We’ve been posting guides/articles about World of Warcraft since forever, but what we’ve just come to realize is that a large number of our readers don’t know much about the game. I’m writing this article to tell all of you what World of Warcraft is about, and how you can get started with the game.

Why write a guide about such an old game, you ask? Well for starters, unlike other genres, massive multiplayer online games mature and only grow better over time. Such is the case with WoW, where new content’s added ever so often to make the game better, richer, and more accessible with each patch. As it stands, WoW has a lot to offer any new gamer and is easy enough for anyone to pick it up and play.

To get started, you’ll need your own copy of World of Warcraft. Retail copies of the game aren’t available for purchase in India; but fortunately the game’s available for digital download on the official website, along with a free 10 day trial. Create an account there, after which you’ll get the option to download an installer for the game. This installer will download the game in the background while you play. Taking into consideration the crappy ISPs around, this isn’t a viable option for most of us. You can play the game on even a 128KBPS connection, but to play it with the background download on, you'll require at least a 2MBPS line.

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What I’d recommend is that you download the WoW Client downloader from here, which allows you to download the entire client together. The download weighs in at about 3.5 GB, so expect to wait a while before you can play it. Although it seems like a lengthy procedure, let me assure you it’s worth the wait.

Once you’ve downloaded the client and patched the game (the game automatically downloads/installs patches for you), you’re all set to start your adventures in the World of Warcraft. The first thing you have to do is pick a server to play on. I’d recommend 'Deathwing', since there are a ton of Indians that play WoW out there.

After that’s done, it’s time to create your first character. You can choose one out of two sides – Horde or Alliance. I suggest you create a Horde character, since most Indians on Deathwing are on that side. Pick a class of your liking and get started with the game. To help you decide what class to pick, check out this guide.

Once you’ve created a character, the in-game tips should watch you through your adventures. Be sure to check out our MMORPG guide to help you with a few of the basics!