WRUP: Zul'Gonenub

Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW.com staff and ask them, "What are you playing this week?" (Otherwise known as: WRUP!) Join us to see what we're up to in and out of game -- and catch us in the comments to let us know what you're playing, too!

In addition to the usual fare of talking about what we're all doing this weekend, we asked the team how they felt about Zul'Gurub being removed as a raid instance in Cataclysm. Are they angry? Pleased? Completely apathetic? What about your, dear readers?

Alex Ziebart (@alexziebart): Not much of a break for me this weekend. My pen and paper crew is getting together this weekend because Labor Day killed our usual weekend plans. Beyond that, I'm going to be populating a couple of new blogs that I'm working on with content. Weekends? Holidays? Pish posh. As for Zul'Gurub ... well, I'm not happy that it's going away. I'm also not unhappy. I didn't exactly go in there very much, but I will miss it. It was one of my favorite raids at 60. Jin'do and Hakkar were awesome fights.

Anne Stickney (@Shadesogrey): Nada going on playwise -- I'll be in Vegas all weekend! As for ZG being removed, I am not worried. I am not worried. I amnotworriedohgodmustspendeverylockoutperiodfarmingfortigerpleasedon'ttakeitawaaaaaay

Amy Schley (@wowlawbringer): I'll be hitting the local farmer's market with the family and then working on Ulduar achievements with my server's guild alliance. I'll miss ZG, but not enough to go hogwild on farming it for the next few months.

Basil Berntsen (@outdps): I'll be out of town again this weekend, but will attempt to get my arena matches and a podcast or two in. As for the bonus question, I really don't mind. I'm taking a very stoic approach toward beta development: Blizzard has always delivered me content that I enjoyed playing, and I trust they can still do that.

C. Christian Moore (@thearenaguy): Studying -- lots and lots of studying. Unless ZG is being made into a 5 man complete with mounts (and even if it is), I don't get what Blizzard's deal is with removing or revamping content. 60 Naxx should still be in the game so I can get an Atiesh. It's unfair that sword classes can still get Thunderfuries (which were already more numerous/plentiful) but DPS spellcasters can't get Atiesh (which currently is their only legendary to ever be in the game, and now it's been taken out for an entire expansion). I'd also like Onyxia to have a 60 man version so level 60 twinks can get stuff from there, but whatever. Looks like I had a lot to say on this. Yeah, not happy with the change.

Chase Christian (@madsushi): I'll be leveling on the beta if I get any free time. Zul'Gurub was one of my favorite raids, but its time has passed. I raided it the very first night it was released, and we had a GM appear in-game who watched us fight against Hakkar because he'd never seen the encounter before.

Daniel Whitcomb (@danielwhitcomb): Now that the move is (mostly) done with, I'm hoping to get some quality time with the beta patch, mainly trying out two-hand frost. Not sure if I'll tackle Uldum or Twilight Highlands yet. As far as Zul'Gurub? I have fond memories of raiding there, so I'm a little sad, but time goes on. Mostly I'm thinking I oughta start running it on my DK to get the mounts and the exalted faction for posterity.

Fox Van Allen (@foxvanallen): This weekend, I'm going to try and get my new druid to 70. I'm then going to try and organize a "Sunwell funrun" for my guild. I'm then going to take all the sweet druid purples, shapeshift into a bear and dance. I might also try to create a puppet or something. Or buy a couch. I dunno. Busy weekend. Fun fact: I have never run Zul'Gurub. Ever. I should maybe get on that.

Gregg Reece (@undeadfish): I'm playing SWmud this weekend! Well, not so much playing as helping to configure a server upgrade. During downtime from that, I'll be trying to level my paladins on the beta. I'm going to try to get my alliance paladin as close as I can get to 85 so that I can take a look at end-game stats, rotations, gear, and the new pally pet ... err ... guardian. As for the bonus question, I started playing in the last days of classic WoW right before the BC launch, so I didn't really do much raiding at 60. However, I don't see any reason to remove an existing raid instance unless it would just be too much trouble to convert.

Joe Perez (@Lodurzj): I have a ton of writing to do for just about everything, spending some time catching up with SC2 and playing around with my shiny new toy on the live server! Muradin's Favor makes me a happy wanna be dwarf shaman! As far as ZG being removed, well... every three days on the dot I will be heading back in trying to get a tiger and a raptor mount! Honestly though I'm really sad to see it go. It was always one of my favorite instances.

Kelly Aarons (@Cadistra): I will be playing everything yet nothing. I'm going to PAX this weekend!! I will be partaking in demos until my eyes bleed. As for Zul'Gurub? Eh, I'm indifferent.

Lisa Poisso (@emused): Heading to Zul'Gurub -- because its disappearance in Cataclysm is simply cataclysmically tragic.

Matt Low (@matticus):Powering to 85 as quick as I can on the beta. Zul'Gurub was good as an entry level raid. It taught a lot of basic raiding mechanics to players new to the raiding scene. It's going to be somewhat missed.

Mathew McCurley (@gomatgo): I am working on tailoring on the O.G. priest and starting up Northrend with him. Go go discipline leveling. Zul'Gurub going away is like telling me that a man has come to cure me of my nightmares. All I see is Mandokir and Tigerboss. All I see is fear and pain. All I see is the sad face of a little boy who will never get a tiger for Christmas/Chanukkah. When it goes away, that little boy will be regretful, yes, but unable to inflict the terrible pain upon himself again.

Michael Gray (@writegray): I'll be playing ... let's get this closet done, mate! Also, maybe, trying to get Ulduar achievements on my death knight.

Rich Maloy (@stoneybaby): My usual boring weekend: quality time with the girlfriend followed by intensive production work for season two of the show. With the extra day in the weekend I might actually get some time to play the beta! As for ZG, it was my first experience with troll content and started my love affair with the troll race. I'll miss having the opportunity to pop in there every now and then for mounts that never drop, but the content is so irrelevant now I have no problem with it falling in the sea, or wherever it's going.

Robin Torres (@cosmiclaurel): Civ 4: Colonization and Robinemia the Forsaken mage. Gone as a raid instance isn't truly gone. You know what needs to be truly gone? Maraudon. Maraudon.

Matthew Rossi (@matthewwrossi): Having played sir packsalot all last week, I am now in the midst of the exciting anti-packing game! Given that Therazane knows that Theradas died, what I would like to see is a hugely expanded, multi winged Maraudon on the same model as Dire Maul, with actually seperate wings.

The weekend is the perfect time to kick back, relax and enjoy some game time. Are you an achievement junkie? Can't get enough raiding? Rolling a new alt? Considering taking the leap into roleplaying? Whatever your favorite way to play World of Warcraft, let us know in the comments what you're playing this weekend!