Patch 5.4 patch notes
Virtual Realms feature revealed
The Proving Grounds are coming
The latest patch 5.4 newsSwine Flu strikes Azeroth!
by Adam Holisky 
Apr 30th 2009 at 3:00PM
I'm sure you all will be quite happy to hear that the Swine Flu has struck Azeroth. Yes, you read that right.
Out in the Borean Tundra, Unliving Swines near Warsong Hold will cast the debuff Swine Flu on you when you're fighting them. The pigs are dirty little creatures, and luckily anyone can cure the disease that has such an ability.
The Swine Flu disease itself is benign, however every time you attack something it has a chance at triggering an Outbreak. An Outbreak of Swine Flu will cause a fever that inflicts 120 nature damage every 2 seconds for 8 seconds total, and reduces movement speed to 70% of normal. Like Swine Flu, Outbreak is a disease that can be cured.
We should note that this isn't some joke recently put into the game. It's existed since Wrath of the Lich King released, so all the conspiracy theorists that are suggesting Blizzard manufactured the real swine flu in order to make more people stay home and play their game are clearly wrong. Clearly.
Oh noes! There's a knock at the door... I think Ghostcrawler and Belfaire are here with an offer I can't refuse.
Filed under: Virtual selves, News items, Humor
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 5)
SINisterWyvern Apr 30th 2009 3:27PM
I have a slight fever and a bad cough right now and people are concerned about it even though the nearest case is an entire state away.
Gessilea Apr 30th 2009 3:28PM
I'm so tired of people trying to convince us to be scared all the time. Things that are more of a threat to the average person reading this blog than swine flu: falling down in the bathroom, being in a car accident while driving home, eating at McDonald's, electrocuting yourself by spilling coke on your computer during an all night gaming session. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go hide under my bed until the big scary world goes away.
Jason Apr 30th 2009 3:30PM
Bleeding Hollow's trade channel has been rife with [Swine Flu] for about a week now... Sometimes by cause of me... For social experimental purposes, of course.
MechChef Apr 30th 2009 6:15PM
Hmm, this outbreak need AoE radius to infect others.
native Apr 30th 2009 3:34PM
i guess i fail to see the hilarity in a pandemic virus that has the potential to cause some major economic disruption in addition to the inevitable deaths.
might just be me though.
Fierna Apr 30th 2009 3:35PM
Graveyard humor has long been considered cathartic.
Karilyn Apr 30th 2009 4:33PM
"the potential to cause some major economic disruption"
Okay that part made me laugh.
InsaneAssault Apr 30th 2009 4:53PM
@Karilyn
Why is that so hard to believe?
Evi Apr 30th 2009 3:38PM
I am completely offended by this post! Please remove me from your newsletter immediately! Harumph!
Keyra Apr 30th 2009 4:22PM
LOL!
Zhangrief Apr 30th 2009 3:39PM
Don't call it deadly till there are reputable cases of death.
Swine flu != Bird Flu
Check out the CDC report on the two SoCal cases: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5815a5.htm
native Apr 30th 2009 3:44PM
here's the CDC attributing the death of a toddler in Texas to swine flu.
There. Now its deadly.
:)
[url]http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/[/url]
Besides, I don't think anyone is taking an "OMG Swine Flu killz all11bbqomg" approach. The problem lies in the potential. Not the current reality.
TUFF Apr 30th 2009 3:40PM
Pigs have always had the same flu that we get in the winter time. It is called winter flu. Recently they started getting this new flu H1N1 flu or swine flu becuase two flu viruses mutated in a pig to make this new kind of flu
neocloud61 Apr 30th 2009 3:43PM
It may have been in the game for a while, but honestly I think this article is in poor taste.
I'm sure it's not your intention, but posting a joke like this about something that is causing a panic and actually killing some people is just not cool.
I love your articles, but this attempt at humor was a terrific swing and a miss.
Calophi Apr 30th 2009 3:45PM
Give me a break. The normal flu kills people too. A lot more people than swine flu has. People are panicking for no reason.
neocloud61 Apr 30th 2009 3:58PM
I'm aware that the normal flu kills people, too. The fact remains that it is a serious threat and although people shouldn't be freaking out, that's what's happening.
Making a joke like this is not helping anything. If anything it'd be more appropriate to wait until things blew over and people calmed down.
Sonicandtails Apr 30th 2009 4:02PM
We here at WoWinsider cater to the intellectual crowd, not the ones who think you can get it from eating pork.
native Apr 30th 2009 3:46PM
whoops. link f'up ftl.
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/
copy and past cause i'm a link nub.
native Apr 30th 2009 3:47PM
theres a vaccine for the common flu.
there is no vaccine for this strain of the flu. considering the apparent ease of transmission i'd say some concern is valid.
ChanceC (XBL: NoPantsChance) Apr 30th 2009 3:58PM
If it's any consolation, Adam, I thought the article was not only in good taste, but hilarious.
Some people just can't take a joke, or worse, still take jokes they find on the internet as offensive.