Goblins in modern fiction
Encyclopedia
Two major branches of goblin
s exist in popular fiction, including fantasy settings. Alongside J. R. R. Tolkien
's descriptions of Orc
s, the older branch is inherently evil and malicious, with varying coloring and generally matted and filthy hair. This type of goblin appears in Dungeons & Dragons
. The distinctive green-skinned, hairless, capricious, and generally amoral (rather than absolutely evil) goblins created for Warhammer
are direct progenitors of goblins in more modern games, such as those in the Warcraft Universe
or Magic: The Gathering
.
, Hobgoblin (comics)
, Harry Osborn
, Normie Osborn
, Spider-Man (film)
& Spider-Man 3
There are many villains in the Spider-Man
notably Green Goblin, Hobgoblin
, New Goblin, etc. Green Goblin and New Goblin already appeared in two films.
group that smuggles batteries for weaponry and started a rebellion that nearly destroyed Haven, the capital of the fairy people.
" series of RPGs, goblins are synonymous with imp
s. In the earlier episodes of the series, they typically appear as the weakest enemy in the game. They are depicted as being small and skinny with browinish skin and pointy ears and nearly always wearing a stocking cap, owing more in appearance to a Scottish redcap
than a Tolkien-style goblin. They also occasionally appear as a low level summoned creature. In "Final Fantasy XI", they appear as one of the more intelligent species of "Beastmen", occasionally living as merchants in cities and interacting with the people there. The more hostile Goblins are also known as some of the most annoying enemies in the game, frequently appearing at high levels in popular leveling zones, much to the chagrin of campers who must constantly avoid them.
, goblins are a very popular and potent creature type. They tend to be red aligned creatures that come in large numbers, love rocks and have little to no sense of self preservation. Most have low power and toughness. They are often a source of humour within the game (for example, the flavour text of the spell Shock reads "I love lightning! It’s my best invention since the rock", attributed to the goblin weaponsmith Toggo). Their popularity and effectiveness is such that they have received more attention at the cost of other red flavoured creatures, such as dwarves and orcs.
Though there is one generally accepted form of Goblin (see above) there have been many other breeds featured in the game; examples include the brutish Mogg, intelligent Kyren, mischievous Akki, mechanically inclined Krark-Clan, and sensationalist Boggart goblins of Magic:The Gathering. In Shards of Alara
, goblins are ratlike creatures so frequently devoured by the dragon
s and other monsters of their homeland of Jund that they consider it their religious duty to be eaten. In the most recent expansion, Zendikar
, the goblins, like many of the other races, are treasure hunters.
, goblins are a race of faeries who have lost much of their native magic. Only a few, known as Cobblers, retain any magic. The vast majority of goblins are stupid, cruel, and lazy thieves.
world, goblins wield different masks and have different elemental alignments among them (but they retain their Demi-Human race condition). Each mask can be dropped by a different one when they are killed, but Archer, Panzer and Steamrider Goblins do not drop any.
RuneScape
, most of the goblins that the humans of RuneScape are familiar with are those goblins that cover the surface of the world. They worship a war god named Bandos but goblins call him "Big High War God". There are few places goblins cannot be found, but there are also few goblins that could not be described as stupid. The Dorgeshuun tribe of goblins are the notable exception to this, as they have been separated from the main goblin race since the times of the God wars. The Dorgeshuun have since then been hiding themselves away in their underground city, Dorgesh-Kaan.
Were it not for their remarkable stupidity, the common goblins of the surface could cause extreme problems for the human civilisations. The Dorgeshuun, who are nowhere close to as stupid or inclined to bickering as normal goblins, are opposed to violence of all forms. They do not trust humans, though, and it is a rare human that has seen their mines or had anything approaching a decent conversation with them. The H.A.M (Humans Against Monsters) cult seem to target the goblins more than others. However, one plan to flood the underground city beneath Lumbridge castle failed, and the leader, Sigmund, is later on killed.
In the "Tribunal" expansion for "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind," it was revealed that High Elves used goblins to build slave armies. The Neravarine fought one such army in the sewers of Mournhold.
, the first book in The Grey Griffin books, goblins are dark faeries who make up the Shadow Kings Armies. They are divided into sub-species, the most dangerous being the Slayer Goblin.
