The cannon lore: A personal analysis
This thread is one of many threads in the forum that discusses the Lore/story/character differences between Warcraft III and WOW. This we’ll become a heated argument. But an unavoidable one, there is a Warcraft III fan/player base, a WOW base, and a WARIIIWOW combination player base.
For all these different groups there are different views on what should be done. This indeed is a discussion about what fictional adoption of the Warcraft Universe is cannon, and what is not.
I, myself am a Warcraft III fan, and thus dislike the WOW adaptation of Warcraft. Now that is cleared out. Let’s contemplate about the discussion ‘an sich’.
The nature of the game
Because WOW, and Warcraft III are different kinds of games, the both of them approach the story and lore differently.
WOW is a RPG, thus you, as an individual, or guild perceive the happenings in the world (and the characters) from up close. Also, you must have the feeling of having impact on the world around you, even though you are but a petty individual soldier in a vast world. This is problematic, you wish to feel significant, thus your impact must be significant. Thus, all main characters from the story, must fall at your (your guilds) hands. This is the main reason why the instants, campaigns in WOW kill of must story characters (or bring them back for that matter). Much like a soap story. The same goes for the shaping of the word of Azeroth.
Thus WOW, will -always - change the perception of the predating lore and insights of the Warcraft III game.
On the other hand. Warcraft III is a game that follows the factions, through the eyes of the characters that lead them. Therefore the story telling is more alike a fantasy epic, the Lord of the Rings does this.
Because Warcraft III predates WOW, the players that played the first, will always feel as though the story got ‘broken’ by the latter. And the players that first played WOW, want to experience the lore they know and love.
Characters
The behaviour, the design, and roll of the Warcraft characters differ vastly between WOW, and Warcraft III.
In WOW, the characters are more shaped by there might and status. Whereas the Warcraft III are more shaped by their actions and personality development.
My personal plea
A very good point is raised by contemplating about differences between Warcraft III, and WOW lore! Indeed it would be a grievous mistake to alter Warcraft III lore in favour of WOW lore.
I can’t emphasis enough, that Warcraft III should be the leading cannon lore for the continuation of the RTS part of the franchise!
Of course WOW would deviate from the brilliant telling’s of War III, you are after all a mere warrior amongst heroes in a larger universe. Alterations in the WOW telling’s were necessary and thus understandable for the emersion of the players. Whoever they do ‘break’ from predating Warcraft III lore, or change the nature and background from characters. They start to act differently than they would have in Warcraft III. The same goes for the overarching story line and happenings in the Universe.
As such: Please keep Warcraft III cannon, and review all future happenings for Reforged, only from the light of the original story!