On July 2, popular Twitch streamer and professionalWorld of WarcraftplayerByron “Reckful” Bernstein committed suicide. TheWorld of Warcraftcommunity was devastated, with thousands coming together across all of the game’s servers to mourn Reckful’s passing. Now it appearsWorld of Warcraftdeveloper Blizzard will be immortalizing Reckful in the game that he spent so much time playing by adding him as an NPC.
The Reckful NPC is a Rogue Trainer that players can find in the Cathedral of Light in the upcomingShadowlandsexpansion. Reckful was best known for playing a Rogue character, so it’s fitting that this NPC is a Rogue Trainer. Those with access to theShadowlandsbetacan interact with the Reckful NPC to experience some unique dialogue that includes some references to Reckful’s past exploits in the game.
RELATED:Thousands of World of Warcraft Players Gather to Mourn Reckful
It should be noted that this is actually thesecondNPC inWorld of Warcraftbased on Reckful. Previously, Blizzard added a character to the game named Byron Burnside. Burnside was first added toWorld of Warcraftin 2018, and can be found at the Bridgeport location in Tiragarde Sound. It’s rare enough for someone to be made into one NPC inWorld of Warcraft, so the fact that Reckful is featured in the game twice is a true testament to the impact he has had on theWoWcommunity.
While he was mostly known for his Twitch streams in recent years, Reckful was once the topWorld of WarcraftPvP player in the world. In 2010,Reckfulwon a Major League GamingWorld of Warcrafttournament, and he also managed to finish in the top PvP rank for six seasons in a row - an incredibly impressive feat, to say the least.
Blizzard has a history of paying tribute to fallen players in its games. This has includedcelebrities like Robin Williams, as well as players like 12 year old Ezra Chatterton, who died from brain cancer. In the case of Chatterton, Blizzard even allowed him to design his own quest inWorld of Warcraft, and the phoenix mount has also come to be associated with his memory.
In the meantime, PC gamers can visit the new Reckful NPC at the Cathedral of Light once theWorld of Warcraft: Shadowlandsexpansion releases later this year. There wererumors that aWorld of WarcraftXbox Series X portwas in the works as well, but Blizzard has since shot those down, so theWoWexperience, and all its in-game memorials, will remain exclusive to PC gamers for the foreseeable future.
If you or anyone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, please contact the National Suicide Helpline at 1-800-273-8255.
