WoW secrets & Easter eggs you didn’t know existed

World of Warcraft is rapidly approaching its 20th anniversary and, in that time, the storied MMO has built a world with immeasurable depth. Within that, there are a ton of Easter eggs for players to discover.

For those who don’t know, an Easter egg is a hidden message, image or feature that references specific individuals, events, pieces of lore or other media entirely. These eggs have been a near-permanent fixture in games ever since they first appeared in 1973’s Moonlander.

Ever since its earliest iterations, World of Warcraft has leaned into this concept. The game is arguably all the better for it, adding fun depth to an already broad world.

Here’s a rundown of the very best Easter eggs in World of Warcraft.

Ten of the coolest Easter Eggs in World of Warcraft

Gnomeregan Punch Cards

Blizzard Entertainment

Of all the Easter eggs in World of Warcraft, the Gnomeregan Punch Cards might be the most childish. The dungeon has several cards for players to collect in different ways, but there is a little more to them than it may appear, at first.

Hidden on the cards is binary code which spells out some fun lore-related messages to the player. The full list of messages include:

• White Punch Card
  • Thrall and Jaina sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G
• Yellow Punch Card
  • If you can read this, you’re standing too close
• Blue Punch Card
  • The gnome king wears night elf underwear
• Red Punch Card
  • Help! I’m trapped in a binary punch card factory!
• Prismatic Punch Card
  • Message to Castpipe: your laundry’s ready for pickup.

“Lost” Island

Sholazar Basin is one of the most spectacular zones in Northrend. It also holds a specific secret that is bound to excite fans of the television series Lost. Heading over to the Bittertide Lake reveals a small island with a door on the floor.

On that door is a plaque that reads “5 9 16 17 24 43.” This is a fairly obvious reference to the code from the show, “4 8 15 16 23 42,” only with one added to each number. The Darkmoon Faire also contains a reference to the show, where the original numbers appear on the Darkmoon Fortune Card.

Deeprun Tram underwater sightings

The Deeprun Tram is one of the most interesting features in the whole game. Essentially, it functions as a metro system between the Alliance cities of Stormwind and Ironforge. The whole thing is self-contained and underground, with some sections even heading underwater.

The developers have inserted a fun variety of Easter eggs for players to look out for. These include sea creatures like Nessy or a huge Basking Shark. Additionally, divers can be seen, and other times, a mysterious chest spawns.

Karazhan smiles at you, adventurer

Blizzard Entertainment

There’s a solid argument that Karazhan is one of the most iconic locations in WoW. The site of some important pieces of lore, this wizard’s tower also plays host to beloved dungeons and raids across most of the game’s lifespan.

It also hosts quite a few secrets for players to uncover. One of the most innocent is a huge, hidden smiley face placed underneath Karazhan by the developer. It can be seen either by relogging next to the tower, or using the rubble to clip and view it.

Stratholme’s ghostly inhabitants

Stratholme is the site of one of the saddest canon events in WoW history. It is the city where Arthas Menethil culled its inhabitants in a bid to stop the plague. It also marked a major step in his journey to becoming the Lich King.

The city’s ghostly inhabitants can be interacted with in several ways, as a little Easter egg for their former lives. Typing /dance or /rude while targeting one of the characters should lead them to respond in the same way.

Atlantis for Gnomes

Arguably the coolest entry on this list, there are hints that Azeroth has its very own Atlantis situation. Far off the coast of Tanaris, in Southern Kalimdor, the remains of an abandoned Gnomish town sit in stasis underwater.

Although this is open for players to explore, it is difficult to do so as it lies beyond the fatigue line. As a result, getting further information from the site is a tough proposition. We may never know the true story of the town.

Super creepy Goldshire demon children

Perhaps the most notorious Easter egg on this list, the Goldshire demon children are downright terrifying. Goldshire is one of the first places many Alliance players visit and it’s a critical part of early leveling. As a result, it may seem like an idyllic location. Not so.

At around 6.00am server time, six children spawn in and walk around in a tight pentagram formation. From there, they head up to the second floor of a house to the North and just… stand there. If the player follows them, the sound file changes to creepy music and noises from growls to outright screams echo throughout.

Robin Williams tribute

One of the most legendary comedians ever was also a big World of Warcraft fan, as it turns out. Supposedly, he was an Alliance player who took great pleasure in trolling members of the enemy faction wherever possible.

Following his untimely death in 2014, the developers inserted a nice tribute to him and his legacy. To find it, simply head to the island off the southern coast of Talador. There, it should be fairly easy to find the Ever-Burning Lamp. Simply interact with it to see one of Williams’ most iconic characters brought to Azeroth.

Forrest Gump

Tom Hanks’ Forrest Gump is perhaps one of the most recognizable characters in cinema history. As such, it seems only right that there are actually two Easter Eggs referencing the film in WoW. The first is Gubber Blump, a character who has been missing since the Cataclysm.

The second is Bernard Gump, a florist who runs a store with his wife in the Canal District of Stormwind. In case you hadn’t already worked it out, he’s Florist Gump. Get it?

You’re a Mage, Harry

Warner Bros.

There are a lot of Harry Potter references in World of Warcraft. These Easter eggs cover everything from famous quotes to specific characters. The crazed Dwarves of the Howling Fjord reference “That which must not be named,” a reference to the allusion to Voldemort in the books and films.

In Stormsong Valley it is possible to find characters going by Severus the Outcast, Harald the Scarred, Ranald Flamehair, and Herme the Wise, a reference to Severus Snape and the three friends at the center of the Harry Potter story.

That’s the complete list! There are a lot more secrets across Azeroth to discover, so what are you waiting for?