
But WoW remains the biggest subscription MMO in the world, and the millions it rakes in every month still mean a great deal to Activision Blizzard's bottom line. The rise of free-to-play and the release of new games such as League of Legends and Blizzard's own Diablo 3 have taken their toll. With subscriptions down to nine million from a lifetime peak of over 12 million, it's clear WoW's immense popularity has suffered in recent years.

Blizzard launches Mists of Pandaria, the fourth expansion for World of Warcraft, at midnight tonight at perhaps the most crucial time in the gargantuan fantasy MMO's seven year history.
