Blizzard finishes courtyard statue
by Mike Schramm 
Feb 26th 2009 at 5:30PM
That statue of an Orc on a Wolf (the same one that every Blizzard employee got a copy of when they moved into their new HQ a little while back) is now completed and standing outside of their main building in Irvine, California. The OC (don't call it that) Register took a trip over and got some pictures of it, and you can see the whole amazing thing in their photo slideshow.Cool office decoration or the coolest office decoration? The statue was sculpted by the Weta Workshop in Australia, and shipped all the way into Irvine. No easy task, considering it's bronzed and 12 feet tall. Though from the pictures, it looks like it was installed in two separate pieces -- the wolf mount first, and then the Orc on top. And it also looks like Blizzard had a short unveiling ceremony, but it seems like it may have been just for employees from inside the building.
Bet that statue is more awesome than whatever's outside whatever building you're in right now. It's more awesome than what's outside mine, and I'm in Chicago.
Filed under: Orcs, Analysis / Opinion, Fan stuff, Odds and ends, Blizzard
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
NoTomorrow Feb 26th 2009 5:33PM
I beleive that weta also made the replica warthog vehicle from halo, but I could be wrong.
Can anyone confirm?
Palithras Feb 26th 2009 5:46PM
Yes, Weta Workshop did do the warthog and some other stuff for the Halo ads.
They also did Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia.
One note is that they are a New Zealand company, not Australian.
Chris Feb 26th 2009 6:06PM
Yeah, since when is Weta an Aussie company? heh
Flashheart Feb 27th 2009 11:53PM
Yes Weta Workshops is in Wellington, New Zealand. Its the company that does most of the models, CGI and SFX / costumes for movies such as the LoTR movies, King Kong, the Narnia Chronicles etc. Its got a tight tie-in with Peter Jackson.
A great company.. and a great country.
You should come and visit us Mr Schramm.
inthemidst01 Feb 26th 2009 5:34PM
Proof that Blizzard favors the Horde! :-p
Ha ha, just had to be said. I kid, but still you gotta wonder.
WoWie Zowie Feb 26th 2009 5:42PM
^
I second that!
wonder why it wasn't a gnome on a mechnostrider hmmmMMM!??
Zerokku Feb 26th 2009 6:04PM
@WoWie Zowie
In my opinion, it's likely because the warcraft orc is much more iconic. There's not much alliance side (Besides draenei) that would seperate them from generic fantasy. On the other hand warcraft orcs are not your standard evil fantasy orcs. It's much more distinct in that regard.
That and it looks f'ing amazing.
Keyra Feb 26th 2009 10:00PM
@Zerokku - I'll second that it looks amazing!
Although it would still be generic fantasy, what I think would also look awesome is a Night Elf on a saber, and I think that would look pretty damn awesome across from the orc, but for just a solitary statue, yeah...the orc on the wolf is probably the best depiction.
Yeng Feb 27th 2009 11:41AM
@Zerokku
Hmm, Warcraft orcs are nothing like typical fantasy orcs? Yeah, not like LotR had anything like orcs and goblins on Worgs.
syfie Feb 26th 2009 5:33PM
lol i need one of these for my yard
Mityap Feb 26th 2009 5:37PM
It should have been made out of gold imo.
Keyra Feb 26th 2009 10:04PM
We're talking southern California here - it would be chipped and whittled away in no time flat, and all that would be left would be the wolf's legs up on cement blocks :-)
(yes, I can get away with that comment as I lived in SoCal, so there! :-P )
SaintStryfe Feb 26th 2009 5:37PM
In 10000 years when archeologists dig that thing up, they are going to wonder who the hell made this.
....
But the way Blizz runs things, they'll probably all have level 20000 characters by then.
Lemons Feb 26th 2009 10:16PM
They'll probably think that WoW was a religion with over 11 million followers and that statue is some sort of idol for worship.
Fluufykins Feb 26th 2009 5:37PM
There's a shock... Blizz builds a statue, and it's horde. I'm willing to wager that the WoW movie will ultimately end up with an Alliance character being the bad guy, who ganked some poor helpless stunproof orc DK in an alley years ago.
PeeWee Feb 26th 2009 6:27PM
Considering the lore, it's pretty hard NOT to have the alliance as the bad guys.
epicboyz Feb 27th 2009 1:28AM
Face it, the Horde ARE the good guys. There was just a bit of bad leadership in the Old Hord. Lets just say the orcs got mixed up with the wrong crowd.
trombone Feb 26th 2009 6:01PM
Weta is in New Zealand not Australia.
Zerokku Feb 26th 2009 5:42PM
That looks so awesome. I would pay through the roof to get a replica of that like they donated to the Penny Arcade child's play auction.
mageic Feb 26th 2009 5:44PM
Weta are actually a New Zealand company, not Austrailian