, goblins are a green-skinned, diminutive, crafty race; known for their occasionally explosive, but usually effective engineering. They also tend to be a neutral party between the Alliance and Horde factions of Azeroth. Motivated almost entirely by greed, it is very likely that the only reason goblins remain neutral in the ongoing conflict is that if they chose a side, they would be unable to profit from the other. In World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
, a faction of goblins independent from the ones already present in the game will become a playable race on the Horde.
Goblins are usually merchants, but there were two playable neutral goblin heroes in The Frozen Throne, the expansion to Warcraft III.
Goblin
A goblin is a legendary evil or mischievous illiterate creature, a grotesquely evil or evil-like phantom.They are attributed with various abilities, temperaments and appearances depending on the story and country of origin. In some cases, goblins have been classified as constantly annoying little...
s exist in popular fiction, including fantasy settings. Alongside J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's descriptions of Orc
Orc
An orc is one of a race of mythical human-like creatures, generally described as fierce and combative, with grotesque features and often black, grey or greenish skin. This mythology has its origins in the writings of J. R. R. Tolkien....
s, the older branch is inherently evil and malicious, with varying coloring and generally matted and filthy hair. This type of goblin appears in Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
. The distinctive green-skinned, hairless, capricious, and generally amoral (rather than absolutely evil) goblins created for Warhammer
Warhammer Fantasy (setting)
Warhammer Fantasy is a fantasy setting, created by Games Workshop, which is used by many of the company's games. Some of the best-known games set in this world are: the table top wargame Warhammer Fantasy Battle, the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay pen-and-paper role-playing game, and the MMORPG...
are direct progenitors of goblins in more modern games, such as those in the Warcraft Universe
Warcraft Universe
Warcraft is a franchise of video games, novels, and other media originally created by Blizzard Entertainment. The series is made up of Four core games: Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness, Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, and World of Warcraft...
or Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering , also known as Magic, is the first collectible trading card game created by mathematics professor Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Magic continues to thrive, with approximately twelve million players as of 2011...
.
- Arcanum (role-playing game)Arcanum (role-playing game)Arcanum is a fantasy role-playing game by Bard Games, set in the ancient world before Atlantis sunk. Like other fantasy RPGs, the game uses paper, pencils, dice, rulebooks, and imagination...
- The Black Cauldron (film)The Black Cauldron (film)The Black Cauldron is a 1985 American animated fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and originally released to theatres on July 24, 1985...
, 1985 by Walt Disney Pictures - Diane Goode's Book of Scary Stories & Songs
- Dungeons & DragonsDungeons & DragonsDungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
RPGRole-playing gameA role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
game: Goblin (Dungeons & Dragons)Goblin (Dungeons & Dragons)In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, goblins are a very common and fairly weak race of evil humanoid monsters. Goblins and Kobolds are commonly non-human monsters that low-level player characters will face in combat. In D&D, goblins aren't smaller cousins of orcs, but are a part of... - EerieEerieEerie was an American magazine of horror comics introduced in 1966 by Warren Publishing. Like Mad, it was a black-and-white newsstand publication in a magazine format and thus did not require the approval or seal of the Comics Code Authority. Each issue's stories were introduced by the host...
#68-72 (1966) - Fairy Tales (Terry Jones book)Fairy Tales (Terry Jones book)Fairy Tales is a 1981 book of children's stories written by Monty Python's Terry Jones and illustrated by Michael Foreman with both ink drawings and watercolor paintings....
, features Goblin City - Fry Kids were originally named Gobblins, because they gobbled up fries.
- Gnomes (Discworld)
- Goblins - Life through their eyes a popular webcomic
- Goblins! by Brian FroudBrian FroudBrian Froud is an English fantasy illustrator. He lives and works in Devon with his wife, Wendy Froud, who is also a fantasy artist...
- The Goblins Giggle, And Other Stories (1973) illustrated by Molly BangMolly BangMolly Bang is an American illustrator, born in Princeton, New Jersey. She lives in California, after having lived for some time in Massachusetts.Bang began writing children's books after a failed stint as a reporter for The Baltimore Sun...
