Fox Van Allen

News By Fox Van Allen

Congressional report says you 'may' owe taxes on your WoW income

If you're a World of Warcraft or Diablo 3 player, the federal government would like to have a word with you. Congress's U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), at the request of Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT), just wrote and filed a 23-page report on the tax implications of earning gold in MMORPGs. Seriously. The report, titled "Virtual Economies and Currencies," focuses on buying, using, and selling virtual currencies like WoW gold. The key takeaway for World of Warcraft players is that the in-game economy is a "closed-flow system" -- because you can't exchange your gold for U.S. dollars, you don't need to worry about claiming those 26 gold pieces from completing a quest on your 2013 income taxes. If, however, you decide to sell your accumulated WoW items through a third-party exchange (Don't do it! It's against the Terms of Service and could get you hacked!), then you "may have earned taxable income from the sale of these virtual goods."

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PC Gaming By Fox Van Allen

World of Warcraft loses 1.3M subscribers since February, down to 8.3M

Today's Activision-Blizzard financial reports states World of Warcraft took a subscriber hit this quarter, losing 1.3 million players since February. The loss brings the total number of WoW players down to 8.3 million, its lowest level since the launch of the Burning Crusade expansion in 2007. Subscriber levels have fallen by about a third since WoW's post-Cataclysm peak of 12 million subscribers. The loss is hardly unusual -- you have to remember that WoW is a 9-year-old game, and we're at a pretty uninteresting time in the expansion cycle. Have we mentioned yet that we're really excited to see if Blizzard is announcing a new MMO at BlizzCon?

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PC Gaming By Fox Van Allen

What advice do you have for a player just returning to WoW?

Hello there. You probably don't know me because I haven't been around these parts for a while. My name is Fox Van Allen. Normally, I'm the one who writes advice in 1,000 word chunks to help make your game-playing experience better. But today, I'm the one who needs a hand. Care to lend one? I have a dirty little secret (that's not much of a secret): I haven't played World of Warcraft in quite some time. My characters -- two shadow priests, an elemental shaman, and a boomkin -- are sitting at level 85. None of them have left Stormwind (or Orgrimmar) since MoP launched. My account is a blank slate. So I'm asking all of you who are enjoying your 104-day head start and all the insight it provides: What should I do first? What are the must-complete quest lines? Should I roll a panda monk and experience the new expansion from the very start, or should I start with the content for my existing level 85 characters? What talents do you love more than any other? And, most importantly: Where all the fun stuffs at? Mists of Pandaria is here! The level cap has been raised to 90, many players have returned to Azeroth, and pet battles are taking the world by storm. Keep an eye out for all of the latest news, and check out our comprehensive guide to Mists of Pandaria for everything you'll ever need to know.

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Gaming

Gaming By Fox Van Allen

Are MMORPGs addictive? East Carolina University wants to find out

Certainly there's a lot of anecdotal evidence that people are addicted to the Internet, and even more specifically, addicted to World of Warcraft. But what leads people to spend 10, 20, or even more hours per week playing WoW? Is the urge to play a very specific addiction, like that of a drug, or is it just an outlet for human beings who harbor an innate tendency towards addiction? The Department of Addiction and Rehabilitation Studies at East Carolina University (the crown jewel of the State of East Carolina's educational system) wants to find out. Clinical instructor, WoW player, shadow priest, and WoW Insider reader Andrew Byrne is running a study on gaming addiction as part of his Doctoral dissertation. He needs to survey 200 respondents (some kind of Nate Silver nonsense), so if you want to do your good deed for the day, head on over to mmorpgresearchstudy.com and take the questionnaire. Research participants needed for a study on healthy and unhealthy use of Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games like WoW. Your identity will not be collected. If interested, please click on this link: http://www.mmorpgresearchstudy.com/ The survey is a set of 20 questions; completing it takes about five minutes. Mists of Pandaria is here! The level cap has been raised to 90, many players have returned to Azeroth, and pet battles are taking the world by storm. Keep an eye out for all of the latest news, and check out our comprehensive guide to Mists of Pandaria for everything you'll ever need to know.

