Every week the Lore Watch podcast explores the story and lore of Blizzard titles including World of Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, or any other games that interest us. Join us for an in-depth look at the evolving stories of the games we all love.
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Two listener questions form bookends to an overarching concept this week on the Lore Watch Podcast. First, what is happening to Outland as it is now, 20 years after we visited? Is it still crumbling as it was, and what is becoming of the people and creatures still living there? Then, continuing on the theme, the next question asks, what if Azeroth's fate -- after burrowing Old Gods and Titan stabbing and 20 years of varied psychic abuse -- is already sealed, and our planet is doomed to crumble a...
This week's episode covers a lot of ground, because we're answering your burning listener questions (but you should still see a doctor). One involves modding and romance options in games like Fallout 4 or Cyberpunk 2077 . The next question is all about class fantasy in WoW , and which our hosts think is defined the best. The final question is about the upcoming Legion Remix : what are our hosts looking forward to the most on the revisit? And what do they think might change, or be added. After al...
With the new Lorewalking feature, it has some of us curious about the Lorewalkers. What is their history in the game, and why exactly do they know so much? A listener asked us just that -- somewhat suspiciously. As Matt and Joe discuss the Lorewalkers, it is evident that many are not your average NPC, empowered with longevity, or great memory. The path leads us to the Time Walkers and the dragonflights, and whether any of them can be trusted to tell the truth. If you enjoy the show, please suppo...
This week Lore Watch takes a deep dive into the character of Faerin Lothar, based on the recent short story " Faith and Flame ," as well as the release of patch 11.1.7 , which sends us questing back into the Arathi Highlands. Faerin's story is inextricably tied to the Arathi race as a whole, but also unique to her -- noble or no, not many seven year olds are going to stow away on a ship to join the Hallowfall Expedition. Join Matt and Joe as they recount the ancient history of the Arathi, all th...
The new Lorewalking feature in World of Warcraft is one we can use to explore more moments from the game we haven't seen, or explore the ones we have seen more in-depth. A listener wrote in and asked Matt and Joe which other points of lore they'd like to see show up in Lorewalking later, so of course, the entire hour is devoted to answering that question. From the huge, earth-shaking moments involving the Titans, to the old events leading to the current ones with the lineage of humans, all the w...
This episode dives into World of Warcraft's new Lorewalking feature, which allows players to relive key lore moments. The hosts discuss scenarios focused on the Ethereals (including the potential Broker connection), Arthas's fall (linking to runic magic and Titans), and the origin of Zalatath (revealing new information about the Old Gods and their conflicts). They explore the value of this feature for new and veteran players alike, offering new insights and connecting disparate lore threads.
If in between hauling Brann's sorry carcass through another delve and racing around in your car in Undermine you haven't been paying close attention to the story of The War Within , we've got your back. Starting from the pre-patch and the radiant song, Matt and Joe recap the events of the expansion so far. There will be spoilers up through the end of the Undermine raid, so be wary. And of course, it just wouldn't be a Lore Watch Podcast if there wasn't a bit of heavy speculation as to where the ...
This week's Lore Watch is based on a listener question, which mashes together two of Joe and Matt's favorite topics: Azeroth and Dungeons and Dragons . Specifically, this episode goes through doing just that: how they would play their way through a World of Warcraft -themed D&D campaign. They discuss their picks for the best tabletop system to play their way through a potential Azeroth-themed adventure, and then dive deep to discuss which small corner of Azeroth's history -- from setting to ...
On this week's Lore Watch Podcast, Joe and Matt are joined again by our writer Eric O'Dea, and they continue to explore how the telling and re-telling of stories about creatures in folklore has evolved into the creatures we now know in some of our favorite media. This week they start the discussions with dragons and all their forms -- sapient, verbal, Dungeons and -- and how Dragons tend to affect the retellings of other creatures, too. If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon , where...
While they are unassuming little creatures, their presence in fantasy lore ranges all the way from traditional folklore all the way into modern day Dungeons and Dragons and World of Warcraft . With the help of staff writer Eric O'Dea, Joe and Matt delve deep to discuss the history of these little critters, from their origins as sprites or brownies or the fae all the way up to "you no take candle." They also discuss the evolution of creatures in general, like vampires, and how they are imagined i...
This week, Joe and Matt take to the mailbag to answer your questions, which are as varied as you are. First, since WoW has a tendency to bring back characters from the dead, and we just quote-unquote "killed" Gallywix, do we think he's actually dead, or will he be back? Then, in harkening back to a past episode, the connection between the Arathi and the Nerubians -- and whether the Nazrethim is what is keeping them in balance. Also, we discuss Galactus and his place in the Marvel universe. As I ...
This week's episode was inspired by a question from a listener, about where the story is going from here as we make our way toward the next expansion of World of Warcraft , Midnight . We veer right into Tinfoil Hat territory pretty quickly. After all, it's tough when a lot of the sources we have are either written by unreliable narrators, or were written well before any of current events were even thought of -- which is part of the question itself. The Titans, the First Ones, and how they intera...
The Netflix animated show Cyberpunk Edgerunners is a great entry in the Cyberpunk universe, and one we felt worth exploring in-depth. Joe and Matt give us a spoiler-filled tour of Night City and how all the details of life in that universe lead to a dystopia packed with despair. This is an episode from the archives, so it's one we felt we should bring back to the front in case you missed it. Content Warning : both the podcast and the show we're discussing involve violence, bodily harm, mental he...
While we do enjoy going off on wild tangents or thinking about "what if," sometimes it's important to just go back to the crucial source material. The specific writing in-game can not only work to create a vibrant world, but with careful study, can inform the overall trajectory of what you can expect to come. WoW is no different, so today we're taking a look at a set of perhaps overlooked, but no less beloved, sets of writing from the game. We hope you enjoy. If you enjoy the show, please suppor...