- Goblins in the Castle (Minstrel Book) by Bruce Coville (1992)
- Green GoblinGreen GoblinThe Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
- Spider-ManSpider-ManSpider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
villain - Hoppity Goblin & Other Stories (1954)
- I'm Dreaming of a Green Goblin - song from a Simpsons book Spooktacular, Homer's Favorite Halloween Carols
- Imaginext goblin toys
- Labyrinth (film)Labyrinth (film)Labyrinth is a 1986 British/American fantasy film directed by Jim Henson, produced by George Lucas, and designed by Brian Froud. Henson collaborated on the screenwriting with children's author Dennis Lee, Terry Jones from Monty Python, and Elaine May .The film stars David Bowie as Jareth the Goblin...
- Legend (film)Legend (film)Legend is a 1985 fantasy film released by Universal Pictures, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Tom Cruise, Mia Sara, and Tim Curry. Though not a very notable success when first released, it received a single Academy Award nomination for Best Makeup, and since its initial release, has developed...
1986 - Miniatures of goblins for RPGs (D&D, Warhammer, etc.)
- Orc (Middle-earth)Orc (Middle-earth)In J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings, Orcs or Orks are a race of creatures who are used as soldiers and henchmen by both the greater and lesser villains of The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings — Morgoth, Sauron and Saruman...
: In J. R. R. TolkienJ. R. R. TolkienJohn Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's Middle-earthMiddle-earthMiddle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
fantasy writingsTolkien's legendariumThe phrase Tolkien's legendarium is used in the literary discipline of Tolkien studiesto refer to the part of J. R. R. Tolkien's high fantasy fiction being concerned with his Elven legends; that is, historic events that have become legendary from the perspective of the characters of The Lord of the...
, "goblin" is just one of many names for the race of Orcs.Orc (Middle-earth)In J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings, Orcs or Orks are a race of creatures who are used as soldiers and henchmen by both the greater and lesser villains of The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings — Morgoth, Sauron and Saruman...
It is usually used to describe Orcs from the Misty MountainsMisty MountainsIn J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy world of Middle-earth, the Misty Mountains is a mountain range, running for 795 miles from north to south, between Eriador and the valley of the Great River, Anduin, and...
. - Orc Magazine http://www.orcmagazine.com/
- Outside Over There by Maurice SendakMaurice SendakMaurice Bernard Sendak is an American writer and illustrator of children's literature. He is best known for his book Where the Wild Things Are, published in 1963.-Early life:...
features hooded goblins who steal a baby. - The Spiderwick ChroniclesThe Spiderwick ChroniclesThe Spiderwick Chronicles is a series of children's books by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. They chronicle the adventures of the Grace children, twins Simon and Jared and their older sister Mallory, after they move into Spiderwick Estate and discover a world of fairies that they never knew...
- Tales of Jig Dragonslayer (fantasy trilogy) - by Jim C. HinesJim C. HinesJim C. Hines is an American fantasy writer. He was a first-place winner of the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Award in 1998 with his story "Blade of the Bunny". He is the author of the Goblin Quest fantasy trilogy, comprising Goblin Quest, Goblin Hero and Goblin War. He also edited the...
- The early Smurfs were called goblins.
- Troll 2Troll 2Troll 2 is a 1990 horror film directed by Claudio Fragasso and starring Michael Stephenson, George Hardy, Margo Prey, Connie Young , Deborah Reed, and Jason Wright...
- X-Files Goblins book
Spider-Man
Main Articles: Green GoblinGreen Goblin
The Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
, Hobgoblin (comics)
Hobgoblin (comics)
The Hobgoblin is the alias of several fictional characters that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first and best-known Hobgoblin is Roderick Kingsley. He first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #238, and was created by Roger Stern and John Romita, Sr...
, Harry Osborn
Harry Osborn
Harry Osborn is a fictional character, a supporting character of Spider-Man in the . In addition to being Peter Parker's best friend, Harry was the second Green Goblin and is the son of Norman Osborn...
, Normie Osborn
Normie Osborn
Normie Osborn is the grandson of Norman Osborn and the son of Harry Osborn, the first and second Green Goblin, respectively. As Harry Osborn and Peter Parker were best friends, he is also Spider-Man's godson.-Fictional character biography:...
, Spider-Man (film)
Spider-Man (film)
Spider-Man is a 2002 American superhero film, the first in the Spider-Man film series based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. It was directed by Sam Raimi and written by David Koepp...