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News By Fox Van Allen

WRUP: Yet another lazy glued-to-a-handrail kind of afternoon

Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW Insider 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! Yawn -- oh, hi. Welcome to a lazy What aRe yoU Playing on a lazy late summer (super early fall?) afternoon. We're just hanging out here, looking all awesome. Also, someone glued us to a handrail, and it's kind of unpleasant. Anyway, you all know the drill. Let us know what you're playing this weekend, and we'll return the favor. Got a great game you want us to all know about? Maybe you've got a hot new chicken recipe? Or you found a great new way home from work on Thursday? You can share all that too, we're not picky. After all, those who are glued to handrails can't really be beggars. This week, we have a question for you guys (and for our columnists): This is our last weekend without Mists of Pandaria. How are you spending it?

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News By Fox Van Allen

WRUP: Mike Sacco visits The Fourth Hour

Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW Insider 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! Hey everyone! Welcome to What aRe yoU Playing! And, at the same time, welcome to episode three of The Fourth Hour! Today's The Fourth Hour takes us to Irvine, California (but still somehow still in The Fourth Hour studios, according to Michele), where we visit with Mike Sacco, smell his hair, and then kill him. You don't want to miss this one, because Michele and I may not be available to make another one for another 10 to 20 years (court case pending). After you're done subscribing to The Fourth Hour YouTube channel (cough cough, do it, cough), you can follow us after the break for a breathtaking round of WRUP! Oh boy!

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News By Fox Van Allen

WRUP: "Tammy Calls Queen a Racist"

Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW Insider 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! I love Canadians. I don't know what it is, but there's something very appealing about having a culture so similar to that of the United States but so different at the same time. I mean, do you know what they do to french fries up there? They put gravy on them. Madness. Of course, I learned everything I know about Canada from one place: the early 1990s comedy series Kids in the Hall. It was so delightfully absurd and yet so delightfully Canadian. The sketch above with Bruce McCulloch (as Tammy) is one of my all-time favorites. Not the all-time favorite -- but one of them. Anyway, that's what's been amusing me for the last few weeks -- watching Kids in the Hall on Netflix. I know what'll amuse you, though: a hearty round of What aRe yoU Playing! So let's mosey on past the break and all share our lives with complete strangers, shall we?

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News By Fox Van Allen

The Queue: Is Fox leaving forever?

Welcome back to The Queue, the daily Q&A column in which the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Fox Van Allen (@foxvanallen) will be your host today. Hey everyone! Gather the kids, because it's one of those "special event" things. Fox Van Allen is doing The Queue today and that's pretty darn exciting. OK, sure, it's not "hit the jackpot" exciting. It's a more gentle kind of exciting. Like the kind where if for a day Pat Sajak hosted Jeopardy! and Alex Trebek hosted Wheel of Fortune. Anyway. Because I'm an egotistical jerk who has only been made even more insufferable by the blazing Los Angeles sun, I'm going to start this Queue off by answering a question about myself. @thebmatt asked: I just saw on @WoWInsider you [Fox] won't be writing the Shadow priest column anymore. True?

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News By Fox Van Allen

WRUP: AFK getting married

Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW Insider 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! Oh, hi. I wasn't expecting anyone here today -- we're closed. Closed for business. Yes sir, no WoW Insider today. Just a ship on autopilot until the next sunrise. Why? Oh, you know, someone here at WoW Insider's just "AFK getting married." That's a pretty big deal. And while none of us were actually invited to the wedding (nah, whatevs, that's cool, I didn't want to go anyway), we did want to take the day off and pretend that was the reason. So yeah, this wedding here is kind of cool. And it's happening ... I don't know, somewhere in the Upper Midwest? Also there are puppets here? I don't know, I may just have had too many mimosas.

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Entertainment

Entertainment By Fox Van Allen

WRUP: Let's get physical

Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW Insider 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! Those of you who have been following my personal life know that I just moved to Southern California a month or two ago. There's been quite a bit of culture shock -- everything in LA is so pretty (minus the architecture) that even I, a relatively good-looking dude, felt a little insecure. But did I wallow in despair? No, I did not, my friend -- I did something about it. I got a gym membership and a personal trainer. I went out and I got physical. I wanted to let them hear my body talk, my body talk. I mean, I've been patient, I've been good, tried to keep my hands on the table. It's gettin' hard this holdin' back, you know what I mean? I'm sure you'll understand my point of view, we know each other mentally. You gotta know that you're bringin' out the animal in me. So strap on your finest leg warmers, and envision this page covered with bright neon colors, unusual moving shapes, and the occasional '80s-style squiggle. After all, it's time to get physical with this week's WRUP!

