Warcraft III goes gold

Blizzard Entertainment has announced that Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, the long-awaited 3D real-time strategy game, has gone gold and will arrive in stores worldwide on July 3, 2002. The company reports that more than 4.5 million copies of the game have already been ordered.

"We're very excited to announce that development of Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos has been completed and that gamer and retail demand will make this the largest launch in gaming history," said Mike Morhaime, president and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "When we set out to create the next installment of the Warcraft series, we wanted to design something both unique and fun to play. We're extremely proud of the game we've created and we believe gamers will be very pleased when they see what we have in store for them."

Warcraft III is the latest installment in Blizzard's long-running Warcraft strategy game series. The game takes players back to the medieval fantasy world of Azeroth a generation after the second war between the orcs and humans has ended. Players can assume control of one of four playable races, including orcs, humans, night elves, and the undead, in the game's extensive single-player storyline or multiplayer mode. The new game also includes a number of role-playing elements not found in the previous games, such as hero units that can gain levels and grow more powerful through the course of the game, as well as new spells and magic items that make hero units more effective. The game also includes a complete world editor that lets players create their own 3D maps and missions.

Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos will be available in stores on July 3 for the Windows and Macintosh platforms for an approximate retail price of $55-$60. For more information, take a look at our extensive collection of previews, movies, and screenshots of the game.