The lore of WarCraft is too deep and expansive to relay here. But, here is the gist of what is taking place in this 3rd installment of the WarCraft series. In this game, there are several plot points that are touched on by each of the four races: human alliance, orcish horde, night elves, and the undead. The game covers the second invasion of the Burning Legion, an uncountable amount of demons who have formed in an army in order to destroy all life on the planet. Next, it details the origins of the Scourge, which is one of the three major factions of the undead that exists in Azeroth. That's followed by the fall of Lordaeron in the Easter Kingdom. Lastly, you witness the awakening of the night elves.

WarCraft III introduced some new elements on top of traditional RTS conventions. For example, the maps are much more vibrant and dynamic. Neutral creeps can be used to gain experience was something this title introduced as well and has been carried through by most mainstream RTS and MOBA titles. Also, the scale of battle is narrower compared to titles such as StarCraft. It encourages you to focus your attention on fewer characters and construct winning strategies by meticulously controlling them.

WarCraft III is also the direct predecessor of DOTA (Defense of the Ancients). DOTA started off as a MOBA mod for WCIII: Reign of Chaos and The Frozen Throne. This feature was used in several premiere tournaments such as BlizzCon and World Cyber Games. Eventually, Valve Corporation obtained the rights to DOTA and created a sequel, Dota 2. If a brand new game can be created from the modification of an existing game (WCIII) that says something about the quality of the original.

Heroes of the Storm takes place in the cosmic storm known as the Nexus. It is known for bringing together warriors who are dedicated to the Light, and those who seek to bring about Burning Hells. The Nexus summons combatants from several different franchises (WarCraft, StarCraft, Diablo, Overwatch, and others) and augments their abilities so that they are forced to work together to face off against enemy champions in the Nexus. While the origin and mastermind behind this storm are unclear, it is theorized that warriors have been coming here to face off against one another for thousands of years.

Similar to most MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) games, Heroes of the Storm's gameplay revolves around two teams consisting of five players each. However, HoS features seven unique maps with various objectives. Secondary objectives also prevent the game from devolving into a single meta or way to play the game optimally. Specialists are characters with unique abilities that are unlike those of other MOBAs. For example, they can empower nearby minions while summoning an army of minions unique to themselves. They don't fit archetypes of a bruiser, mage, tank, etc. Matches are also roughly 20-30 minutes, noticeably shorter than matches in other games.

These differences, plus many more, allow this game to be more accessible by casual gamers. The team-based focus combat also helps prevent toxicity from arising in its player base. This is much appreciated since other titles often have players that can become toxic and disrupt the enjoyability of other players.

The war between Heaven and Hell continues to wage on. Sanctuary is a place created by powerful angels and demons with the help of the Worldstone. There are many powerful entities now inhabiting Sanctuary, but none more so than the Nephalum. These powerful beings are the offspring of both angels and demons. For the most part, Nephalum had their powers weakened by angels and the Worldstone. However, following the battle with Baal the Worldstone had become corrupted by evil. So, Tyrael had no choice but to destroy it. However, the consequences of this were unknown.

Now, twenty years after the events of Diablo II, a falling star strikes the Tristam Cathedral and creates a deep crater. You, a Nephalem, travel to Tristam to investigate the crater and to uncover the secrets of the falling star.

Though, not quite up to par with its predecessors, Diablo III does continue the tradition of a horror, action, adventure RPG. It delivers on Diablo's core: kill things and pick up loot. This simple formula is hard to mess up. Despite what other issues fans of the Diablo series might have with this installment, you can't deny that killing demons and playing out the 3rd act of Diablo's story is a lot of fun. The slick graphics, addictive gameplay, and intense action were just what the action RPG genre needed.

It's very difficult to explain the storyline taking place in StarCraft 2 without having played the original StarCraft and its expansion, Brood War. Suffice to say that this sequel expands on the mythos of a highly philosophical and technologically advanced race (Protoss) working to keep in check advanced space bugs (Zerg) that have a penchant for destruction and colonization. Humans (Terrans) having dealings with both races and fight for their very survival. In Wings of Liberty, you follow the story of Jim Raynor as he rebels against the emperor of the Terran Dominion.

StarCraft 2 is split into three parts, Wings of Liberty, Heart of the Swarm, and Legacy of the Void. In each game, you play a different race and see their point of view in this overarching story. The campaign mode has been massively overhauled. StarCraft 2 improves on the previous games in terms of graphics, campaign mode, and CGI cutscenes. There have also been modifications and additions to the gameplay itself. Among other things, the biggest upgrade is being able to use hotkeys to command large groups of units (which were also previously limited to 12). It is still the most popular and arguably the best RTS title to this day.