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News By Fox Van Allen

WRUP: On the subject of getting your own NPC

Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW Insider 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! We were supposed to give it to you last month. We teased you about it for weeks. But no more teasing; no more waiting. Episode 2 of The Fourth Hour, staring actress Michele Morrow and yours truly, is finally available for viewing. We talk about getting an NPC in game, WoW-related birthday presents, and some other cool stuff. Also, Michele and I are pretty, so there's that. But what's that, you say? That's not enough for you? Well fine, jerk, I guess we'll also give you some "What aRe yoU Playing" action today. So follow us after the break and let us know what games you're going to be playing this weekend. And take a swing at our bonus question for the week, too: If you were to be honored with an in-game NPC, what would it be? What would your NPC do? Where would it be located?

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News By Fox Van Allen

WRUP: Fox Van Allen and Michele Morrow return to The Fourth Hour

Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW Insider 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! About a month ago, Michele Morrow and I teased you with the first episode of The Fourth Hour, what we hoped would be a really epic, regular video series on gaming. And indeed, we still have plans for it. It's just that life happened in a very severe and intense way over at the Morrow household, and we had to put off taping for a while. (More about that later.) Thankfully, though, Michele has worked through the personal cataclysm, and we finally got a chance to sit down this week to tape a new episode of The Fourth Hour. It's still in editing, but we didn't want you to go without. That's why we're going to share with you our camera test that we ran as a warm-up. And if last time's outtakes were any indication, it's going to be just as good as the full episode -- if not better. This week's bonus question: Now that the Mists of Pandaria release date has been announced, it's time to decide. Are you buying a physical copy of the game, or are you going to just grab a digital download this year?

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News By Fox Van Allen

WRUP: The WRUP Fun Kit!

Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW Insider 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! HEY KIDS! Do you love What aRe yoU Playing? Then get your free WRUP Fun Kit! ("The WRUP Fun Kit?") You get an official certificate, awesome WRUP trading cards, and a sweet ID card. Even a special surprise on your birthday from Fox Van Allen! (weird 1980s squiggle line pattern descends at a weird angle) And the best news is you don't need to wait six to eight weeks for shipping and handling -- you can join in the WRUP fun now! Just follow us after the break and tell us what you're playing this weekend. And maybe, just maybe, you'll be able see what your favorite WoW Insider writer is playing, too! ("Oh, boy!")

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News By Fox Van Allen

WRUP: Special secret WoW cheat codes and trikks(TM) to the x-treme

Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW Insider 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! Welcome to WoW Insider, your source for all sorts of Tips N Trikks(TM) for the World of Warcraft game for your PC or Mac entertainment console. Are you ready for the coolest tricks? And the hottest cheat codes?! We won't tell Mom you're cheating if you don't! (Radical!) But hey, enough delay. Let's get to those Tips N Trikks(TM)! (Tips N Trikks ... to the x-treme!) In the mystical world of ... Azeroad ... you're tasked with beating all the bad guys and saving the princess. But do you know the best way to kill those bad guys? Use spells to attack. Spells cause damage! (Awesome!) Use physical abilities to attack. Use that sword, bro! (Whooooooooaaaaaaahhhhhh!) And when you need to pause the game, just press the power button! (Coooool Trikks ~) What's your favorite Tip and/or Trikk? Let us know by writing us at "WoW Insider Tips N Trikks," P.O. Box 20283-B, Alameda, CA 94502. Or you can just leave a comment after the break telling us what you're playing this weekend. And you can read what all these other WoW Insider folks are playing, too! (Maxi-tota-rad!)

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PC Gaming By Fox Van Allen

A First Look at Mists of Pandaria Professions: Tailoring

Every week, WoW Insider brings you Gold Capped, in which Fox Van Allen and Basil "Euripides" Berntsen aim to show you how to make money on the Auction House. Feed Fox's ego by emailing him, tweeting him at @foxvanallen, or sacrificing your first-born to him. Tailoring has always been a solid profession choice, especially for casters. You can create some of the best, epic-quality gear for your character with your own two (digitized avatar's) hands. You can even create some serious bank notes by selling leg enchants and bags. It's never been the most profitable profession -- but in every expansion, it's been a solid money maker. A number of tailoring patterns have finally started appearing on the Mists of Pandaria beta. But is the outlook for the upcoming expansion as golden as it's been in the past? The outlook is a bit cloudy (misty? haw haw haw), but we'll still see if we can make some sense of some of the major changes coming to the profession in just a few months' time. Just how major are these changes, you might ask? Major enough that it's worth considering whether or not it's time to give tailoring up for good.

