Blizzard Auctions Original Wow Server Hardware for Charity

Blizzard Entertainment will host a series of special charity auctions featuring server-blade hardware that was originally used during the early days of World of Warcraft. The money generated from the auctions will go to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, one of the world's premier centers for the research and treatment of pediatric cancer and other catastrophic childhood diseases. The auction consists of the original HP Blade System servers that once housed hundreds of different realms across North America and Europe.

"World of Warcraft realms are like the virtual neighborhoods of the game’s community -- they contain the spaces where millions of players have made friendships, forged friendly rivalries, and created lasting memories, “said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "Each winner in this auction will own a small monument to those collective experiences. The best part is that this auction benefits a great charity doing tremendous work in helping children from the U.S. and around the world."

In total, approximately 2,000 of the original server blades from about 500 different World of Warcraft realms will be auctioned off. The server blades will each be contained in a custom windowed case featuring the World of Warcraft logo. They will also come with a commemorative plaque signed by the World of Warcraft team.

The server blades will be auctioned in batches over the course of four weeks, beginning on October 17. Auctions will take place on eBay and will be managed by Kompolt. Those interested in owning a piece of gaming history can find more information on the auction schedule as well as a detailed FAQ at www.ebay.com/blizzard.