Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • Home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • GTA 6 cover art revealed
  • Summer Preview
  • Prime Day deals
  • Best gaming tech
  • New Games 2026
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. MMO Games
  3. World of Warcraft

Despite being the frontrunner, unlucky WoW Classic grinder loses the race to max level on the MMO's new Hardcore servers after disconnecting 6 levels before the finish line

News
By Catherine Lewis published 27 November 2024

Ouch

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

World of Warcraft Classic 20th Anniversary Edition screenshot.
(Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

One MMO streamer determined to be the first to hit the maximum level on World of Warcraft Classic's new Hardcore Fresh servers was forcibly kicked out of the running after losing all his progress just six levels before the finish line, following a poorly timed disconnect. 

The fresh WoW Classic 20th Anniversary Edition realms went live on November 21, giving nostalgic players the chance to make the journey to level 60 all over again. You could go about this in quite a relaxing way, taking your time and making steady progress, but some MMO fans instead took it as a challenge and began racing to see who could be the first to hit max level on the Hardcore servers, where the stakes are high and death means you have to start over from the beginning. 

As Wowhead reports, one Twitch streamer, Ahmpy, appeared to have victory in his grasp in the race over the weekend. He was in first place, had climbed all the way to level 54, and had just six levels to go before he was able to take the crown. However, this would soon crumble. In a clip capturing the moment, Ahmpy's game suddenly freezes while his character is being attacked. He waits for a while, but it just doesn't spring back into action. The streamer closes some extra tabs but is soon hit with a "World of Warcraft is not responding" and eventually closes out of the game. 

Latest Videos From
Watch full video here:

When he reloads, it's already over. His character was dead, and on Hardcore, there's no coming back from that. The player in second place, Zeroji, was able to take the lead despite originally being a couple of levels behind Ahmpy, and ultimately became the winner – WoW community commentator @N_Tys26 on Twitter says it took Zeroji almost four days in total to claim the crown.

𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐋 𝟔𝟎 𝐎𝐍 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐂In a turbulent race which saw deaths to two front runners, has come to an end with the persistent Zeroji claiming Server First Level 60 on his hunter for Hardcore Classic Fresh.Zeroji's /played was a… pic.twitter.com/qYKpDILFoHNovember 26, 2024

No doubt there'll be more community-driven races in the MMO later down the line for players like Ahmpy to have another chance to prove themselves. Blizzard recently announced that the MMO will be introducing Mists of Pandaria Classic servers at some point next year, which will remain pretty faithful to the originals.

You may like
  • Key art for World of Warcraft: Midnight showing Lor'themar Theron grimacing in golden armor with a huge golden sword ready to fight back the darkness World of Warcraft guild known for raid-busting exploits disqualified from new Midnight Mythic race by Blizzard
  • World of Warcraft Classic Burning Crusade WoW Classic kills dungeon-boosting in Burning Crusade expansion because, oh no, the economy
  • Turtle WoW WoW fans gather in popular private server Turtle WoW to say goodbye as it ends 8-year run following Blizzard lawsuit

After 20 years of WoW updates, will Blizzard ever need to wipe the slate clean? Maybe "at some long, distant point," but the MMO has already been totally "rebuilt."

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
PC Gaming Platforms
Catherine Lewis
Catherine Lewis
Social Links Navigation
Deputy News Editor

I'm GamesRadar+'s Deputy News Editor, working alongside the rest of the news team to deliver cool gaming stories that we love. After spending more hours than I can count filling The University of Sheffield's student newspaper with Pokemon and indie game content, and picking up a degree in Journalism Studies, I started my career at GAMINGbible where I worked as a journalist for over a year and a half. I then became TechRadar Gaming's news writer, where I sourced stories and wrote about all sorts of intriguing topics. In my spare time, you're sure to find me on my Nintendo Switch or PS5 playing through story-driven RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles and Persona 5 Royal, nuzlocking old Pokemon games, or going for a Victory Royale in Fortnite.

Read more
Key art for World of Warcraft: Midnight showing Lor'themar Theron grimacing in golden armor with a huge golden sword ready to fight back the darkness
World of Warcraft World of Warcraft guild known for raid-busting exploits disqualified from new Midnight Mythic race by Blizzard
 
 
World of Warcraft Classic Burning Crusade
World of Warcraft WoW Classic kills dungeon-boosting in Burning Crusade expansion because, oh no, the economy
 
 
Turtle WoW
World of Warcraft WoW fans gather in popular private server Turtle WoW to say goodbye as it ends 8-year run following Blizzard lawsuit
 
 
FrogLok stands on dock facing character menacingly
MMO Games EverQuest is the next MMO to get the "classic" treatment after WoW Classic and Old School RuneScape, but there's a twist
 
 
An orc from World of Warcraft roars at the screen
World of Warcraft Blizzard lawsuit kills huge private World of Warcraft server as a cease and desist ends another
 
 
Final Fantasy 14 Kefka
Final Fantasy Final Fantasy 14 fans are once again alleging Ultimate world first winners are a "cheater team"
 
 
Latest in World of Warcraft
Leeroy Jenkins in Hearthstone
World of Warcraft WoW Camelot discovery gives fans the most compelling evidence yet that a myth is becoming a long-hoped-for reality
 
 
A still from the World of Warcraft: The War Within cinematic.
World of Warcraft As World of Warcraft players take on the Casino Bots, Blizzard is working on finding a solution
 
 
Turtle WoW
World of Warcraft WoW fans gather in popular private server Turtle WoW to say goodbye as it ends 8-year run following Blizzard lawsuit
 
 
World of Warcraft Classic 20th Anniversary Edition screenshot.
World of Warcraft World of Warcraft streamers attend top-secret Blizzard event, leaving fans hoping for Classic Plus
 
 
A dragon from World of Warcraft looks at another player riding a dragon
World of Warcraft World of Warcraft "will continue to decline" unless the MMO gets a "reset," says former Blizzard boss
 
 
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft Blizzard apologizes for the World of Warcraft bugs after new patch leaves fans annoyed and concerned for the future
 
 
Latest in News
PS5 Pro
PlayStation Sony considering pushing PS6 to 2028 or 2029, "some analysts" think, according to Embracer Group
 
 
A hat-wearing, bike-riding tanuki delivers mail in Tanuki: Pon's Summer
Platforming Games My favorite Steam Next Fest demo is Tony Hawk's Pro Skater but make it a tanuki courier sim
 
 
Elden Ring
Action RPGs What it's like beating Elden Ring twice a week for 4 years: "The greatest game that's been made"
 
 
Nathan Drake in Uncharted 4.
Games PlayStation CEO seemingly confirms big single-player games will be PS5 exclusives forever
 
 
Persona 6 title art white text
Persona Persona 6 appears on Steam, Atlus and Sega accidentally say something interesting for once
 
 
Slay the Spire 2
Roguelike Games Slay the Spire 2 lies about its RNG, rabid fan declares in 6,600-word essay
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. PS5 Pro
    1
    Sony considering pushing PS6 to 2028 or 2029, "some analysts" think, according to Embracer Group
  2. 2
    My favorite Steam Next Fest demo is Tony Hawk's Pro Skater but make it a tanuki courier sim
  3. 3
    What it's like beating Elden Ring twice a week for 4 years: "The greatest game that's been made"
  4. 4
    PlayStation CEO seemingly confirms big single-player games will be PS5 exclusives forever
  5. 5
    Persona 6 appears on Steam, Atlus and Sega accidentally say something interesting for once

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...