We really didn’t want to have to jump on the Robin Williams train but we felt this story was too nice to pass up. The world is in shock, mourning the loss of Robin Williams, a man universally beloved by all. A man that is sure to put a smile on anyone’s face and is sure to stir up a bout of nostalgia; whether your favorite was Mr. Doubtfire, Good Will Hunting, Dead Poet Society, or even Popeye. It’s a very sobering thought to think even a man so loved can be plagued by such crushing depression. By all accounts he was a comedic genius, incredibly giving, and a kind soul; but a tortured soul that ultimately succumbed to the pressures of this world. Russel Brand said it best, “Is it melancholy to think that a world that Robin Williams can’t live in must be broken?”
In this time of mourning it’s a beautiful gesture to see what’s going on at Blizzard Studios, home of popular MMO World of Warcraft. As you may or may not know, Williams was actually an avid gamer and often played games ranging from Call of Duty to Final Fantasy. His daughter is actually named after one of his all time favorites, her name is Zelda Williams. Another favorite of his was, you guessed it, World of Warcraft. As news of his death shocked the world, a WoW board member posted a petition on change.org asking for Williams’ character to be retained as an NPC (non player character). The idea was that you could meet up with Robin Williams in World’s End Tavern and have him speak some of his most memorable lines and quotes. The petition quickly picked up steamed and eventually finished with just under 11 thousand signatures.
Once the petition had picked up full steam and WoW fan messaged WoW developers on Twitter asking if they had noticed the petition. WoW Game designer Chadd Nervig replied to the tweet, not only confirming that they were aware of the petition but also adding, “We’re taking care of it”. Following this exchange WoW’s official Twitter account sent out a tweet thanking Robin Williams for all that he’s done for the world. The tweet ended with them saying they would see him “In Game”.
Kudos to Blizzard for providing a send of for Robin Williams in a way that would have surely delighted him. This way, he can continue to spread joy in some small way.
