The best trolls in gaming history
The best trolls in gaming history are a breed of their own. From griefing funeral processions in vanilla WoW to scams worth six figures in Eve Online, trolling is a part of gaming history that we don’t often talk about. From trolling classic games like Ultima Online to ruining the hopes and dreams of countless Kickstarter backers, these are the best in-game shenanigans to ever grace a monitor.
Ambushing a funeral in Vanilla WoW
In a game filled with griefers, trolls, and general assholes, one infamous guild in Vanilla WoW managed to create chaos on a global scale. On the Ishtar-Zhelin map, a horde of players would gather for a Darkmoon Faire and to mourn a fallen comrade. However, a group of players in black robes would appear and attack the mourners.
This group known as The Black Dragon Society would ambush funeral processions in-game and in other MMOs. The Darkmoon Faire was eventually removed from World of Warcraft, but the memory of these griefers still remains in the minds of players.
Eve Online trolls
Eve Online trolls take trolling to the next level with scams that have real money at stake. In one of the most notorious cases, a CEO of a mining corporation offered a mining fleet to his members but never delivered. The CEO also transferred the corporation’s shares to his alt characters, leaving members unsure of their investment.
Of course, there are also the pranks in which players troll each other in such a way that the victim can’t reply back or defend themselves, like the Ventrilo Harassment video.
Legendary trolls
Ventrilo Harassment
Duke Nukem troll
Pokémon troll
NPC trolls
Peter Molyneux trolling
Microsoft Xbox trolls
Niantic Pokemon Go trolls
Arenanet April Fool’s updates
Giant kaiju kittens
Gender-swapped characters
Assassinating Lord British
While the memes surrounding Leroy Jenkins are still relevant, the actual kill of Lord British in Ultima Online made history. The developer never logged in again after the in-game assassination.
While it’s unclear whether or not this was a troll, the sheer amount of time it must have taken to orchestrate the incident makes it legendary. There are also rumours that the attacker was an ex-member of the guild that killed Lord British.
Leroy Jenkins
Leroy’s famous motivational speech in World of Warcraft has become an internet sensation. While some argue it was a scripted moment, the sheer number of players who joined in on the meme is hard to deny.
Kickstarter trolls
While many Kickstarters for games have been funded, it’s worth remembering the ones that left backers feeling disappointed. The developers behind Project Phoenix raised millions of dollars but ended up cancelling the game. Many backers were left with nothing but a broken promise.
WoW virus/pandemic
While it wasn’t intentional trolling, a bug in World of Warcraft caused havoc that Blizzard had to fix immediately. The WoW pandemic caused players to disconnect after a simple mention, and it took just a few trolls to bring the servers to their knees.
Xbox gamertag
A gamertag that turned off consoles with a simple mention became a clever prank in multiplayer games. While it wasn’t a troll, the Xbox gamertag ‘Turnoff’ left players in shock when they realised their connection had been severed.
The Witcher 3 and World of Warcraft trolls
The trolls in The Witcher 3 and World of Warcraft bring back hilarious moments from certain individuals and remind us of them. There are also moments that are simply troll-worthy, like the bathhouse in The Witcher 3, or the troll who unceremoniously stole the Lich King’s crown in WoW.
Metal Gear Solid and MGS 2 trolls
Metal Gear Solid and MGS 2 broke the fourth wall in spectacular ways. Whether it was a hidden Psycho Mantis controller or Raiden walking into a Konami logo, there were plenty of moments that had us grinning from ear to ear.
Team Fortress 2 Spy
The Spy in Team Fortress 2 is a master of deception and trolling, whether it’s pretending to be an enemy or tricking an enemy Pyro into lighting himself on fire.
Frost trolls in Skyrim
In one of the best open-world games, frost trolls can ruin your adventures in an instant, especially when you’re not ready for them. Their unexpected strength makes them a nuisance that might kill you in a single hit, so it’s better to be prepared for these trolls.
Fallout 3 troll
Fallout 3 surprised players with a door that led to a concrete slab with a profane message. While it’s not technically a troll, it’s definitely unexpected and funny.
Ultima Online troll
Ultima Online had its fair share of chaos, especially in the early days of the MMO. GM events and dedicated groups roleplaying as orcs caused mass panic. However, in a hardcore Classic WoW raid, a troll managed to wipe out an entire guild after a year of planning.
Horizon Zero Dawn trolls
Horizon Zero Dawn has a number of trolls, including a bandit that tries to rob you, and a man in Meridian who has trouble with a nearby brazier.