& Spider-Man 3
Spider-Man 3
Spider-Man 3 is a 2007 American superhero film written and directed by Sam Raimi, with a screenplay by Ivan Raimi and Alvin Sargent. It is the third film in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man...
There are many villains in the Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
notably Green Goblin, Hobgoblin
Hobgoblin (comics)
The Hobgoblin is the alias of several fictional characters that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first and best-known Hobgoblin is Roderick Kingsley. He first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #238, and was created by Roger Stern and John Romita, Sr...
, New Goblin, etc. Green Goblin and New Goblin already appeared in two films.
Artemis Fowl Book Series
Goblins are fairies that are considered very stupid by other races. They are able to conjure fireballs (as Foaly points out, giving this power to such unintelligent creatures amounts to one of evolution's nasty tricks) and their skin is fireproof. Goblins are lucky if they can make friends, as they cannot cooperate with others. A group of them create the B'wa Kell, a triadTriad
Triad is a term used to describe many branches of Chinese criminal organizations based in Hong Kong, Vietnam, Macau, Taiwan, China, and also in countries with significant Chinese populations, such as Malaysia, Singapore, the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom...
group that smuggles batteries for weaponry and started a rebellion that nearly destroyed Haven, the capital of the fairy people.
Final Fantasy
In the "Final FantasyFinal Fantasy
is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
" series of RPGs, goblins are synonymous with imp
Imp
An imp is a mythological being similar to a fairy or demon, frequently described in folklore and superstition. The word may perhaps derive from the term ympe, used to denote a young grafted tree.-Folklore:...
s. In the earlier episodes of the series, they typically appear as the weakest enemy in the game. They are depicted as being small and skinny with browinish skin and pointy ears and nearly always wearing a stocking cap, owing more in appearance to a Scottish redcap
Redcap
A Red Cap or Redcap, also known as a powrie or dunter, is a type of malevolent murderous dwarf, goblin, elf or fairy found in Border Folklore. They are said to inhabit ruined castles found along the border between England and Scotland...
than a Tolkien-style goblin. They also occasionally appear as a low level summoned creature. In "Final Fantasy XI", they appear as one of the more intelligent species of "Beastmen", occasionally living as merchants in cities and interacting with the people there. The more hostile Goblins are also known as some of the most annoying enemies in the game, frequently appearing at high levels in popular leveling zones, much to the chagrin of campers who must constantly avoid them.
Everquest
In the MMORPG "Everquest 2", goblins are portrayed as largely mischievous, primitive, fairly foolish creatures. Small and green, with large pointy ears and yellow eyes, they tend to look and sound as silly as they act. "Gigglegibber" Goblins run a series of gambling games throughout "Norrath". Upon visiting their hideout during the 'Frostfell' season (Christmas 2005 special quest) it is revealed that in addition to this gambling game they are also attempting to - unsuccessfully - forge gold coins, and yet they have no intention spending any of this money, they simply wish to 'have' it. Most of their schemes are harmless, though often illegal. Not all goblins of "Norrath" are so benign, however, with some being evil, and even falling under the control of external dark magic.Harry Potter
Goblins in Harry Potter are short, ugly creatures. Unlike many other depictions of goblins, they do not seem to be stupid, but rather sly. Goblins tend to like money, and in fact run Gringotts, the Wizard bank. They are also known to be very good at making magical objects, similar to dwarves in other traditions, and can recognise true goblin made items. The morality of goblins has not been explored in detail; while they do not seem evil in nature, they are often sly, cruel and troublesome, and have staged numerous rebellions throughout Wizarding history, often as a result of persecution, like other non-human creatures they are banned from carrying a wand. They believe the true owner of an item is the maker, not the buyer, and are dangerous to cross.Mabinogi
In the MMORPG Mabinogi, there is a non-playable (except in events) race known as goblins. They are not an evil race by nature, but most seen in the course of the story and game are controlled by the evil magic of the Fomors. There are a small few that are communicable, though.Magic: the Gathering
In the collectible trading card game, Magic: The GatheringMagic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering , also known as Magic, is the first collectible trading card game created by mathematics professor Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Magic continues to thrive, with approximately twelve million players as of 2011...
