The Queue: Why did WoW Insider switch domains, again?
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW Insider's daily Q&A column in which the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Adam Holisky, senior editor at WoW Insider and webmaster of a new quick and dirty MMO news site, will be your host today.
Many people asked:
Why did WoW Insider switch domains?
As we've said a few times, we're now called WoW Insider, living at wow.joystiq.com. A lot of people have questions about this change, and I hope to answer some of them.
First and foremost, WoW.com and Joystiq.com are both very strong websites that have a long history. Neither are going away any time soon, and both have a ton of great people working for them. WoW.com has always been part of the "Joystiq gaming network," which in turn has always been part of the Weblogs subdivision at Aol (until the subdivision was merged with the greater Aol brands -- no idea why, it's a corporate thing).
People are screaming that we've done a corporate merger with Joystiq. We haven't; we've always been a part of them. People think Aol has taken over. They haven't; they've always been the ones with the domain. People think that Blizzard sued us and got the domain. They haven't. Aol will be doing something else with the wow.com domain; I just have no idea what it is.
The simple fact of the matter is that WoW Insider and Joystiq are consolidating under one large brand and site to make an even larger site. If WoW.com got 1 billion hits a day and Joystiq.com got 1 billion hits a day, the two combined would stand to get 2 billion hits a day -- and well, kids, that's some real potential money to be made right there. Money that puts food on my table at night and let's me see a doctor for this rash, so I'm all for it.
No one on staff has gotten laid off over this, no one has seen their milk money taken away, etc. ...
Everything is OK -- don't panic. We're not.
Bui asked:
So with the Cataclysm release really only months away now, what old zone do you think is worth seeing first ? What really sums up the "Deathwing just tore the world a new one" feel that we're supposed to be getting when we come back from Northrend?
Badlands first, then Desolace.
Jprich asked:
Do you think Blizzard will ever lock down event starters (Jaina in Mount Hyjal, for example ) so that only the raid leader or those with assist can start events?
That's too good of an idea for Blizzard to do. Shhhh ... don't tell them.
Arkonn asked:
Is it possible to complete both Zalazane's Fall and Operation: Gnomeregan if one were to partake in a faction transfer?
Yes, but you only get one achievement.
TLDR Guy asked:
Did Blizzard buy out the wow.com name and force you guys to move?
For the last time ... no.
Have questions about the World of Warcraft? The WoW Insider crew is here with The Queue, our daily Q&A column. Leave your questions in the comments, and we'll do our best to answer 'em!
