Blizzard paid tribute to World of Warcraft streamer Bryon “Reckful” Bernstein after his death by making him a new Rogue trainer NPC in the popular MMORPG.
After posting a concerning series of tweets, Reckful was
announced dead
on Twitter. He had died by suicide at just 31 years of age. The streaming and World of Warcraft communities immediately came together to pay respect to Reckful, a top World of Warcraft player and streamer.
thinking about streaming. when i’m live, i never feel like i’m doing anything. just sitting there… read some things in chat and say my thoughts. but people say they like it. always feels strange.
Reckful had a very long run as one of World of Warcraft’s best competitive players. He stood atop the 3v3 ladder for Wrath of the Lich King from Season 4 to Season 8. He was also at the top of
WoW Cataclysm
Season 9. He often played as a rogue. This made it all the more fitting when players discovered the new Rogue trainer NPC in the Cathedral of Light in the game’s new Shadowlands expansion.
Rogue trainer NPC is a rogue who goes by the name Reckful.
The Rogue trainer NPC gives an extra nod to Reckful by saying, “I don’t train Assassination Rogues.” This is in reference to the rogue meta in the Wraith of the Lich King expansion. Reckful publicly disliked the powerful rogue meta, opting to have a Subtlety Rogue build instead. This was his way to prove he was a skilled player without using what was commonly considered the better build in the game.
Asmongold talks about in-game tribute to Reckful
Famous streamers including Zach “Asmongold” were immediately thankful to Blizzard for including such a tribute to Reckful. Seeing the dialogue text “It was good to see you again” from the Rogue trainer NPC gave many players chills. It even made some start to cry.
“Holy shit, dude. There it is. There it is,” Asmongold said when he approached the NPC.
He realized that the in-game Reckful also waved and blew kisses in response to waves and hearts sent her way.
“That’s so fucking cool, man. I’m glad Blizzard did this. I really am. I know it probably means a lot for a lot of people,” Asmongold said. “It commemorates one of the people that made a big impact on the game.”
Often a controversial figure quick to give hot takes, Asmongold seemed genuinely touched with the tribute. When his viewers attempted to find negative things to say about the NPC, Asmongold shot them down.
“Why not just be like, ‘Hey Blizzard, this is really cool that you guys did this for such a dedicated member of your community. This is great. Thank you,'” Asmongold said.
Olivia Richman
About Olivia Richman
Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.
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