, goblins are a very popular and potent creature type. They tend to be red aligned creatures that come in large numbers, love rocks and have little to no sense of self preservation. Most have low power and toughness. They are often a source of humour within the game (for example, the flavour text of the spell Shock reads "I love lightning! It’s my best invention since the rock", attributed to the goblin weaponsmith Toggo). Their popularity and effectiveness is such that they have received more attention at the cost of other red flavoured creatures, such as dwarves and orcs.
Though there is one generally accepted form of Goblin (see above) there have been many other breeds featured in the game; examples include the brutish Mogg, intelligent Kyren, mischievous Akki, mechanically inclined Krark-Clan, and sensationalist Boggart goblins of Magic:The Gathering. In Shards of Alara
Shards of Alara
Shards of Alara is an expansion set from the trading card game Magic: The Gathering. It is the 47th limited-edition expansion set for Magic and was released on October 3, 2008. On Magic Online Shards was released on October 20, 2008....
, goblins are ratlike creatures so frequently devoured by the dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
s and other monsters of their homeland of Jund that they consider it their religious duty to be eaten. In the most recent expansion, Zendikar
Zendikar
Zendikar is a Magic: The Gathering expansion set, that was released on October 2, 2009. It consists of 249 cards.-Set details:Zendikar is the first set in the Zendikar block...
, the goblins, like many of the other races, are treasure hunters.
Palladium
In the Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing GamePalladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game
The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game is a game produced by Palladium Books. It is set in a unique world, called the Palladium World , with the primary setting being some 10,000 years after a great war between the elves and their dwarven allies...
, goblins are a race of faeries who have lost much of their native magic. Only a few, known as Cobblers, retain any magic. The vast majority of goblins are stupid, cruel, and lazy thieves.
Ragnarok Online
In the Ragnarok OnlineRagnarok Online
Ragnarok Online , often referred to as RO, is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game or MMORPG created by GRAVITY Co., Ltd. based on the manhwa Ragnarok by Lee Myung-jin. It was first released in South Korea on 31 August 2002 for Microsoft Windows and has since been released in many other...
world, goblins wield different masks and have different elemental alignments among them (but they retain their Demi-Human race condition). Each mask can be dropped by a different one when they are killed, but Archer, Panzer and Steamrider Goblins do not drop any.
RuneScape
In the MMORPGMMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
RuneScape
RuneScape
RuneScape is a fantasy massively multiplayer online role-playing game released in January 2001 by Andrew and Paul Gower, and developed and published by Jagex Games Studio. It is a graphical browser game implemented on the client-side in Java, and incorporates 3D rendering...
, most of the goblins that the humans of RuneScape are familiar with are those goblins that cover the surface of the world. They worship a war god named Bandos but goblins call him "Big High War God". There are few places goblins cannot be found, but there are also few goblins that could not be described as stupid. The Dorgeshuun tribe of goblins are the notable exception to this, as they have been separated from the main goblin race since the times of the God wars. The Dorgeshuun have since then been hiding themselves away in their underground city, Dorgesh-Kaan.
Were it not for their remarkable stupidity, the common goblins of the surface could cause extreme problems for the human civilisations. The Dorgeshuun, who are nowhere close to as stupid or inclined to bickering as normal goblins, are opposed to violence of all forms. They do not trust humans, though, and it is a rare human that has seen their mines or had anything approaching a decent conversation with them. The H.A.M (Humans Against Monsters) cult seem to target the goblins more than others. However, one plan to flood the underground city beneath Lumbridge castle failed, and the leader, Sigmund, is later on killed.
The Elder Scrolls
Throughout the franchise, including the 2006 "Oblivion", goblins have been used as an NPC class of monsters. The goblins featured in Oblivion are semisentient, diminutive pale greenskined barbarians. They range in power from the weak and cowardly "peon" goblins to the mighty goblin warlords. Also found in game are several goblin "tribes." Each tribe has a totem, and will go to war with other tribes to take their totem, or to reclaim their own. Goblins who are members of a tribe will attack goblins of other tribes, but will ignore non-tribal goblins.In the "Tribunal" expansion for "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind," it was revealed that High Elves used goblins to build slave armies. The Neravarine fought one such army in the sewers of Mournhold.
The Grey Griffin books
In The Revenge of the Shadow KingThe Revenge of the Shadow King
The Revenge of the Shadow King is the first volume of three books in the Grey Griffins series written in collaborative writing by American authors Derek Benz and J.S. Lewis, and published by Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc...
