Garrosh Hellscream is World of Warcraft’s new arch-villain

Each of WoW's expansions has had its big bad. Illidan, The Lich King, Deathwing: each a bigger threat to Azeroth than the last, each slain by players after a long campaign. Mists of Pandaria is the first major addition to WoW to lack a single overriding threat, and it's reasonable to wonder where Azeroth's adventurers will get their apocalyptic kicks in the world post-Deathwing.

Hellscream's downfall will mark the culmination of the series of patches to follow Mists of Pandaria, working in much the same way as previous villains. As the war between the Alliance and Horde engulfs not only the new continent of Pandaria but Azeroth itself, it's implied that fractures within the Horde will divide the faction.

“You're going to be dealing with what Garrosh has done, and Thrall's reaction to Garrosh” says John Lagrave, WoW's producer. “Thrall is the world's most powerful shaman. Garrosh is that world's most powerful warchief. That warchief and his vision are diametrically opposed to what Thrall has done with the defeat of Deathwing.”

Chris Metzen says that removing Thrall from the warchief's throne was unpopular with fans, but wouldn't give away whether or not the shaman will be returning to that role after Hellscream's defeat. He did however reveal that the climactic encounter with Garrosh for both factions will take place in a raid called the siege of Orgrimmar. That's right: the Horde are going to sack their own capital city.

Mists of Pandaria's launch date hasn't been confirmed, but it's planned for later this year. The timing on the post-release patches is still unknown, but the promise of an escalating war is exciting and reassuring news for anyone worried that Warcraft had run off with the pandas.

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Joining in 2011, Chris made his start with PC Gamer turning beautiful trees into magazines, first as a writer and later as deputy editor. Once PCG's reluctant MMO champion , his discovery of Dota 2 in 2012 led him to much darker, stranger places. In 2015, Chris became the editor of PC Gamer Pro, overseeing our online coverage of competitive gaming and esports. He left in 2017, and can be now found making games and recording the Crate & Crowbar podcast.