the Titans’ creations. These god-like beings use their powers of Order to forge intelligent constructs and other artificial creations that don't break the game’s fantasy feel. Countless quest lines in WoW are dedicated to deciphering the Titans’ technology and its purpose, which is a perfect way to integrate tech with the mystery of the game’s intended genre.
Much like the Dwemer’s inventions in The Elder Scrolls, World of Warcraft's Titan technology is much better than that used by the goblins and gnomes. Elements of mystery and power are integral for incorporating technology into the fantasy genre without sacrificing immersion. There are endless creative solutions that magic can achieve, even in ways that mimic modern technology, so treating basic technology as if it’s already a well-known, mundane aspect of life conflicts with the magical elements of that universe, bringing it more into the sci-fi genre.
World of Warcraft is a universe bursting with all kinds of magic, and wasting that potential on technology is a break from what makes the genre special. While technology in games like World of Warcraft can be lots of fun, it’s a double-edged sword and should be carefully considered so that it enriches the game's lore rather than creating odd inconsistencies.
World of Warcraft: Dragonflight is available now for PC.