Here's a bit of the history and legacy of SC2. It debuted in 2010 as a critical and financial success. It was a premier title in the world of eSports and reigned supreme as the highest viewed gaming event until competitions such as The International (Dota) and the League of Legends World Championships eventually overthrew it. SC2 also helped elevate a little-known streaming platform, Twitch.tv, into its prominent place among all streamers and gamers alike. By 2012, SC2 had been left a distant second in the wake of LoL's player base and viewership numbers. But, it still saw competitive play in Korea. This title did so much for not just the RTS genre, but gaming as a whole. It is still played today, but the imbalance in gameplay, previous controversial scandals, and the rise of more accessible titles has left it a shadow of what it used to be.

Three ancient evils are kept in a deep slumber by the power of the soul stones. Unfortunately, one of these evils, Diablo, awakens in his prison. He reaches out to the town above, and pulls Lazarus deep into the catacombs of the cathedral and makes him destroy the soul stone. Now freed, Diablo seeks a capable vessel that can contain his power. Through a series of tragic and hideous events, the ruling family of Khanduras has become irreversibly corrupted by Diablo's influence. Furthermore, townspeople of Tristram are being slaughtered by the demons living in the catacombs beneath their cathedral. As the people flee from their town in terror, the now dead king's (Leoric) oldest son returns to Tristam to slay the evil that has killed his father and consumed his people's sanity.

Diablo is an extremely nostalgic horror game at its core. It combined elements of action games with an enthralling storyline and the customization aspects of RPG games to create a truly unique experience that was ahead of its time. The atmosphere was top notch and few games have managed to pull off similar feelings of dread, terror, and mystery. Loot was also a cornerstone of the game. Finding that one special item that powered up your character to near "godlike" status was a very thrilling experience.

In Diablo, the player chose one of three classes: warrior, rogue, or sorcerer. Your end goal was to slice through hordes of demons on your way to Diablo and eventually take him down. Warrior was highly adept at close quarters combat. Rogue was skilled in ranged attacks with a bow. Sorcerer specialized in using spells to destroy the seemingly endless appearance of demons. No matter which class you chose, you were able to find unique items to power you up and access abilities that bring you face to face with the king of hell himself, Diablo.

Decades ago, a set of automated mega-factories reactivated themselves and set out to destroy all human life. This was named the Omnic Crisis. No single military was able to stand up to this new threat. It was the United Nations that decided to bring forth a new group of warriors stemming from the greatest heroes of each individual nation. This super team was named The Overwatch. For twenty year, they enforced justice, fought for peace, and helped bring about the end of the Omnic Crisis. However, Overwatch became corrupted by scandals and dissenting factions from within the group itself. Over time it was declared that all Overwatch functions cease and the members be disbanded. Since then the world has been plunged back into chaos. It is now time for a new generation of Overwatch to form. The world needs them now more than ever.

Overwatch is a fast-paced, team-based, over-the-top stylized first-person shooter that marks Blizzard's fourth major franchise entry in nearly twenty years. Its diverse cast consists of heroes, adventurers, scientists, mercenaries, and other strange characters. In Quick Play and Competitive Play, players are put into teams of 6 heroes each and play across four different maps. Different maps have different objectives, but the main goals are to capture or defend specific map points, pushing or stopping a "payload", or attacking the enemy team to earn a higher score.

Overwatch was unveiled at Blizzcon in 2014 and has steadily gained a following since then. In 2017, Blizzard created the Overwatch League. This new league pits players, from various teams, from all over the world against each other in a five-month season. At the end, they will compete in the championship where the winning team will be awarded a $1 million bonus. With Hearthstone being an eSports mainstay, Blizzard is looking to push Overwatch past those numbers and reach the likes of League of Legends in terms of viewership and sponsors. If done correctly, this game could help push eSports further into the limelight and solidify it as a respectable career for young gamers.

The Xel'Naga is a race of ancient beings from that come from an area of the universe that is "beyond space". They had technology and abilities that far surpassed anything that human beings could hope to be capable of. The Xel'Naga's only purpose was to foster sapiens life. Because this noble race was mortal, the sapiens life they fostered was considered their "children". In searching for a worthy successor to their race, the Xel'Naga experimented on the Protoss and the Zerg. Earthlings, now known as Terrans, have no inhabited the Koprulu sector which lies within Protoss space. It is here that the alliances are formed, battles are fought, and trust is betrayed amongst the three races. It's a space opera like no other!

StarCraft is a legend in the RTS genre. Though the campaign is enjoyable, StarCraft truly shines in its multiplayer mode via Blizzard's Battlenet. Through its ability to be an entertaining game to watch and play, it may have single-handedly started turning the gears for what would later become eSports. Blizzard has not been able to replicate the balance between three different factions battling for supremacy like they did with this original military, science fiction RTS title. It's enjoyability, balance, and variation are what keep the player base strong for this game even today.

StarCraft remastered released early this year (2017). It has revamped all of the old 90's graphics, effects, and map terrain. It also upgraded all of the modes from the original game and its Brood War expansion. The remastered version also supports customizable maps just as the original did. This means that besides a fresh, new paint coat, players will also keep themselves busy with a near infinite amount of map variations to play on. Well done Blizzard.

