| World of Warcraft is based on Azeroth, a | | | | of Warcraft to punish those who threaten |
| setting in a fantasy universe with some | | | | others, but the hatred for the opposing |
| distinct similarities to our world. | | | | faction is never sated, always mounting. |
| Some of the coincidences are kitschy, | | | | World of Warcraft's races have a great |
| funny even. But at the heart of these | | | | deal of similarities to those of our |
| japes lies something a bit darker. | | | | world, stereo types included. The |
| Blizzard sets up a world where it is | | | | Dwarves, who speak with a Scottish/Irish |
| easy to hate the players on the other | | | | accent, have a lot of beginning quests |
| side of the game. From that hate can | | | | concerning obtaining, delivering and |
| spring the hate of people and races | | | | making liquor, implying that the fine |
| existing in our World. Blizzard was not | | | | folks from the Emerald Isles are |
| always kind to the people they represent | | | | drunkards. The Trolls speak with a |
| with the races in their game. | | | | Jamaican accent, and the dance the males |
| There are two sides a player must choose | | | | perform is Capoeira, a martial art |
| when beginning to play World of | | | | devised by slaves in the Caribbean |
| Warcraft. The Horde is made up of Orc, | | | | islands and South America. Blizzard |
| Trolls, Tauren and the Undead. The | | | | portrays the trolls aa island folk, like |
| Alliance consists of Humans, Dwarves, | | | | those of Jamaica, and they actively |
| Gnomes and Night Elves. From the very | | | | practice various forms of voodoo, |
| beginning, players are set opposed to | | | | witchdoctors being the most important |
| each other. The players of the alliance | | | | officials in their society. The |
| share a common language, as do the | | | | peaceful Tauren, with their totemic and |
| horde. Interaction between the two | | | | harmonic lifestyle are representative of |
| factions is limited to 'emotes' some | | | | Native Americans in their naming |
| visual, some purely textual motions or | | | | practices and garb. Aside from |
| gestures the players can make such as | | | | potentially insulting members of these |
| cowering, waving, and spitting on the | | | | nationalities, Blizzard sets them |
| other gamers. Often times in such | | | | against other players, furthering hatred |
| encounters, there is no time for even | | | | for the people of the real world by |
| rudimentary communication, as players | | | | spurring hate for the digital |
| are encouraged and rewarded for slaying | | | | representations of them in their game. |
| members of the opposing faction on | | | | Walking the line between what is |
| sight. | | | | allowable in depiction of a group of |
| Most people can see the game for what it | | | | people and what is offensive; World of |
| is, entertainment. Yet some of the | | | | Warcraft inspires its players to hate |
| players are absorbed by the game and | | | | one another. From that hate, the more |
| lose perspective on reality. After | | | | impressionable, or inclined players |
| repeatedly being killed by members of | | | | would not have a far leap to transfer |
| the opposing faction, the rage can build | | | | their hate from the player to the race |
| to a point where a player may begin | | | | they play, then to the real life ethnic |
| threatening another with real physical | | | | group from which they are modeled. |
| attacks. Blizzard set policies in World | | | | |