Cultural Borrowing in Warcraft
by Elizabeth Harper 
May 18th 2006 at 1:00PM
Terra Nova has an interesting article about the "cultural borrowing" that takes place in World of Warcraft - the way certain races in Azeroth have characteristics shared with social and ethnic groups from the real world. However, I do wonder whether the characterization is really a negative one when the different factions (both the primitive Horde and the refined Alliance) are shown with equal strength and capability. Regardless, the article does present some very interesting food for thought.Filed under: Horde, Alliance, Analysis / Opinion, Virtual selves
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
KcTommy May 18th 2006 2:52PM
Very interesting read indeed. Someone wrote a comment about the racial characteristics of in-game races that are very similar to real races can be offensive. I agree to that to a degree; however, I think that it's all made for fun and I like the differences and if you're offended I'm sorry, play something else. However, I think in-game racism is wrong too. I'm kinda 50-50. .... What do you think? - Soulpunisher, Horde, Alleria -
jpc May 18th 2006 2:59PM
The paper didn't mention the similarity between NE and East Asians. I mean, the wc3 server for E. Asia was called kalimdor iirc. Also, as the article suggests, the other alliance races are like 'the west', and the NE are slightly distrusted. The objectification of the female NE and the 'oriental massage'. Whisps are in alot of Japanese (possibly other east asian) lore also. The NE are also 'on the other continent'. I'm sure that I'm forgetting some other connections that I've drawn in the past.
I don't find any of it offensive tho, rather I find it interesting.
Dustin May 19th 2006 7:56AM
Interesting article. The only stereotype that I get tired of is the supposition that the Horde is the "evil" race and the alliance the "good" race. If you played the expansion pack to Warcraft 3, what really came across is how noble the Horde was narrative wise, while the Alliance became the villains. This is how I felt the Warcraft developers were able to break the cookie cutter fantasy mold and make the story unique.