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Gaming

Gaming By Fox Van Allen

Breakfast Topic: Is camping a rare spawn actually worth the effort?

My roommate Mike is a pretty awesome clothing designer, but first and foremost, he's an ultra-dedicated WoW player. Whereas I'm more interested in the raiding and economic aspects of the game, he spends hours on end grinding and camping in an effort to collect fun items. He loves collecting transmogrification gear. He loves grinding on-use archaeology items. But what he really loves is mount collecting. It's the only thing that explains why he'd waste so much of his youthful life farming in Storm Peaks. He'd been hunting the Time-Lost Proto Drake for years -- since the 2008 release of Wrath, really. Yesterday, he finally struck gold. The elusive beast was right in front of his eyes. It wasn't dead. It wasn't tagged. It was finally his. After three long years, my roommate scored the crown jewel of mounts. Two hours later, he sent me a text message: To each their own, I suppose. But what about you? Have you been on the hunt for ye olde Time-Lost Proto Drake? Have you camped some other rare? And after all the time you invested into the effort ... was it all worth it? I'm not allowed to share my phone number with you guys here, so you'll have to comment after the break in lieu of texting. It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!

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Entertainment

Entertainment By Fox Van Allen

WRUP: The first annual WRUP caption contest

Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW Insider 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! Why hello, everyone! Happy weekend to you all! I mean, it's almost the weekend, right? The time to spend an hour expertly styling your hair, dress in a mask, and leer at some acrobat dude who's not wearing a shirt. Oh, wait. No. That was last weekend. Anyway, my friend Michele Morrow needed a little bit of a break from her The Fourth Hour hosting duties this week. She's got a sick cat, you see, and a flooded apartment. So we needed some lovely bit of filler for WRUP. (Filler?! In WRUP?! Can you believe such a thing?!) Adam Holisky suggested I take that terrible picture of myself and open it up to a caption contest. Winner gets to attend a live taping of The Fourth Hour. Airfare, hotel, meals definitely not included. TFH has a budget of $0, thank you very much. And while you're entering that non-binding fake contest, be sure to let us know what you're playing this weekend. Because that's just how WRUP rolls.

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News By Fox Van Allen

WRUP: Fox and Michele Morrow present: The Fourth Hour

Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW Insider 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! Many of you know that I recently moved from Boston to Los Angeles. And now that I'm living in the entertainment capital of the world, it's time to kick up the Fox Van Allen experience a notch. After all, writing is cool, but all the really awesome people are making videos. So I hooked up with my friend Michele Morrow (writer! actress! Spirit Hood ambassador!) to create a new show, The Fourth Hour. And if it's cool with all of you, we'd like to premiere it here on WoW Insider. Like, right now. Why call it The Fourth Hour? It's an homage to the final hour of NBC's Today show, when serious journalism takes a sideline to the alcohol-fueled antics of Kathie Lee and Hoda. An unintentional homage, to be sure, but one filled with WoW, gaming talk, special guests, and pretty people you're evolutionarily predisposed to want to mate with. This week's special guest is a familiar face -- or at least familiar voice -- to all you WoW Insider folks: former writer Mat McCurley. You should totally subscribe to The Fourth Hour's YouTube channel. Then tell all your friends about it. Like it on Twitterbook. Write your congressman about it too, just in case. In addition to the pilot episode above, you can check out the outtakes video -- all the good stuff that just didn't fit the 10-minute format -- after the break. You can also peek into the lives of my fellow WoW Insider writers, since this is WRUP. Oh,and you can share with us exactly what you're doing in the World of Warcraft and what other games you're playing, too.

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Gaming

Gaming By Fox Van Allen

Breakfast Topic: What's your favorite new minor vanity glyph?

Ravens. Dude, I am so excited. Ravens. Shadow priests got friggin' ravens! If I were there with you in person, I would be violently shaking you, screaming "Ravens!" into your face until my nurse came along to medicate me. A few of you may have no idea what I'm talking about. See, Blizzard is overhauling the glyph system (again) for Mists of Pandaria, and they're making a real effort to giving us a bunch of cool new minor glyphs. The stuff being added, like the Glyph of Shadow Ravens that turns shadow priests' shadow orbs into shadow ravens, has no impact on DPS at all. All it impacts is fun, and by a totally measurable +30%. Maybe even 300%. I dunno, I'm having too much fun having shadow ravens to actually do the math. Certainly, there are a lot of cool new minor glyphs being added, and shadow priests aren't the only ones feeling the love. What's your favorite? Is it something your class is getting? Or is it something another class was given that's making you totally jealous you play a lousy boomkin? It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!

