I've been playing World of Warcraft since first-push beta for the original game (I joined when Horde had not yet been opened for testing and the Alliance level cap was 15). Currently, I have five level 80 Horde characters, with one more likely this week: Shaman (enhance/resto, my main), Druid (resto/moonkin), Paladin (protection/retribution), Mage (arcane), Hunter (Survival/Beast Mastery) and a level 79 Priest (Holy/Shadow). I have a level 70+ rogue, warlock, second druid (feral), warrior and death knight, meaning that I've played every class to at least level 70 (all toons have raided at least 10-man instances).

I don't portray myself as an expert, but I read a whole heck of a lot. I took a break from raiding at about the time the frost wing opened in Icecrown Citadel, but I've seen all raid content before that area in both 10- and 25-man groups.

I was previously a video game columnist for the Detroit Free Press for more than a decade, and also wrote for the Associated Press, Gannett News Service and the Knight Ridder Tribune News Service. My one claim to fame from a World of Warcraft-related journalism perspective is that I broke the news of in which week the original game would be released after an interview with a Vivendi Universal vice president.