Recently, a 21-year World of Warcraft player posted on Reddit in an attempt to reach out to Blizzard employees about an unfair ban.

In his post, the player, known as "Drainbamaged," asked Blizzard to reinstate his account after it was unfairly banned for allegedly exploiting the in-game economy.

The player, who has been a part of the WoW community since the alpha version of Friends and Family in 2003, maintains his innocence and emphasizes his unique connection to the game both professionally and personally.

The story of the player's acquaintance with WoW

According to the post, the player's acquaintance with WoW began long before the game's official launch, namely with the alpha version. He was also the founder of The Tauren Totem, a community site and forum that attracted more than 110,000 unique visitors per week during the Warcraft 3 era, and attracted the attention of Blizzard employees, including Tom Cadwell (Zileas), who later played an important role in Riot Games.

The player fondly recalls the time when he was one of the main tanks during the beta testing of Molten Core content, including the first public test kill of Magmadar.

Why is WoW such an important game for him?

At the age of 37, the player faced an incurable diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos arterial syndrome, a genetic vascular disease that affects the condition of the arteries and blood flow. This condition led to serious medical problems, including the loss of most of the soft tissue and muscles in his right leg and a nearly fatal arterial rupture of the brain.

Despite these difficulties, World of Warcraft was and still is a vital solace for him, offering him the opportunity to remain socially engaged in what is practically his native community of WoW players.

Reason for the player's ban

The player's account was blocked an hour before the opening of the world bosses, based on accusations of exploiting the in-game economy, an allegation he categorically denies. He emphasizes his clean reputation over two decades of playing, stating that he has never engaged in gold or resource fraud or other game-breaking activities, and has never been banned before.

He suspects that the ban may be based on targeted player complaints against his Standards guild on the Crusader Strike (US) game server, citing previous incidents where members of his guild have faced similar problems.

In his emotional message, the player talks about the importance of WoW in his life, including friendships, memories, and just having a good time. His desire to take part in the upcoming Molten Core update, which reminds him of the early days of testing, is more than just a gaming goal — it's a bucket list item for a terminally ill man who is looking for solace in his favorite game.

Current status and appeal

After the first appeal, Blizzard downgraded the status of his account from permanent closure to a six-month ban, changing the reason from "exploiting the game economy" to "cheats or abuse of game mechanics." However, no specific details were provided by Blizzard, leaving the player frustrated and confused.

He has since filed a second appeal seeking clarification on the blocking, urging Blizzard to thoroughly review his case. Emphasizing his good behavior and long history with the game, he hopes to regain access to his account and continue playing WoW while he still has the time and opportunity to do so.

The player's last request

The player's heartfelt message to Blizzard is clear: let him participate in the Molten Core content one last time, honoring him as an early tester and loyal player. After all, World of Warcraft has been and is one of the games where tens of thousands of people with disabilities spend their leisure time.