Warcraft is a series of RTS games originally following the conflict between the Humans and the Orcs. As the storyline continues from one game in the series to the next, more races come to play. Some join the existing Human and Orc factions, while others start their own.

The earlier titles in the series stick strictly to the two factions, however the third title expands to four factions. While there is plenty of singleplayer storyline to dive into, the multiplayer elements are quite expansive also. The balance of all the factions is far more complex than a simple triple-faction balancing mechanism. The strengths and weaknesses of each faction are not as well defined as other RTS titles, the definitions are more unit-specific than faction-specific.

The typical multiplayer design revolves around standard melee modes, including modes such as FFA and arranged teams of sizes from 2 to 4 players. The basic objective in "regular" modes are to destroy all the buildings of your opponent(s)' base. How this differs from typical RTS' is the reliance on a smaller army size, as well as hero units, which level up as you progress in battle. The heroes add their own abilities as well as inventory space to assist themselves or the army they command. This changes how battle normally plays out as there is added incentive to level up your hero by attacking neutral creeps between battles with other players as well as obtaining items which tip the balance of power.

The third title differs from the past two in another distinct fashion by expanding on a feature found in Starcraft: UMS maps (aka Trigger/Custom maps). The capabilities to create UMS maps is drastically more expansive over Starcraft in almost every regard. These capabilities include the ability to create new units, create new abilities, create new elements through advanced scripting, and countless other additional features. The community has pushed the envelope countless times, with examples such as Defense of the Ancients (DoTA), multitudes of tower defenses, RPG's, and plenty others. Many of these UMS maps being expansive to the point of mod classification.

The Warcraft series has much to offer many gamers. A rich long storyline for singleplayer elements, as well as later titles offering countless hours of multiplayer gameplay.