If you thought that Blizzard was concocting secret plans to turn Battle.net into a social platform for all their games, then you're right... and wrong. First it was never a secret and second it was a "deliberate and open design decision," as they want friends and family able to play and chat.
Developer Blizzard affirm they are on the hunt for "offensive" chat in public channels in World of Warcraft all the time. It's "impossible" to be everywhere. The studio is cracking down on lewd and erotic chat that spills out to the WoW public, with US Moon Guard server's Goldshire Inn a 'hot bed' for it.
Activision super boss Bobby Kotick reminds us at their Q2 fiscal talk that Blizzard's new MMO in the works is an "entirely new" game universe. It's one of "two enormous investments" by the publisher, with the other being Bungie's new IP. The new MMO first got mentioned publically in 2007.
The upcoming Cataclysm expansion to World of Warcraft is out this year claims Activision boss Bobby Kotick during the publisher's Q2 fiscal chat. Blizzard supremo Mike Morhaime is more cautious in the promise. They're "on track to launch" this year but they won't release "until it's ready."
A report shows that last year's World of Warcraft subscriptions held 54 percent of the Western MMO subs market, down from 2008's 60 percent. Last year saw no new expansion release from Blizzard however, but 2010 has Cataclysm inbound. MMO subs market rose $200m to $1.6bn in '09.
Sherlock eat your detective heart out because fans, World of Warcraft fans, have done some digging and conclude Cataclysm is out December 7th. Blizzard revealed season 9 of the PvP Arena would start "one week" after Cataclysm's launch. Beta files date season 9 as December 14th.
Blizzard has just announced the official release date of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm. The highly anticipated expansion to the most successful MMO of all time will be hitting the store shelves on December 7th. A retail price of $39.99 has been listed so far, with a special edition also going for $79.99. More details as we get them.
Blizzard has slapped down dollar bills to hire rock duo Jack Black and Kyle Glass - aka Tenacious D - to bring this year's BlizzCon to a close. Last year they had Ozzy Osbourne wrap things up. BlizzCon 2010 takes place in Anaheim, California on October 22nd and 23rd. Tickets sold out.
The good old BBFC (British Board of Film Classification, our local Videogames rating body) has let slip some details regarding he bonus content for the upcoming Cataclysm expansion. The bonus DVD that is included in the Collector's Edition contains around an hour and a half of footage...
Despite the success of Warcraft III, for many years it seemed Blizzard had taken its medieval fantasy franchise into the MMO space and wasn't going to look back. A few years ago however, rumours surfaced that Blizzard might indeed make a 'Warcraft IV'. Now, with BlizzCon only a few weeks away, those rumours have returned, and there's even talk of the game being officially announced this year.
The next whopper update to Blizzard's World of Warcraft has been dished on by the studio, and it reveals a number of big character class changes. There are complete skill tree revamps, mechanic overhauls and no more harvesting of Soul Shards! These detail "complex changes" in the 4.0.1 patch.
Remember all that feather ruffling caused by Blizzard's RealID plans? The studio admits it was hard to "wrap our heads around" why it caused an uproar. After all social networking is all the rage with real names and embarrassing photos. The "game space" is totally different Blizzard has come to realise.
Cataclysm is the latest expansion for World of Warcraft that soon releases, but Blizzard already has the fourth major add-on well into planning. What they've got up their sleeve next is "pretty f'ing awesome" declared senior producer John Lagrave. It's got the team "happy and excited" at Blizzard.
Blizzard's Rob Pardo says the industry is witnessing "a shift in consumer behaviour," as more and more are opening to digital distribution services. Numbers of gamers wanting to get their games "in that direction" are rising; makes perfect sense for World of Warcraft. Doubts retail "would ever go away".
Two new buildings right next door to Blizzard's World of Warcraft development offices have been leased, giving the studio 40% more real estate. They move into the new office spaces by the end of the year, and it's thought they could house the 'next-gen MMO' as development matures.
True to form, Blizzard are going to celebrate the launch of their latest game in style. Ahead of its release on December 7th, the PC-powerhouse is holding special launch events the night before in order to herald in the Cataclysm expansion for World of Warcraft with a bang.
World of Warcraft's Azeroth is about to be broken, no thanks to raging elementals and a big meanie dragon, as the 4.0.3a patch goes live tomorrow. The Shattering will include the intro cinematic to Cataclysm ahead of its December launch, as well as most new content excluding the highlights.
Through Battle.net or the Blizzard Store you can buy World of Warcraft and The Burning Crusade for just $5 each, and Wrath of the Lich King for $10. That deal will be running until November 30th, celebrating both the US holiday of Thanksgiving and the upcoming latest expansion Cataclysm.
World of Warcraft has just got the Lil' Ragnaros and Moonkin Hatchling pets added to the roster, and each are on sale for $10 from the Blizzard Pet Store. 50% of profits from the Moonkin Hatchling will be going to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, from now until December 31st. Last year $1.1m was donated.
Developer Blizzard has said how "a lot of people who played the game in the past" would be interested and even thrilled to learn of its ongoing evolution. Goblins as a playable race was highly sought after and they've delivered. The studio is now looking at what they "need to do" with Outland and Northrend.