, the first book in The Grey Griffin books, goblins are dark faeries who make up the Shadow Kings Armies. They are divided into sub-species, the most dangerous being the Slayer Goblin.
Warcraft
In the Warcraft UniverseWarcraft Universe
Warcraft is a franchise of video games, novels, and other media originally created by Blizzard Entertainment. The series is made up of Four core games: Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness, Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, and World of Warcraft...
, goblins are a green-skinned, diminutive, crafty race; known for their occasionally explosive, but usually effective engineering. They also tend to be a neutral party between the Alliance and Horde factions of Azeroth. Motivated almost entirely by greed, it is very likely that the only reason goblins remain neutral in the ongoing conflict is that if they chose a side, they would be unable to profit from the other. In World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm is the third expansion pack for the massively multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft, following the last expansion Wrath of the Lich King. It was officially announced at BlizzCon on August 21, 2009, although dataminers and researchers discovered details...
, a faction of goblins independent from the ones already present in the game will become a playable race on the Horde.
Goblins are usually merchants, but there were two playable neutral goblin heroes in The Frozen Throne, the expansion to Warcraft III.
Other computer games
- Deathtrap Dungeon (game)Deathtrap Dungeon (game)Deathtrap Dungeon is an action-adventure game released in 1998 for the PlayStation and Microsoft Windows...
features blue-skinned goblins - Dungeons & DragonsDungeons & DragonsDungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
computer games: List of Dungeons & Dragons computer and video games by setting - Dungeon Keeper 2Dungeon Keeper 2Dungeon Keeper 2 is a strategy game developed by Bullfrog Productions and published by Electronic Arts in 1999 for Microsoft Windows. It was released in Europe and North America in June 1999. It was the sequel to Peter Molyneux's Dungeon Keeper and predecessor to the canceled Dungeon Keeper 3...
- Ghosts and Goblins
- Gobliiins!
- the MMORPG http://tibianews.net/section.asp?Ids=7&Id=73 TibiaTibiaThe tibia , shinbone, or shankbone is the larger and stronger of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates , and connects the knee with the ankle bones....
has a complete entry for Goblins in its bestiary and the Gobliiins! series, in addition to games based on other works featuring goblins. - Goblin Commandos
- SilverfallSilverfallSilverfall is a "hack and slash" role-playing video game, developed by software company Monte Cristo for Windows. It is available in English, French and German. A port has been made for PlayStation Portable....
- WarhammerWarhammer Fantasy (setting)Warhammer Fantasy is a fantasy setting, created by Games Workshop, which is used by many of the company's games. Some of the best-known games set in this world are: the table top wargame Warhammer Fantasy Battle, the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay pen-and-paper role-playing game, and the MMORPG...
: Goblin (Warhammer)Goblin (Warhammer)Goblins, also known as "Gobbos", are among the smallest of the goblinoid "greenskin" races in the Warhammer Fantasy setting.They are smaller than the Orcs and the Hobgoblins but larger than the Gnoblar race and Snotlings... - XyphusXyphusXyphus is a computer role-playing game first released in 1984. The game was designed by Skip Waller and Dave Albert with a Macintosh version by Bob Hardy, for Penguin Software. It was the first RPG ever released on the Macintosh system featuring upgraded graphics and mouse friendly user-interface;...
: The 1984 Penguin SoftwarePenguin SoftwarePenguin Software was a video game publisher from Geneva, Illinois that produced graphics software and games for the Apple II, Macintosh, IBM, Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari 8-bit, and Atari ST computers...
game XyphusXyphusXyphus is a computer role-playing game first released in 1984. The game was designed by Skip Waller and Dave Albert with a Macintosh version by Bob Hardy, for Penguin Software. It was the first RPG ever released on the Macintosh system featuring upgraded graphics and mouse friendly user-interface;...
features many tribes of Goblins including the Maripo, the Sedento and the Malenke. - ZanZarah: The Hidden PortalZanZarah: The Hidden PortalZanZarah: The Hidden Portal is an action-adventure computer game by German Funatics Development, released in 2002 by publisher THQ. An add-on, ZanZarah: The Lost Village , was in development in 2002, but was later cancelled.- Plot :The game follows the story of Amy, a young girl from London who on...