The total number of World of Warcraft subscribers has just reached 9 million, a step closer to the magical eight-digit mark. And that 10 millionth subscriber may not be far away, with developer Blizzard Entertainment and publisher Vivendi currently preparing for the launch of World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, the game’s money-printing expansion, in mainland China.

As it happens, Blizzard are rather chuffed about the news. "We’re thrilled that gamers around the world have continued to embrace World of Warcraft so enthusiastically," said the firm’s president and co-founder Mike Morhaime from his 26,729-room mansion. "We’ve worked hard to provide a compelling experience for our players, and we plan to continue updating the game with exciting new content for them to enjoy for many years to come."

Thanks, Mike. Oh, and to put that 9 million figure in perspective, Azeroth's population is now greater than those of Tokyo, New York or London. Or the whole of Sweden. That’s a crapload of people munching on Cheetos, slaying boar and typing "lolhats" all at once. Whoever thought it would come to this, eh?