The Inn is a magical hug that seems to be able to open its doors to various locations across Azeroth and beyond. Creatures and people of all races make their way to The Inn in hopes of receiving a reprieve from their long and arduous journey. Many sit down at one of the many oak wood tables and order a tall pint of ale to drink with their comrades. Yet, others come for a different reason. They come to try their hand at the greatest Azerothian game ever created. They come for Hearthstone.

Hearthstone is a free to play, collectible card game. It is largely based off of Warcraft lore. Many of the champions, minions, spells, and characters that you find in this card game come from previous Warcraft titles, but some are original to this title. Players can choose to play against the formidable AI via Practice Mode and Adventure Mode, or they can play against other gamers through Play Mode, The Arena, or Tavern Brawl. Players take turns drawing cards (spells, minions, weapons etc.) and place them on the field to activate their effects. There is a myriad of strategies that can be used, but the overall goal is to reduce the health points of your opponents down to 0 before they do the same to you.

Hearthstone's biggest draw is that it manages to please casuals gamers as well as those seeking to play at the professional level. It is accessible and has a very deep level of play at the same time. The system helps new players create usable decks that can be used against the AI or other players in the same skill level. But, because there are so many cards, more skilled players can create decks and pit them against formidable competitors that make for a thrilling and entertaining viewing experience. For these reasons, Hearthstone has become the most widely played digital card game in the world. It has a huge eSports presents and its viewership is consistently among the highest on Twitch.

Now, is a great time to hop in because of the newest expansion, Kobolds and Catacombs, released earlier today (December 8th, 2017). We recommend joining in on the fun by playing against the AI and unlocking the latest and last set of cards for this year (Hearthstone's Year of the Mammoth). You won't want to miss it!

As the Wanderer leaves Tristam, demons escape from their confines of the cathedral and lay waste to the town. The Wanderer makes his way east toward the Rogue Monastery which guards the only safe passage towards the desert town of Lut Gholein. Upon reaching the monastery demons are summoned and eventually destroy all the inhabitants. The lesser evil, Andarial, is also summoned and ordered to protect this passage so that no one can follow the Wanderer on his journey east. A band of nameless heroes appears at a rogue encampment where the last remaining survivors of the rogue monastery have gathered. They vow to track down the Wanderer and stop him before he can awaken an evil powerful enough to rival Diablo.

Whereas the original Diablo engulfed the player in feelings of despair and dread, Diablo II creates a sense of urgency and supreme danger. The player must follow the Wanderer on his journey across the desert and towards Tal Rasha's tomb. If they don't reach him in time, the Wanderer will destroy the soul stone and release Baal, the second primal evil.

Diablo II added the ability to run (something sorely lacking from the original), fixed how gold worked, more character classes were added, and a plethora of other welcome upgrades were added. Items, in particular, were well balanced. Even items that had no practical use for your specific build, could be traded or given to others to meet their build requirements. Battlenet added a full multiplayer dimension to the game as well. You could work together to destroy demons or you could enter PVP mode to fight against your friends or work your way up the leaderboard. Diablo II is basically an upgrade from Diablo I in every way. There are thousands of players that still play this game intensely.

Also... the cow level! What started off as a baseless rumor in Diablo one became a fan favorite location in Diablo II. Using the Horadric Cube and a specific recipe, you could open a portal to the famed cow level. Once there, you could slice through ax-wielding cows and eventually take on the Cow King. This is mostly an easter egg for loyal Blizzard fans, but it was something that brought gamers together and left a fond memory even more than 15 years later

WarCraft's lore spans multiple WarCraft games, books, comics, novels, multiple WoW expansions, and decades of real-world time. It's a very deep and rich universe that could not be done justice by writing a simple blurb about it here in this article. If you have played Hearthstone or any of the WarCraft titles than you have touched upon characters and aspects of history that took place in within Azeroth. World of WarCraft allows you to take immerse yourself in that rich world and make your mark in its ever-expanding story.

World of WarCraft is the biggest and most popular massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. And, it has been since 2009. Most gamers around the world have either played or at least heard of this behemoth of a game. At its peak, WoW boasted 12 million monthly subscribers.

So, what keeps that amount of people playing and coming back? Besides the immersive lore, there are so many things to do in this game. For starters, your character is fully customizable. You can choose from one of 8 different races, 9 different classes, and 9 different professions. From there, you begin taking on the increasingly difficult thousands of quests that earn your character experience points that are then used to increase the level of your character and grant them new abilities. You can buy or loot new weapons and armor from the various locations around Azeroth. Once your character is at a high enough level, you can begin tackling instanced dungeons and raids. Low-level instances can be handled solo, but the higher level dungeons and raids can only be completed with the help of a group of raid party.

Besides questing and fighting the AI, you can fight other players in several PVP modes. These are just some of the things you can do in WoW. There really is no limit to what you can achieve and how much time you can spend enjoying this game. New events are rolled out consistently and expansions are created to keep gameplay fresh and rewarding. It's difficult to see any end in sight for this Blizzard franchise that began back in 2009.