Parents' Guide to

World of Warcraft

Game Windows , Mac 2004
World of Warcraft Poster Image

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 36 parent reviews

Basia K.
Basia K. Adult
September 17, 2023
age 18+

Because of 3rd party online applications such as discord platform required to play this game and in game online experience itself this game is definitely not 12+ and it should be adjusted to 18+ The content itself can be classified as 15+, however this is an online game and the community is toxic and abusive and this making the game unplayable for an adult, not mention a 12 year old.
Legionidas
Legionidas Adult
June 3, 2022
age 18+

Recent update to Blizzard behavior. Doesn't seem to affect ERP in anyway on Moonguard..

The game is good for the most part. I however cannot say this enough. Stay away from the MoonGuard server. In have had discussions with the players on that server and they do no to seem to care if children play on this server. The trade chat has been compromised of sexually inapropriate things. The server is notorious for ERP (erotic roleplay). One area in particular is the goldshire in on the alliance side (right outside of stormwind) and one Silver moon city inns. I had joined the server thinking that the ERP would only stay in goldshire since I play alliance. I found out that is not the case and is also happening in trade chat. The other reason why I joined the server was that it had the largest rp community (besides ERP) of all the rp servers. Very rarely does It seem that Blizzard entertainment does crack down on the sexually inappropriate behavior in trade chat or goldshire. The only instance of them cracking down on it that I had seen was when a guildee got a 7day ban for saying something sexually inapropriate to someone in whispers. I even had a guild member say something in trade chat that was sexually inapropriate. I told my guild officer, they did nothing. I then reported the inappropriate behavior to Blizzard, apparently nothing had happened. I am writing this because Blizzard just added something to the game where you have to agree to there behavior tos or not play the game. I have unsubscribed from the game back a few months ago. This is only on the MoonGuard server that I know of. I am far more upset with Blizzard then I am with the erpers. Blizzard seems to let ERPers get away with it. I would give the game 5 stars and age 10+ but I wonder if more servers will end up like Moonguard in the near future.
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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 (36 ):
Kids say (89 ):

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

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