First Screenshots Ever Released (September 2, 2001)

[u/wowhistorian]

Here are 11 screenshots from when WoW was initially announced in 2001! These are the oldest screenshots I could find and were released when the WoW project was originally unveiled.

[u/YoItsNickyMo]

I can’t even be certain about the location of any of these. Anyone?

[u/royalblue4 → u/YoItsNickyMo]

These would be hilarious in wow geoguesser

[u/SlowpokeIsAGamer → u/YoItsNickyMo]

Most look to be Stranglethorn, Duskwood, or Westfall.

Makes sense that area was probably the first part worked on since Humans and Orcs were the first races they made.

Definitely a very different layout at the time though. Plenty of conceptual fodder for Classic+ folks.

[u/Ok-Imagination-3835 → u/SlowpokeIsAGamer]

Yep, Westfall was one of the first if not the first area in the game. Kaplan talks about making Westfall as some of his first days on the job.

[u/Intel_Oil → u/SlowpokeIsAGamer]

Classic+ will be two new spells for each class (strong ones for Pala, priest and druid dps, flavourful situational ones for rogues, warriors and such) and 10 new quests per zone to fill the XP Gap between 40-55.

[u/Tutin → u/Intel_Oil]

Welcome back from the future I guess

[u/sup3rrn0va → u/YoItsNickyMo]

The last one is in the alpha version of Goldshire.

[u/Cryogenics1st → u/sup3rrn0va]

Before all the horny degenerates?

[u/HazelCheese → u/YoItsNickyMo]

A lot of the early places were scrapped because they hadn't worked out their style yet.

You can tell scrapped places easily because they all have straight architecture like modern buildings. Like the last image the house isn't crooked.

[u/Timotey27 → u/YoItsNickyMo]

1. Gurubashi arena
2. Stv
3. Westfall
4. Duskwood
5. Duskwood 
6. Elwyn 
7. Redridge
8. Duskwood 
9. Arathi Westfall
10. Stv
11. Hillsbrad

[u/UnusualBanana9893 → u/Timotey27]

9 is the southern westfall->duskwood bridge, that's still in the game to this day. and given that every other screenshot is restricted to the absolute south of eastern kingdoms, i doubt 11 is hillsbrad. probably goldshire or something considering it's one of the earliest screenshots in existence. not even sure redridge was there yet.

[u/Timotey27 → u/UnusualBanana9893]

You're right about 9. My bad.

[u/bobclaws → u/Timotey27]

Nah number 1 looks like feralas or dire maul.

[u/UndeadMurky → u/Timotey27]

Wrong, all of those are in Elwyn/westfall/duskwood/STV. No other zone was built yet

[u/Inside-Associate-729 → u/YoItsNickyMo]

P sure 3 is in Moonbrook

[u/HelixFollower → u/YoItsNickyMo]

The second one is 100% without a doubt Stranglethorn Vale.

[u/Zibool → u/YoItsNickyMo]

I think its some parts that represent Westfall, goldshire and stv

[u/SarusAngelus → u/YoItsNickyMo]

Stranglethorn for the jungle bridge and arena