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Ghostcrawler, potentially, details the future of WoW at Chinajoy [UPDATED]
There are some eyebrow-raising bits in a foreign Ghostcrawler interview, and we caution everyone that none of this has been confirmed with Blizzard (we reached out earlier today), and we have a feeling that a good deal of nuance may have been lost in translation. That being said, if the interview is correct, it gives us some fascinating hints as to the directions that Blizzard may be exploring for future WoW content. Apparently Blizzard either was or has been considering the Naga as an addition to the playable races, though their lack of legs is a big hurdle to overcome for things like armor design. In terms of future plot, the interview seems to imply that following Mists of Pandaria we will be headed back into mainland Azeroth, and that further story lines involving the trolls, the Burning Legion, and the Emerald Dream are slated to "gradually develop". Now, we know that an Emerald Dream expansion is something that many fans have been hankering after for a good long time, so this kind of news would be very much welcome to hear. Here I feel compelled to state that again, there is no official confirmation for any of this. However, there is one bit about the lore that I feel relatively confident is accurate, and that's Ghostcrawler's assertion that the relationship and conflict between the mogu, the Old Gods, and the Titans will be revealed in patch 5.4. Happy speculations, everyone! Update 10:42 p.m. EDT: 2P, the Chinese gaming site, has updated their English translation of the article noting that Naga will not be the next playable race. They also modified the way in which the next areas of WoW's content were talked about; however the three big areas (Trolls, Burning Legion, and Emerald Dream) are still areas in which Ghostcrawler noted content can expand into.
Weekly news roundup with Panser of TradeChat
TradeChat's Panser returns with this week's WoW Insider news recap, where we look back at the hottest news from the past week and whatever other kickin' rad things may have come our way. This week's topics include: New J!nx swag Mobile Armory security breach Qiraji Guardling now available Guide to Midsummer Fire Festival 2013 Registration for the 2013 Arena Pass now open Gamon's day comes in patch 5.4 Siege of Orgrimmar raid testing schedule The latest patch 5.4 PTR patch note updates If you enjoyed the show, make sure to subscribe to TradeChat, leave a comment, and come back next week for the next episode!
Weekly WoW News Videocast for Nov. 12, 2011
For the past month, we've been secretly developing plans to introduce a new weekly videocast of all the WoW news, to replace (or potentially complement) the Weekly News Podcast. We're pleased to bring you the first episode of our videocast today, right from the desks of the WoW Insider staff. This is just the beginning ... We want to know what you think, what you'd like to see, and any tips you have at making it more informative. Some things we're looking at doing in the future including moving it to a true HD format, adding a bunch of interstitial images, and potentially using some in-game video footage where appropriate. We're starting small and will build up, just like other projects we've undertaken. So take a look, let us know! This week's top stories include: Subscribers down to 10.3 million PvP Season 10 ending Nov. 29 Patch 4.3 valor and conquest conversion policy WoW designer Q&A Darkmoon Faire on the PTR Rumors of mass layoffs at Blizzard are 100% false And of course, stay tuned for our normal podcast, which runs every week on Tuesday morning.
Today in WoW: Friday, Sept. 9, 2011
Join us every weekday evening as Today in WoW runs down all the WoW news that you could possibly want. From comments from Blizzard's blues to the latest datamining info -- we've got you covered. Don't forget to check out The Daily Quest and our Weekly Podcast Roundup to find out what else is going on in the WoW community. And if you have a news tip, feel free to drop us a line and let us know. Blue posts News and features from WoW Insider Links from around the web
Private server company forced to pay Blizzard $88 million
A judge in the California Central District Court ruled Thursday that Scapegaming, also known as Alyson Reeves, has lost its lawsuit against Blizzard. Scapegaming had set up private Blizzard servers that included a microtransactions market. Blizzard sued them in October 2009 for copyright infringement. As we've covered here before, private servers are a violation of license limitations of the EULA. Blizzard considers any violation of those license limitations to be copyright infringement and sues people for such. Furthermore, Blizzard established in the "Bnetd" case that crafting software to set up a private server is a copyright infringement all on its own. The total reward of $88,594,589 comes from $3,053,339 of inappropriate profits, $63,600 of attorney's fees, and $85,478,600 of statutory damages. Statutory damages are damages required by law that are increased for willful and commercially based infringement. Scapegaming may appeal the amount.
