We all know that World of Warcraft is teeming with references but did you know that there are many World of Warcraft references in pop culture as well?
From sitcoms to web shows to music videos to movies, many forms of entertainment contain a subtle or not-so-subtle WoW reference.
South Park
South Park doesn’t just have a World of Warcraft reference. It has an entire WoW-themed episode. The show creators collaborated with Blizzard Entertainment to create the in-game scenes from the Make Love, Not Warcraft episode.
The plot revolves around the squad’s struggles with Jenkins, aka “the griefer”, aka “the one which has no life”. Jenkins was cosplayed by Jarod Nandin at Blizzcon in 2013. Sadly, the beloved cosplayer died due to COVID-19. The Make Love, Not Warcraft Wrath of the Lich King PvP achievement is a reference to this South Park episode.
Family Guy
The episode Veteran Guy that aired on April 1st, 2018 contains a Leroy Jenkins reference. Peter buys a naval cap from a thrift store. One thing leads to another and Peter, Cleveland, and Joe find themselves in a pickle as coast guard members.
Cleveland suggests they pull a Leroy Jenkins. The trio then recreates the real Leroy Jenkins stunt and, as you can expect, things don’t go too well. They get surrounded by whelps and eventually die.
The ad for this episode featured Peter and Stewie depicted as the orc and human from the Battle for Azeroth cover.
The Big Bang Theory
This long-time-running sitcom contains several WoW references. The four friends are avid World of Warcraft players so the MMORPG gets mentioned quite frequently.
Two episodes have WoW-based plots. In one of them, someone steals Sheldon’s battle ostrich.
In the other, the foursome gets the fabled Sword of Azeroth but Sheldon ninjas it and sells it on eBay.
In The Hot Troll Deviation episode, Bernadette dumps Howard because he is cheating on her…with a troll in WoW.
Goat MMO Simulator
If you don’t know what Goat Simulator is, you have been missing out on a really funny and fun game. Goat MMO Simulator is a 2014 free DLC that allows players to experience the game as an MMO.
The DLC description states that the “Level cap is 101, 1 level higher than you-know-what”. “You know what” is obviously WoW as 100 was the level cap back in 2014 when Warlords of Draenor was the current expansion.
Goatwind City is clearly a Stormwind City reference. The Goat MMO Simulator Rouge class is a frequent misspelling of the WoW Rogue.
The Guild
The Guild web series is based on creator Felicia Day’s experience with World of Warcraft. Due to copyright issues, the name of the MMORPG is not mentioned once.
The show revolves around the lives of The Knights of Good guild members as they are struggling with real-life and in-game issues. You can imagine what kind of situations arise when you put together a bunch of socially awkward MMO-addicted misfits.
The show rapidly became an Internet sensation. A costume from the show is in possession of the National Museum of American History.
How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother contains two WoW references. In Season 3, Episode 6, Ted meets a girl while playing WoW.
In Season 4, episode 19 after Barney and Ted make a deal, Barney storms out of the room yelling “Alright chums, let’s do this! Barney A-Stiiiinson!”. The entire scene lasts about 15 seconds so it’s not a big thing as in other shows but it’s still nice when we see a reference to our most beloved/hated MMORPG.
My Name is Earl
Not another Leroy Jenkins reference! In Season 4, episode 8, Earl and Randy are trapped in a trailer surrounded by an angry mob. Randy says that he always wanted to take on 30 people at once, opens the door, and runs into the crowd yelling Leeeeroy Jenkins. This small reference reminds us that World of Warcraft is a popular MMORPG turned pop culture phenomenon.
What Happens in Azeroth, Stays in Azeroth
Once upon a time in 2010 in Poughkeepsie, New York, a band named That’s Outrageous! was born. Three years later, the band split up but left behind the What Happens in Azeroth, Stays in Azeroth song.
The lyrics might be about WoW, bad romance, or even drug abuse. Any serious player knows that WoW can stir up pretty deep emotions and quitting it is easier said than done. As they say, there’s nothing easier than canceling a WoW subscription. Look at me, I’ve done it countless times.
I Play WoW
Speaking of songs, here’s one which is not just a reference. It’s about WoW and the good ol’ 2010 days when the behemoth MMORPG was at its peak with 12 million active subscribers.
Jace Hall’s music video was featured on IGN and gained more than 17 million views. The video is well made and, apart from the fact that Hall is playing on a laptop without a mouse, it’s quite accurate and has a cool message.
It even has a reference to Felicia Day’s Do You Wanna Date My Avatar music video. If you don’t know it, check it out! You’re in for a laugh.
Lucifer
The Lucifer Netflix show writers are no strangers to World of Warcraft. However, their knowledge about the game is all over the place.
Chloe talks to this guy who is saying that he “led his guild on a 17-hour campaign last night”. Then he says something about plundering Lich King’s barrow with his raiding party. Episode 7 from Season 5 was aired in 2020. The last time Lich King required a guild effort and a full group were in 2010.
Stargate
Both Stargate Universe and Stargate Atlantis carry World of Warcraft references.
In episode 10 of Season 3, Dr. Weir distracts Dr. Lee by pretending to be a WoW player. Dr. Lee tells about his level 75 Mage who is an engineer and jewelcrafter struggling to level his enchanting. The episode aired when The Burning Crusade was the current expansion and the level cap was 70.
In another episode, Dr. Lee finds a planet to look very much like Elwynn Forest. Talking about a role-player’s dream come true. In Stargate Universe, Eli says carrying Chloe is not that hard as he once “climbed the Redridge Mountains on his way to Stonard with a full pack”.
Zombieland
In the movie Zombieland, we have a 30-second scene that shows Columbus playing WoW on a Friday night.
A stack of pizza boxes and soda cups adorn the desk. No fancy or hidden WoW reference here, just an honest-to-goodness depiction of your average raid night. Little does Columbus know that his wish to meet a girl and have a normal family will come true in the most peculiar way.
The Day The Earth Stood Still
In The Day The Earth Stood Still 2008 movie, we can see the kid playing WoW and not paying too much attention to his mom.
In WoW TBC, we have an NPC named Klatu in Honor Honor in Hellfire Peninsula. Klatu is a reference to Klaatu from the original The Day The Earth Stood Still 1951 movie. It could be that the producers of the 2008 remake learned about it and featured WoW in the movie. Or it can just be a coincidence.
Mass Effect
Thought we are done with Leroy Jenkins references? Boy, were you wrong. The first mission on Eden Prime features Corporal Richard L. Jenkins. He does what he does best which is yelling his name as he rushes into battle attracting all enemy fire. As we approach his dead body, someone is saying “Goddammit, Leeroy”. We actually feel sorry for this Leroy because all he ever wanted was to prove himself.
We Butter The Bread With Butter
As WoW was at its peak in the early 2010s, the metalcore & deathcore genre was also making havoc in the music world.
German deathcore band We Butter The Bread With Butter released a song simply named “World of Warcraft”. The translated lyrics can be read below.
This is my turf
I am the strongest here!
I play all night
Because here I have the power
Don’t have a girlfriend
And has never been over
I am addicted!
To World of Warcraft
World
Of Warcraft
I am addicted!
To World of Warcraft!
I am addicted!
To World of Warcraft!
Never had a girlfriend
And has never been over
None of that makes sense!
I can’t get out of here anymore!
‘Cause i’m addicted
‘Cause i’m addicted
To World of Warcraft
To World of Warcraft