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Which Realm is World of Warcraft? A Comprehensive Guide

World of Warcraft (WoW) is not a single, monolithic entity but rather a collection of virtual game worlds, each known as a realm. Think of a realm as a distinct copy of the game, each with its own population of players, economies, and social structures. To be more precise, a realm is an instance of the World of Warcraft game world, and these realms are hosted on physical devices often called server blades. This is why the terms “realm” and “server” are frequently used interchangeably in the WoW community. So, when you ask, “Which realm is World of Warcraft?”, the answer is that World of Warcraft is made up of many individual realms and your chosen realm is where your specific in-game experience will take place.

Understanding WoW Realms

Types of Realms

The game currently offers three primary types of realms, each catering to different playstyles:

Modern Realm: This encompasses the current version of World of Warcraft and all its expansions, often referred to as retail WoW.
Classic Era Realm: These realms offer the experience of the original, pre-expansion World of Warcraft.
Progression Realm: These realms progress through the game expansions over time, usually starting with the original game and gradually working their way through expansions.

You choose your desired realm type by selecting the corresponding game version in the Battle.net App before launching the game. Your characters and progression are tied to the realm you select and this decision has a major impact on your game experience.

The Concept of Servers

As touched upon, realms are hosted on servers. Each realm essentially runs on its own set of servers. The physical location of these servers matters; WoW servers for the US are located in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. This location can impact your latency (or “ping”) which is the time it takes for data to travel between your computer and the game server. If you are closer to a server location you will generally have a better playing experience.

Cross-Realm Play

Modern WoW and Wrath of the Lich King Classic offer cross-realm capabilities which allows you to group up and play with friends who are on different realms within the same region. This greatly expands the pool of players you can interact with, making it easier to find groups for dungeons, raids, and other activities. Cross-realm functionality does not allow players to interact with all players at all times but allows players in a particular region to interact with one another. This enhances the game experience for many players.

Realm Selection: Normal vs. RP

Within Modern WoW you will be asked to choose a Normal or RP realm.

Normal Realms are the default option and the most common realm type and offer no restrictions on open world play and whether to engage in PvP combat with players of the opposing faction using the War Mode system.
RP (Roleplaying) Realms are specifically designed for players who want to engage in roleplaying their characters in-game. Players on these servers are encouraged to stay in character and participate in world events accordingly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How do I find my realm in WoW?

You can check the status of your realm on the official World of Warcraft Realm Status page. This will show if your chosen realm is online or offline. You can also browse community forums specific to your realm. The full realm list can be found in the Realms section on the World of Warcraft Forum homepage.

2. What is the largest city in World of Warcraft?

If you are considering the actual city, Suramar is the largest due to its modern design and scale compared to other cities like Orgrimmar and Stormwind. These two are smaller in size and not laid out as urbanely as Suramar which was built 14 years later.

3. Is it possible to transfer characters between WoW realms?

Yes, using the Character Transfer service. This feature allows you to move characters to different realms, or even different World of Warcraft accounts, as long as both accounts are registered to the same account holder name when transferring to a different account.

4. What are “connected realms” in WoW?

Connected realms are separate realms that have been linked together by Blizzard to form one combined population for gameplay. This is done to ensure a healthy population on realms that have a lower number of players. For example, Mirage Raceway, Nethergarde Keep, and Pyrewood Village are connected realms.

5. How many realms are there in the Shadowlands?

The Shadowlands is an in-game location, not a collection of realms. The Shadowlands includes six major realms: Oribos, Revendreth, Ardenweald, Bastion, Maldraxxus, and the Maw.

6. Why do I see “incompatible realms” after a patch?

An “incompatible realm” error indicates that your game client’s version does not match the version of the servers. Typically, a restart of your computer, followed by a restart of the Battle.net desktop app, should resolve the issue by forcing your game to update.

7. Is there in-game marriage in World of Warcraft?

While World of Warcraft does not officially recognize in-game marriages, many players create their own ceremonies purely for roleplaying purposes. There are no gameplay benefits conferred by marriage within the game.

8. How can I play World of Warcraft with my friends?

You can use the Recruit A Friend feature. Open your Friends List (default hotkey O), click the Recruit A Friend tab, and copy your unique recruitment link. Send this link to your friends so they can join you on your journey.

9. Are realms and servers the same thing in World of Warcraft?

The terms “realm” and “server” are often used interchangeably in the World of Warcraft community. Realms are hosted on physical devices referred to as servers.

10. What is the best realm for beginners in World of Warcraft?

There are many different recommendations for new players. It is generally not advisable to play on “new player” realms. A solid recommendation for new players for Alliance characters is Stormrage, Sargeras or Proudmore, and for Horde characters Illidan, Thrall, Area52, Tichondrus, Mal’ganis, Zul’jin or Hyjal.

11. Can I transfer my world using a Minecraft Realm into a normal world?

This is not applicable to World of Warcraft.

12. Are there any free realm transfers for WoW?

Blizzard may offer free realm transfers when a realm is full and has login queues. You might be prompted to transfer while in the queue through a Character Migration button.

13. What does “locked realms” mean in WoW?

A locked realm means that you cannot create new characters on that particular server. You would need to transfer characters to it to join the realm.

14. Where are WoW servers located in the US?

WoW servers for US players are hosted in three data centers: Chicago, Illinois; Los Angeles, California; and Phoenix, Arizona.

15. How many world slots can a Minecraft Realm have?