Elitist Jerks and Opera team up for WoW browser
This past Friday, web browser developer Opera announced that they had teamed up with respected theory crafting website Elitist Jerks to create a new browser. The Elitist Jerks browser, as it is titled, is designed to cater to the needs of the World of Warcraft online community, with an array of customized features, pre-selected options, and a sleek skin reminiscent of the site it's named for. The pitch interested me enough that I decided to put away my beloved Firefox for the weekend, and give Opera's Elitist Jerks browser a thorough test. Obviously it would be somewhat insane to expect that this is an entirely new browser built from the ground up. At its core, the browser is Opera 9. So if you've got a strong aversion to that browser, you're not going to find anything here to redeem it. However, if you're ambivalent towards Opera, or if you've never even tried it, the Elitist Jerks browser is definitely worth checking out. It's got all the features we as consumers have come to expect from a browser over the last few years, along with the polish that Opera is known for.
World of Warcraft 3.0.3 Patch notes
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/World_of_Warcraft_Patch_3_0_3'; We have the patch notes for tomorrow's 3.0.3 patch. As a reminder: it is always possible these notes might change at any time. Sometimes even though we're expecting certain things in them, they are not included.With these notes we know that 3.0.3 will be dropping tomorrow. The patch will fix many bugs in the game currently, and hopefully bring more stability to the servers. Paladins are getting nerfed, Warriors are getting buffed, and there are more changes across the board.And best of all? We can all now earn the "Hallowed Be thy Name" achievement much, much easier.Full patch notes after the break. And don't forget to check out the 3.0.2 patch notes if you have more questions about what some of these changes mean.
Last Week on Massively: WoW related stories
It's Sunday and that means round up time for World of Warcraft posts on our sister site Massively that may be of interest to you loyal WoW readers. Let's dive right in:AFK Gamer reviews post-2.3 Alterac ValleyThe popular gaming blog takes a look at the latest changes to AV.The Digital Continuum: Activision Blizzard vs Electronic Arts, battle of the MMO titansKyle Horner looks at the merger and explores how the industry is shaping up to be a battle between the two giants.Behind the Curtain: Moral & Ethical choicesCarl Whithers steers his weekly column into the murky waters of the consequences of our online actions.Building a better MMOusetrap: Why we fight!Dave Moss tells us why he indulges in a battle-driven game.MMO subscriptions report -- who is beating whom?The latest guesses are out on MMO subscription numbers. We all know WoW is the king, but who's nipping at his heels?Gamer Interrupted: Playing together with different playstylesPicking up on her topic from last week, Robin Torres continues to explore gaming as a couple, this time dealing with in-game goals that are at odds with each other.Herndandez vs IGE - IGE withdraws motion to stay/dismissThe latest in the lawsuit against gold sellers.Scott Jennings on how to make PvP not suckThe Broken Toys blogger gives his 13 rules of PvP and why current MMOs aren't living up to them.MMOGology: World of why botherMarc Knottke talks about sharding your purples for greens.
Last Week on Massively: Warcraft related stories
Once again, it's time for the weekly round up of WoW-related stories posted in the last seven days on our sister site Massively. If you can't wait for the round up post, you can always check out all posts tagged WoW on the site or subscribe to the RSS feed.On with the show!First official confirmation of new Blizzard MMOCM Drysc confirmed that Blizzard is working on a "Next Gen MMO", but which one? Is "World of Starcraft" on the horizon?Cinemassively: Machiniplex to hold Q & A for "Among Fables and Men"Warcraft Movies' 1st place Drama winner in their recent Fabled Few contest was the awesome Among Fables and Men. Machiniplex is holding an online screening with remastered audio and an interview with the director over Skype.The most influential MMOG moments WoW's Toyota commercial made the list for showing that MMO's have gone mainstream. Check out the other watershed moments, but I don't know if any of them equal four wheels of FURY!!Analyst talks World of Warcraft's churn rateA Gamasutra article analyzes WoW's revenue gain in the last year as well as its ability to retain customers.As the Worlds Turn: Neverending StoriesAdam Schumacher continues to explore the intersection of lore and MMOs, this time looking at how Warcraft's backstory affects gameplay.Behind the Curtain: Making your own lore with Fan FictionCraig Whithers continues his weekly column, this time talking about using Fan Fiction to engage in roleplaying of the WoW universe (and others.)WoW 3v3 tournament ended, videos from the finalsTeam Pandemic won the $45,000 grandprize in the 3v3 tournament at Dreamhack in Sweden. Check out the details.Building a Better MMOusetrap: Buildings, barrens and beyond (Part 4)Dave Moss completes his 4 part series on MMO environments. Having covered architecture, cities and landscapes, he jumps into dungeons in his latest column.Gamer Interrupted: Duos are good for relationshipsRobin Torres talks about those who play together, stay together. But it isn't as easy as it looks.Social currency and giving in MMOsIs giving a gift in-game the same as giving it to a person in RL?
