Summary
Fantasy worlds might be fun places to visit in games, but not many of them would be great places to live in real life. Worlds that are created to host MMORPGs, in particular, offer a wide variety of locations, many of which aren’t at all tempting prospects as places to call home. After all, there are a lot of monsters to slay in these titles, which means some incredibly dangerous flora and fauna (just consider some of the monstrous boss battles here).
World of Warcrafttakes place in the land of Azeroth, along with other realms that include Outland, Draenor, the Shadowlands, and more. Most of them are beautiful but dangerous, making them attractive to adventurers passing by but not the best places to settle down. Here are some of the worst of all in that regard inthis long-running title.
6The Antoran Wastes, Argus
A Barren Land Consumed By The Fel
The planet of Argus is divided into three different regions, all of which would be particularly dangerous places to live. Of them, the Antoran Wastes could be the worst. It’s big enough to host a few settlements, but it’s been consumed by the powers of Fel and only hosts a few important landmarks, as seen in the Burning Throne raid.
Argus is the source of the Fel magic that’s also infecting Azeroth and Outland, so it’s similar to a zone like Felwood in the Classic version of the game but on a whole new level. There are very few plants or animals to be seen here, and the well-fortified towns and cities have made defense more of a priority than comfort. This speaks of the grim reality that would be life here.
5K3, The Storm Peaks
A Frozen Realm Of Giants And Dragons
Even the most dedicated ice climbers and cross-country skiers wouldn’t enjoy living in the frozen valley that marks one of the last outposts in this part of Northrend. Stampedes of wooly mammoths are a regular occurrence, events which are an awesome sight yet potentially very dangerous indeed. Perhapsyou could celebrate a wintery holiday here, but that’s about all.
Other examples of wildlife that call this icy valley home are giant worms and blue dragons. The lack of any other flight paths nearby means you have to walk or acquire a flying mount along with the expensive ability of Cold Weather Flying. All in all, K3 is one of the most isolated locations in this vast northern continent, the type of place where you come for business (when strictly necessary) but not to build your own home.
4Hellfire Peninsula, Outland
A Fiery Land Overwhelmed By Demons
The first area that most players saw in Outland whenThe Burning Crusadeexpansion was released was Hellfire Peninsula. It was an intimidating sight, certainly not a pleasant one or a remotely hospitable place. It’s a big enough zone to host a few outposts and settlements, but that’s largely all, and aside from being dangerous and barren, it’s infested with a manner of demonic creatures. Few butthe game’s necromancerswould really feel comfortable here.
This part of the new continent was intended to test the gear and experience of players that had ventured in through the Dark Portal, not make them feel comfortable. The developers of the game have succeeded in creating a place where everyone has to be on their guard and keep moving, as opposed to a place you’d want to live.
3Booty Bay, Stranglethorn Vale
Tourism, Crime, Pirates, And Dangerous Open-World PvP In Spades
Booty Bay, unlike a lot of the locations on this list, is quite a nice place to visit, but you still wouldn’t want to live there. The climate is on point, as long as humidity or perpetual summer isn’t a problem, but this aspect ofthe game’s economyrelies either on crime, trade, or transportation.
Venture even a few steps out of town and there are various ways to get one-shotted within seconds. The whole zone is infested with pirates, trolls, Naga, and aggressive wild animals, and that’s in addition to the characters from the opposing faction looking to gain easy Honor points. It’s also easy to get caught in a rampage when someone is trying to gain rep with the Bloodsail Buccaneers.
Just As Horrible As It Sounds
Pandaria is probablyWorld of Warcraft’s most visually appealing continent, and even the Dread Wastes have a chilling, ethereal beauty. However, it’s still a dark and barren zone, with a climate that never sees any sun and a grim and unforgiving environment.
To make matters even worse for anyone or anything that does live in the Dread Wastes, the existing residents are an aggressive race of giant insects called Mantids. Not only do they have bases and settlements throughout the region, making it that much more dangerous, they’ve allied themselves with an Old God and have become a tremendous threat. Onlythe boldest and tankiest of warriorscan venture here.
1Silithus, Kalimdor
A Vast Desert Filled With Aggressive Insects
Silithus is one of the oldest zones inWorld of Warcraft, dating back to the days of the original version of the game. It’s always had a reputation as being an unpleasant zone to visit for any reason, let alone to live. The only settlement that’s safe for non-insect life is the neutral outpost of the Cenarion Hold, and it has little in the way of amenities no matter which version in Classic or retail you happen to visit.
It’s not just the climate and environment that are unpleasant, but the commute. If you don’t have the flight path yet, the only overland route is through Un’Goro Crater to the east, a dangerous place filled with aggressive dinosaurs. It’s highly recommended to avoid Silithus as much as possible. There aresome vast and impenetrable strongholdsin this wide universe, and unforgiving locations like these would suit them perfectly.