This week's Lore Watch Podcast is Q&A style, so the topics veer all over the place -- more so than usual. We start off with a question about the Emerald Dream and whether it was designed as a prison -- timely, given Hearthstone 's latest expansion releasing yesterday. Speaking of Hearthstone , the next question concerns in-game board games, and what kind of play happens on Azeroth. Then, they follow it up with a question about the Botani and other NPCs potentially coming to Azeroth from diff...
Join our hosts Joe Perez and Matt Rossi as they discuss the lore around the Sethrak, the snakelike humanoids we initially met in Vol'dun in Battle for Azeroth . How does their worship of the animalistic Loa spirits shape their society? Titans may tie in to the animalistic loa, and the two working together may have shaped Azeroth as we know it. Plus, they discuss the evolution of species in the context of a magical world: when is a dragonfrog a froglike dragon and when is it dragonlike, but a fro...
This week we put on the tinfoil hat to contemplate Xal'atath's plans for the future, the nature of the void, and where we might be going in the Midnight expansion due out in 2026. As with most of our wild speculation episodes, the conversation goes off the rails and then forgets there were ever rails in the first place. Enjoy! If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon , where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon , where you c...
We're doing something a little new this week for Lore Watch, with a remaster of an older episode. As Joe explains in the new intro, we wanted to highlight something that we've already covered, but which could use another look as it becomes relevant again. Paladins or Crusaders are one of the most common fan picks for the second new class to come to Diablo 4 , so we're revisiting the lore that makes them so popular. In this episode, Joe and Matt give us a primer on the in-game religions that Crus...
Death Knights, one of the most iconic, lore-heavy classes added to World of Warcraft , are the core topic of this week's Lore Watch, this time with a focus on what dead means, really. Join Joe and Matt as they discuss the other types of undead we know, and how their existence shapes current Death Knights. The concept of Death Knights, and death in general started a long time ago in WoW 's history, so there's a lot of ground to cover. How were they made? Are they fully dead, or partly alive? How ...
In this week's show, Matt and Joe discuss the conflict between Alliance and Horde -- and more importantly, the lack of conflict some characters may feel when they're just out there adventuring. Even if their factions are opposed, we've had a ton of time collaborating and helping each other out on a personal level. Could a third, neutral faction be possible, and if so, what would it look like? Then, they deep dive on the question of the relationship between the various opposing forces controlling...
This week's Lore Watch Podcast is a Q & A, but sometimes those questions can give us a chance to go off on a topic we love to discuss. For instance, why Odyn in World of Warcraft is just the worst. Maybe not the absolute worst given what horrors the setting has to offer, but he's certainly getting coal from Greatfather Winter next December. Matt and Joe lay out the reasons why he's a huge J-E-R-K, going back to Azeroth's creation. Then, speaking of Grandfather Winter, if he were suddenly una...
This week Matt and Joe discuss how history seems to keep repeating itself in Diablo's Sanctuary. (Spoiler: it's because everyone keeps dying.) Plus pointy ears for Humans in WoW aren't just about fashion, darling, because the new Arathi-style ear customization has a lot of lore implications... and then we somehow segued into Star Trek and divergent evolution. That's Lore Watch for you. If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon , where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hoste...
In preparation for the upcoming WoW patch 11.1 featuring the goblin capital The Undermine, we dive into the evolution of the goblins throughout the history of Azeroth, the difference between the various cartels, and the transition of leadership from the exploitive Gallywix to the more ethical Gazlowe. If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon , where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Join us as speculate on a possible connection between Elune and Xal’atath as well as Elune's dual nature and her ties to cosmic forces like the Naaru and the Winter Queen. We also dive into the concept of godhood and if the Titans are actually gods imbued with divine power or just three kobolds in a trench coat using a really good voice changer. If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon , where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mor...
Join us as we discuss an alternate universe for the Diablo franchise where Prince Aidan never embedded the soul stone into his head to become the vessel for Diablo at the end of the first game. How would the lack of this pivotal moment radically alter the events of Diablo II , III , and IV ? The discussion delves into alternate outcomes for Sanctuary, the Worldstone, and humanity, while speculating on the role of angels, demons, and the spirit realm in this strange new, yet still terrifying worl...
Join us as we discuss where new class halls could be given some iconic ones were destroyed when Dalaran fell from the sky. Also, more exploration of the true nature of Beledar, the crystal that lights The Hallows. Spoiler: It all ties into the Titans, because of course it does. If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon , where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Join us as we discuss the lore questions tied to the official Warcraft novel, “Stormrage”. We delve into Malfurion’s vision of Azeroth and the corrupting influence of Xavius as well as speculation about Azeroth’s sentience, its selective amnesia due to the Emerald Nightmare attacks, and Malfurion’s connection to it all. Bonus: No one repeatedly yelling TYRAAAAAAANDUH! Maybe. If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon , where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast....
Join us as we discuss Dragon Age: The Veilguard , exploring the significance of gods, spirits, and corruption in the world of Thedas, the protagonist’s role in the narrative, and the Big Story Choice that must be made early on. And, of course, the companions. You know, the real reason we’re playing. If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon , where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Join us as we discuss how Beledar, the immense crystal lodged in the cavern ceiling of the Hallowfall zone, could be connected to Naaru ships, Titan technology, world-soul constructs, elemental magics, stormrook gryphons, Xal'atath, and pumpkin pie. Ok, I may be making that last one up. Maybe. If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon , where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Matt and Joe explore the possibility that Faerin Lothar of Hallowfell is being set up as a love interest for Anduin, the questionable motivations of the High Heavens and Burning Hells post-Diablo 3, and the parallels between the way the Diablo and WoW franchises approach storytelling. If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon , where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
