How do the World of Warcraft gameplay servers relate to Battle.net and/or the Diablo Realms?
The World of Warcraft servers utilize an entirely new network architecture that has been designed from the ground up specifically for this style of gameplay. We created this next-generation architecture by incorporating our knowledge of multiplayer gaming with our numerous Battle.net and Diablo experiences.

Where are servers located?
World of Warcraft servers are located around the globe in order to support our worldwide gaming community.

How many players will you support?
Players are divided into several Realms, with each Realm comprising a complete version of the game world.

How many Realms will there be when World of Warcraft is released?
We will have as many Realms online as necessary. As the population within the game grows, we will add more Realms to the initial base. Others will be held in reserve and will be set up the moment they are needed.

Will there be a limit to the number of players on a Realm?
Based on our experiences in the beta test, we now have established an optimal number of players per Realm. This number is in the thousands, but manageable enough to foster a sense of community and to prevent overcrowding.

Can players select what Realm they play on?
Yes. However, you must choose a Realm that is located within your geographical region. For example, North American players must select a North American server, and European players must select European servers. Some exceptions will exist. Australian and New Zealand players, for example, will connect to servers on the U.S. West Coast. The regionally specific servers are there to improve game performance and provide the best online experience possible.

Are player names unique on each Realm?
Yes. In order to promote individuality, World of Warcraft features an advanced naming system allowing players to create a unique name for their characters on each Realm.

Are there player-vs.-player (PvP) servers where players can fight other players from anywhere in the world?
Yes. In fact, all servers allow some sort of player-vs.-player combat in varying degrees. There are normal servers, where player-vs.-player combat is mostly consensual; you do not have to engage in PvP gameplay if you do not want to, but it does exist for consenting individuals. Then there are devoted player-vs.-player servers where the excitement of PvP combat is always possible and players can be plunged into PvP battle without warning. Visit our online guide on Realms type for more information.

Are there Realms specifically for role-playing?
Yes. We want to ensure that role-players have the best experience possible in World of Warcraft. To that end, we also offer role-playing servers with special rules that promote role-playing and staying in-character. See our Realms type page for more details.

Can players have characters on more than one server without paying additional fees?
You are billed by account, not by character. There is one monthly fee to play World of Warcraft and it allows you to create multiple characters on multiple servers.

Will players be able to host small (8 players max), temporary servers on their own machine?
We do not allow players to run their own servers for World of Warcraft. A massively multiplayer online role-playing game demands a high level of server security and a well-connected community to flourish and evolve. We are focusing all of our networking efforts on creating such an environment.

What races can you play in World of Warcraft?
The game features eight playable races, split between two factions: the

