The nation of Warcraft

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Five countries WOW is bigger than

World of Warcraft has gathered eight million subscribers. Think of that number. Merely classifying eight million people as “subscribers” doesn’t seem to do them justice: 8,000,000 isn’t just a fanbase; it’s a nation.

An open-border policy has seen the MMORPG’s population swell in the two years it’s been online, placing it snugly in between Burundi (pop: 8,090,068) and Azerbaijan (pop: 7,961,619) in the world population charts. It’s now the 94th most populated place in the world, and the numbers are rising.

Of course, it’s not technically a country, but you try telling the people who regularly pledge allegiance to the Horde that they’re not part of a nation. Sure, there are no birth certificates, but Azeroth expands by roughly 406 people every hour, a stat that’ll have the hardiest inner-city pediatricians quaking in their boots.

We’re probably talking about one of the most middle-class countries of the world: having a powerful enough PC and a disposable income is a basic requirement of WoW citizenship.

With two million players in North America, more than one and a half million players in Europe, and more than three and a half million players in China, the Nation of Warcraft is a melting pot of capitalist and communist, the Alliance and the Horde of the real world.

Next time the government runs a census, fill the “race” box with Draenei, Dwarf, Gnome, Human, Night Elf, Blood Elf, Orc, Tauren, Troll or Undead. Be proud of who you are and where you come from. Unless you’re a Murloc, of course.

Five countries WoW pwns

Ireland - 4,062,235

New Zealand - 4,076,140

Denmark - 5,450,661

Israel - 6,352,117

Switzerland - 7,523,934

World of Warcraft - 8,000,000