There has been a lot of talk about the differences between vanilla and classic and how it’s going to be easier this time around and everything is going to happen faster. Things like leveling guides, stable internet (dial up was still very common in 2004), better computers, youtube walkthroughs, free voice communications and just a more computer savvy community in general are all important differences. However, something most people can’t even fathom and is the most underrated difference in 2004 and 2019…is energy drinks!
It would probably blow some peoples minds to realize that energy drinks weren’t really a thing in 2004. The ones that were available weren’t widely used or known about. Players were left with very sub-par alternatives for marathon gaming sessions. Mountain dew and Jolt cola were about the best you could do for that caffeine boost and the gamer drinks of choice. It was not uncommon to see at least a 12 pack of empty mountain dew cans in the trash or strewn around a desk. I’m sure some weirdos drank coffee but most younger kids weren’t going to touch coffee. Energy drinks are definitely going to provide a boost for speed leveling sessions. If they were as popular then as they are now I’m sure more people would have died playing than already did. Pretty crazy though. I’m not advocating their use but just mentioning how the world has changed. What other changes in the world (not the game) between now and then do you think will have an impact on classic?
“Drinks like a soda. Kicks like an energy drink. Vault. Get to it!”
I consumed unholy amounts of this stuff in high school back in 2005-2006ish when I was balancing WoW with a pretty demanding class workload at the time, but I agree that we weren’t living in the oversaturated energy drink climate we are now.
Man I forgot about Vault. Vault was the successor to Surge and I f’n loved Surge. I was so made when they stopped making it. Vault was close but just wasn’t the same. Being older now I can’t imagine how much weight I’d gain if I drank these things like I used too!
Weird I still have never even heard of Bawlz. I think the first energy drink I had was called Wired. I was definitely wired! lmao. Now it probably wouldn’t even phase me because I’ve gotten so used to them.
Omg Bawls. I remember drinking this pretty much everyday during High School cause we had a deli across the street that sold them. Everyone would buy one, hit up the senior room and play smash bros during our free period. Good times, can’t believe it’s already been 10 years.
EDIT: OMG I just found out MicroCenter sells them! Definitely going to go there after work today and stock up for release day.
Of course they were. People have been using them for years. Jolt Cola came out in 1985, Red Bull in 1987, and there have been many others. They were widely-used from the start and have been since then. To say that energy drinks weren’t a thing in 2004, well that’s very wrong indeed.
Walmart sold Monster Energy drinks in 2005-2006 for sure. I know this because I played WoW with several people I worked with there at the time (those are my lost years) and Monster was their WoW fuel.
I tried one and thought my teeth were going to fall out of my head.
They were no where near as main stream in 2004 as they are today. Cell phones have been around since the 80s too but they didn’t start appearing everywhere until the 2000s so just because something has been available doesn’t mean it’s main stream.
Red Bull was very mainstream in 2004. Maybe other stuff too, but I distinctly remember Red Bull & Vodka being almost a cliche for a certain type of person in 2003 or so.
