It feels like as the internet gets older, we see fewer and fewer events that unite everyone in mutual admiration or fun. But every once in a while something manages to cut through the noise, and recently that something was Jimothy the Raccoon. Now, the beloved animal will be officially immortalized in World of Warcraft.
First spotted on the streets of Seattle, Washington, the bizarre little raccoon with short spine syndrome took the internet by storm, attracting dozens of pieces of fan art, memes, videos, his own subreddit, and even a mascot race at a Major League Baseball game. He’s even led to more awareness about short spine syndrome in general, a condition that can affect a wide array of animals, including domesticated dogs.
Countless news stations have reported on Jimothy at this point, with the name coming from the user who posted the first viral video on July 14.
On July 18, the official World of Warcraft account on X posted a quick little mock-up of Jimothy as a pet, getting in on the craze. But, as it turns out, the idea was so overwhelmingly popular that it’s resulted in the team making Jimothy a permanent earnable pet in the MMORPG. The official account posted a quick little video showing what he’ll actually look like in-game.
While there isn’t an official release date, a press release says that the goal is to have Jimothy go live when the next update, Curse of Ula’tek, launches. While it’s currently available on the public test realm, Curse of Ula’tek is scheduled to officially release on August 11, 2026.
While it’s certainly possible the date for Jimothy could be shifted, if you’ve ever dreamed of exploring Azeroth with a hunch-backed raccoon, your moment has finally arrived.
World of Warcraft is available on PC and Mac.
