Parents' Guide to World of Warcraft

Game Windows , Mac 2004
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Common Sense Media Review

By Jeremy Gieske , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 16+

Become a hero in an enormous online fantasy world.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 16+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 30 parent reviews

Parents say that while the game can be entertaining and educational, it often requires supervision due to its addictive nature and the potentially toxic online community. Many reviews express concern about mature themes, online interactions, and the time-consuming aspects of gameplay, suggesting that it may be inappropriate for children under a certain age, with recommendations typically leaning towards ages 14 and up, depending on the child's maturity.

  • addictive gameplay
  • toxic community
  • requires supervision
  • age appropriateness
  • educational elements
Summarized with AI
 

 

See all 30 parent reviews
age 11+

Based on 84 kid reviews

 

 

See all 84 kid reviews

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What's It About?

The plot of WORLD OF WARCRAFT (WoW) is more of a series of mini-stories than one overarching tale, but there is a common storyline that runs throughout the game. The world of Azeroth is divided into two factions: \"The Alliance,\" consisting of humans, night-elves, dwarves and gnomes, and \"The Horde,\" consisting of orcs, tauren, trolls and the undead. A very fragile peace exists between these two factions, and it is not uncommon for battles to break out. Much of the game involves a more micro-story approach, with players working on small individual quests, which may or may not be related to the overall plot; the player's primary concern is to develop his character's skills, abilities and fighting talent as quickly and as efficiently as possible.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 30 ):
Kids say ( 84 ):

There may be times that players will practically forget about the gameplay and simply gawk at the spectacular world Blizzard has created. From natural beauty to unique and wondrous cities, WoW offers an amazing fictitious world. With all of the exploration available, players will begin to realize that the game is essentially "unconquerable." There is practically an endless amount of quests to conquer, magical items to find, and new enemies to defeat.

WoW is an incredible game: Well-written quests, beautiful scenery and a staggeringly large world to explore make it a ton of fun to play. Nevertheless, it requires adult involvement to be a good and safe experience for teen players. Violence, references to alcohol use, and the unpredictability of an online environment are all good reasons for parents to regularly check in as their older kids play. However, managed properly, the experience may prove to be a rewarding adventure for all involved.

Online interaction: This game is conducted online and may involve chatting with unknown players.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how this game can be addictive and that guidelines will probably be necessary. Parents should check in regularly with their kids by asking: Who are you playing with? What have others said to you? Is there anything that has made you uncomfortable? Parents might also want to ask what their kids like about this game.

Game Details

  • Platforms : Windows , Mac
  • Pricing structure :
  • Available online? : Not available online
  • Publisher : Blizzard Entertainment
  • Release date : November 22, 2004
  • Genre : Role-Playing
  • ESRB rating : T
  • Last updated : October 9, 2025

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