Alliance: Humans, Dwarves, Night Elves, Gnomes, Draeni
Horde: Orcs, Tauren, Trolls, Undead, Blood Elf
Is there a chance we might see Ogres, Blood Elves, Naga, Pandaren, Goblins, or High Elves?
World of Warcraft is an enormous universe filled with many different races. All of those named above can be seen in the game as NPCs, but at this time, we can't announce any plans for future player races. The eight races mentioned above are the only playable races in the game.
Why are the Undead allied with the Horde?
Led by the banshee-queen Sylvanas, the Forsaken are an Undead faction that split violently with the Scourge during the Third War. Knowing that no Human agency would ever give them shelter or aid against the Scourge, now their hated enemy, they turned to the savage Horde, based across the sea in the distant land of Kalimdor, for assistance. To convince the Horde to accept the Forsaken into its alliance, the Undead ambassadors claimed that they merely sought a cure for their degenerative condition, which they said only the powers of shamanism and the life-giving energies of the earth could provide. In exchange for this healing aid, the Forsaken vowed to support the Horde in all of its ventures throughout Lordaeron and Azeroth.
Having done battle with the Undead on many occasions, Orc warchief Thrall and Tauren chieftain Cairne Bloodhoof of the Horde were immediately suspicious of the Forsaken's motives. However, due to growing political tensions, the warriors acquiesced to a council of sages known as The Earthen Ring. The council argued that it was the Horde's duty to aid the Forsaken, who wrestled with inner demons just as the Orcs had for generations.
Though Thrall and Cairne secretly suspect the worst, it remains to be seen what Sylvanas and her fanatical Forsaken have planned....
What can you tell us about the Gnomes?
The eccentric, often-brilliant Gnomes, known throughout the world for their obsession with developing radical new technologies and constructing mind-bending marvels of engineering, served the alliance well during the Second War. However, during the recent invasion of the Burning Legion, the Gnomes refused to send any personnel to aid their allies. Though Gnomish designs helped turn the tide against the Legion, the Dwarves and Humans were shocked by the Gnomes' decision to withhold their courageous troops and pilots.
When the war ended, the Alliance discovered the reason behind the Gnomes' sudden withdrawal: an ancient, barbaric menace had emerged from the bowels of the earth and invaded the Gnomes' wondrous techno-city of Gnomeregan. Knowing that their allies' priority was defeating the Burning Legion, the Gnomes decided to make their stand alone. They fought valiantly, but Gnomeregan was lost, and nearly half of the Gnomish race was wiped out.
Those Gnomes who survived fled to the safety of the Dwarven stronghold Ironforge, where they recommitted themselves to the Alliance's cause and also to devising strategies and weapons that would help them retake their ravaged city and build a brighter future for their people.
Who are the Tauren?
The Tauren are a mighty race of nomadic tribesmen who live on the dusty plains of a faraway land. These noble, bull-like hunters have lived in harmony for countless generations and are threatened only by the periodic raids of marauding centaur herds.
What are the racial traits?
You can check them out here.
Are there male and female versions of all of the races?
Yes. Even Tauren!
Does each race have unique properties?
Yes. Each race in the game has access to racial traits that set them apart from others.
Will there be different starting locations?
Most of the races have a unique starting location. The only races that do not are the Gnomes and Trolls, who share their starting location with the Dwarves and Orcs, respectively.
Do different races see differently? (i.e. Can Night Elves see better in the dark?)
No, all races will see the world in the exact same way (although Gnomes may see more knees than the rest of us). When the idea of racial eye sight came up on the table, the development team wanted to ensure that all races would be enjoyable to play. They also didn't want to give any specific race an advantage in this area.
What are the modes of transportation that are available to each race?
Each race has a unique land mount, and each faction possesses several shared aerial mounts. Land mounts can be purchased by players once they reach level 40, with better versions of these mounts also available at level 60. Aerial mounts can be ridden for a small fee to travel vast distances within the continents. Keep in mind that there are several other modes of transportation to be found in the game. You can learn more about transportation here.
Air Transportation

• Alliance: Gryphon, Hippogryph
• Horde: Giant Bat, Wyvern

Land Mounts*

• Dwarf: Ram
• Gnome: Mechanostrider
• Human: Horse
• Night Elf: Nightsaber
• Orc: Wolf
• Tauren: Kodo Beast
• Troll: Raptor
• Undead: Undead Steed
• *Paladins and Warlocks also have the ability to summon special mounts.

For more on quests read our Quests page.

Will quests vary in difficulty?
Yes, at each level there will be quests that vary in their degree of difficulty. Of course easier quests will give lower experience and/or lesser items whereas the harder quests will give high experience and/or more desired items.

There will also be "elite" quests in the game. Elite quests will yield much more experience than normal quests and the rewards will be exceptional as well. It will generally take a group (or in some cases, groups) of people to complete an elite quest.

Will there be group quests available?
Yes, most definitely.

Will each member of a group receive a quest reward if they participated in completing a quest?
If each member of the group accepted the quest from the quest-giver, each member would also receive the quest reward.

What happens when a player fails to complete a quest? Will there be an option to try that quest again?
Yes, players can always go back to the quest giver and try again.

Will there be quests that take you to enemy towns and/or cities? (For example, can a Rogue get to sneak in, steal stuff, and sneak out for a quest?)
Yes, there are quests in the game that take you into enemy towns.

Will there be Epic Quests?
Yes! We're calling them Life Quests.

Will there be very large or continued quests that take a lot of steps to fully complete?
Heck yeah! There will be "small" multipart quests, which you might be able to finish in several days, and epic "life quests" that will span your entire adventuring career.