Table of Contents

Genesis and History
Flagship Franchises
Impact on the Gaming Industry
Future Outlook
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Table of Contents

Genesis and History

Blizzard Entertainment, a prominent American video game developer and publisher, traces its roots to 1991. Founded by Michael Morhaime, Allen Adham, and Frank Pearce, the company initially operated as Silicon & Synapse. Its early creations included "The Lost Vikings" and "Blackthorne."

In 1994, Blizzard’s partnership with Davidson & Associates resulted in the acquisition of the rights to "Warcraft: Orcs & Humans." This marked the beginning of Blizzard’s flagship franchise, which would later revolutionize the real-time strategy (RTS) genre.

Flagship Franchises

Blizzard is renowned for its highly successful video game franchises, which include:

Warcraft: This epic RTS franchise includes "Warcraft: Orcs & Humans," "Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness," and the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) "World of Warcraft."
Diablo: An action RPG series, "Diablo" is known for its dark fantasy setting and loot-driven gameplay.
StarCraft: A science fiction RTS franchise, "StarCraft" is celebrated for its strategic depth and three distinct playable races.
Overwatch: A team-based first-person shooter, "Overwatch" features a diverse cast of heroes with unique abilities.
Hearthstone: A collectible card game, "Hearthstone" is highly accessible and has a large player base.

Impact on the Gaming Industry

Blizzard Entertainment has had a profound impact on the video game industry:

Game Design Innovations: Blizzard is known for its innovative game design, which emphasizes storytelling, player engagement, and polished gameplay.
Esports and Competitive Gaming: Blizzard’s games, particularly "StarCraft" and "Overwatch," have fostered a thriving esports scene, showcasing the skill and dedication of professional gamers.
Industry Standards: Blizzard’s success has set high industry standards for game development, inspiring other studios to strive for excellence.

Future Outlook

Blizzard Entertainment is continuously evolving and expanding its portfolio. The company is focused on developing new intellectual properties, enhancing existing franchises, and exploring emerging technologies. Its upcoming projects include an untitled survival game and a new expansion for "World of Warcraft."

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What games has Blizzard Entertainment developed?
A: Blizzard Entertainment has developed popular video games such as "Warcraft," "Diablo," "StarCraft," "Overwatch," and "Hearthstone."

Q: Is Blizzard Entertainment a publicly traded company?
A: No, Blizzard Entertainment is not a publicly traded company. It was acquired by Activision in 2008 and is now part of Activision Blizzard, Inc.

Q: What is Blizzard Entertainment known for?
A: Blizzard Entertainment is renowned for its high-quality video games, innovative game design, and thriving esports scene.

Q: What is the most popular Blizzard Entertainment game?
A: "World of Warcraft" is the most popular Blizzard Entertainment game, with over 100 million registered accounts worldwide.

Q: What is the future of Blizzard Entertainment?
A: Blizzard Entertainment is focused on developing new intellectual properties, enhancing existing franchises, and exploring emerging technologies.

Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness Storyline

In the war-torn world of Azeroth, the Human Alliance struggles against the relentless Horde, led by the enigmatic orc Warchief, Ner’zhul. The Horde seeks to conquer and enslave the human kingdoms, while the Alliance fights for freedom and survival.

Following the events of Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, the Alliance has managed to push the Horde back to their ancestral home of Draenor. However, Ner’zhul has secretly opened a dimensional portal to an alternate world known as Draenor II, granting his forces a new staging ground.

With reinforcements from Draenor II, the Horde launches a counteroffensive, besieging the human kingdom of Lordaeron. Desperate, the Alliance seeks aid from the enigmatic Night Elves, ancient guardians of Azeroth’s forests. Together, the Alliance and Night Elves must confront the Horde and prevent them from reaching the World Tree, a sacred artifact that holds the balance of power on Azeroth.

As the conflict intensifies, the players control both the Alliance and Horde forces in a series of epic battles across Azeroth and Draenor II. The storyline unfolds through cinematic cutscenes and in-game dialogue, revealing the ambitions of both sides and the sacrifices they make in their pursuit of victory.

Warcraft: Orcs & Humans Characters

Humans

Anduin Lothar: A noble and skilled warrior, commander of the Alliance of Lordaeron.
Gul’dan: An ambitious and ruthless orc warlock, leader of the Shadow Council.
Khadgar: A young mage, apprentice to Medivh, who plays a crucial role in the First War.
Medivh: A powerful wizard, corrupted by the Burning Legion, who opened the Dark Portal.
Uther Lightbringer: A renowned paladin, leader of the Knights of the Silver Hand.

Orcs

Blackhand: Warchief of the Blackrock Clan, a ruthless and ambitious leader.
Durotan: Chieftain of the Frostwolf Clan, a wise and honorable orc who opposes Gul’dan’s plans.
Grom Hellscream: A fierce and bloodthirsty warrior, second-in-command to Blackhand.
Ner’zhul: A powerful shaman and chieftain of the Shadowmoon Clan, who seeks to unite the orcs.
Orgrim Doomhammer: A skilled and respected warrior, who eventually becomes Warchief of the Horde.

Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness Best Tactics

Expand early and often: Secure gold mines and lumber mills to build a strong economy.
Build a diverse army: Include a mix of units, such as footmen, grunts, archers, and cavalry, to counter different enemy types.
Use terrain to your advantage: Place units on higher ground or behind obstacles to improve their defense.
Control naval units: Dominating the seas provides access to resources and allows you to attack enemy bases from the water.
Use scout units: Explore the map and gather information about enemy movements and resources.
Plan your attacks: Coordinate attacks with multiple units to overwhelm the enemy and reduce losses.
Defend your base: Construct defense towers and barracks to protect your buildings and units from enemy incursions.
Manage resources: Gather gold and lumber consistently to maintain a steady flow of units and upgrades.
Adapt to different enemy factions: Study the strengths and weaknesses of each faction to develop effective counter-strategies.
Utilize racial abilities: Use unique abilities specific to your faction, such as the human ability to heal units or the orc ability to construct catapults.

Warcraft: Orcs & Humans Release Date

Warcraft: Orcs & Humans was released on November 23, 1994, in North America, and on December 5, 1994, in Europe. It was the first game in the Warcraft franchise and was developed by Blizzard Entertainment. The game was a real-time strategy (RTS) game and was a critical and commercial success. It has been cited as one of the most influential RTS games ever created and has helped to popularize the genre.

Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness Units Guide

Humans

Footman: Melee infantry with high health and low attack damage.
Rifleman: Ranged unit with low health and high attack damage.
Peasant: Worker unit that gathers resources and constructs buildings.
Archer: Ranged unit with high attack damage and range.
Knight: Mounted melee unit with high attack damage and charge ability.
Gryphon Rider: Flying unit with high health and attack damage.

Orcs

Peon: Worker unit that gathers resources and constructs buildings.
Grunt: Melee infantry with high attack damage and low health.
Raider: Mounted melee unit with high speed and low attack damage.
Orc Axethrower: Ranged unit with medium health and attack damage.
Orc Shaman: Caster unit that can heal or damage enemy units.
Wyvern Rider: Flying unit with high health and attack damage.

Neutral Creatures

Wolf: Melee unit with low health and attack damage.
Bear: Melee unit with high health and attack damage.
Gryphon: Flying unit with medium health and attack damage.
Dragon: Powerful flying unit with high health, attack damage, and breath attack.

Warcraft: Orcs & Humans Battlegrounds

In Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, battlegrounds are unique areas where players can engage in PvP (player versus player) combat against opposing factions. Each battleground has its own objectives, mechanics, and rewards.

Alterac Valley: A massive battleground where two factions fight to capture three towers, protect their own, and summon a legendary golem to attack the enemy base.

Arathi Basin: A capture-the-flag battleground where teams race to capture flags and return them to their bases to score points.

Eye of the Storm: A control-point battleground where teams compete to hold strategic locations on a floating island and drain an energy source in the center.

Warsong Gulch: A flag-rush battleground where teams attempt to capture the opposing team’s flag and return it to their own base to score points.

Battlegrounds offer a variety of objectives, challenges, and rewards, enhancing the overall gameplay experience in Warcraft: Orcs & Humans.

Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness Hidden Features

Orc Temple Easter Egg: Placing a Temple on all four neutral Temple platforms and killing the Guardians will spawn a second wave of Guardians and a special message from the game’s developers.
Human Shipyard Trap: Creating a Shipyard next to a raised platform will allow peasants to climb up the platform and drop small mines on the ground, creating a hidden defense.
Peasant Double Gold: Clicking on a Gold Mine with a peasant during the construction animation will grant double the gold.
Invisible Ogre: Using the "Ogre Howling Banshee" cheat code will create an invisible Ogre with increased movement speed.
Skirmish Mode Boss: In some skirmish maps, there is a hidden boss creature with extra stats and abilities.

Warcraft: Orcs & Humans Multiplayer Strategies

Multiplayer in Warcraft: Orcs & Humans requires strategic planning and coordination. Here are key strategies to consider:

Resource Management:

Prioritize collecting gold and wood for resource production.
Establish and guard expansions to increase resource capacity.

Building Order:

Orc players should focus on building Barracks and Grunt Halls.
Human players should prioritize Town Halls and Farms.
Construct towers and watchtowers for defense and vision.

Unit Composition:

Orcs possess powerful melee units, especially grunts and raiders.
Humans excel in ranged combat with archers and footmen.
Mix and match units for balanced armies.

Hero Selection:

Choose heroes that complement army composition and strategy.
Orc heroes can provide buffs or summon powerful units.
Human heroes grant abilities such as healing or summoning reinforcements.

Map Control:

Secure strategic locations such as neutral mines or chokepoints.
Use towers and units to deny enemy access to resources or attack routes.
Expand and control key areas to gain an economic and strategic advantage.

Coordination and Communication:

Communicate with teammates to share information about enemy movements and coordinate attacks.
Utilize the message system to relay important updates and discuss strategy.
Assign roles within the team, such as resource collectors or scout units.

Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness Custom Campaigns

Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness offered a robust custom campaign editor that allowed players to create their own unique experiences. These campaigns varied widely in scope, from standalone stories to sprawling interconnected sagas. Some notable highlights include:

The Black Curse: A massive campaign featuring a complex storyline, multiple endings, and over 100 maps.
The Dawn of the Clans: A prequel campaign that explored the origins of the Orcish Horde and the Troll Wars.
The Guardians of Azeroth: A challenging campaign that featured a diverse cast of playable heroes.
The Rise of the Shadowmoon: A darker campaign that delved into the corrupting influence of the Shadowmoon Clan.
The Twilight’s End: A culminating campaign that spanned over 80 maps and brought together characters from across the Warcraft universe.