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News By Fox Van Allen

WRUP: Reading What are You Playing? What a chore!

Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW Insider 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! Has this ever happened to you? Driving is important (cut to black-and-white image of woman driving a car), but trying to make out other vehicles in standard definition? What a chore! (Woman crashes, throws hands up in despair.) Or how about this? All your friends have new MacBook Pros with Retina Displays, and here you are (cut to black-and-white of man shaking his head at his laptop with frustration), looking with your own two non-HD eyes at a MacBook Air? (Man throws MacBook Air in trash, puts hands on hips, lets out exasperated sigh.) There has to be a better way! Well, there is! Suffer through non-HD reality no more! Introducing new HD glasses! They can be yours for just $19.95, plus a massively punitive shipping and handling charge. But wait -- act now and we'll throw in this week's WRUP absolutely free. Think that's all? Oh no, you even get a bonus question: What's your favorite level 90 talent?

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PC Gaming By Fox Van Allen

Spiritual Guidance: Mists of Pandaria and the evolution of a shadow priest

Every week, WoW Insider brings you Spiritual Guidance for discipline, holy and shadow priests. On alternate Wednesdays, shadow priesting expert Fox Van Allen comes from out of the shadows to bask in your loving adoration. Ladies and gentleman, I have returned! I know the wait was absolutely excruciating, and though Dawn Moore was an apt replacement for a week, it's like getting a hit of methadone instead of your pure Fox Van Heroin. This week, I hope you'll bear with me, because I'd like to tell you a bit of a story: the story of how one Fox Van Allen found a game called World of Warcraft and of how his approach to the game changed throughout the year. There's a message buried in there somewhere, I promise. Anyway, think back to it -- your first day of WoW. Maybe you played a priest since the very beginning, but for me, it was a warrior. Priests, so far as I was concerned, were a healing class. And I wanted to break stuff. So, there me were. Me Fox. Me smash! But me no happy. Warrior make Fox sad. No like fight boomchicken close up. Want ranged attack! Control chicken mind! Make fall off cliff! Boomkin sadness fun for Fox!

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PC Gaming By Fox Van Allen

Mists of Pandaria Beta: Raid testing to begin Friday, June 22

If you're itchin' to get your hands on some new beta raids -- and we're sure that applies to none of you, because everyone in the world is totally content just running Dragon Soul again -- there's good news: MoP raid testing begins this Friday, June 22. Testing begins with the 10-player normal version of -- aw heck, I'll just let Blizzard Game Designer Daelo tell you: Raid Testing - Starting Soon We plan to start Mists of Pandaria Beta raid testing this Friday, June 22. We'll begin testing with the 10 player Normal difficulty version of the Stone Guard in Mogu'shan Palace. Available testing times for testing will be posted soon. 25 player Normal difficulty testing should begin next week, with Raid Finder and Heroic difficulty testing to follow in the weeks ahead. You must be level 90 to participate in the raid test, and level 90 character templates will not initially be available. We do have some new technology that automatically raises or lowers your items to the appropriate level for testing. So as long as you have a Mists of Pandaria quest or dungeon item in every slot, you'll be fine. Note that player interface add-ons are disabled on the beta at this time while we work through some technical issues. They'll be available once again at some point in the future. As always with raid testing on beta or public test realms, the schedule is subject to change or cancellation with very little warning. Server issues, build issues, newly discovered encounter, combat, or class bugs, and many other reasons could prevent testing. While I will endeavor to provide warning about future tests, this will also not always be possible. Whatever I do know, I'll post here in the Beta Dungeons forum as soon as possible. source Well, you heard the blue! If you want to get in on the action, you'd better start grinding out that MoP gear now. And if you're looking for raid partners, there are guilds actively recruiting for raiding on the beta -- just keep your eyes on trade chat for details. It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!

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PC Gaming By Fox Van Allen

When WoW friendships become real friendships

Internet friends are weird and creepy. If that person you're talking to online isn't a pedophile out of central casting, then they're probably a murderer instead. That was pretty much the general take on the internet as offered up by 1999 news coverage -- news coverage that's probably best remembered in grainy black-and-white, with Chris Hansen and skulls and crossbones edited in. Of course, that's just how the media works. There are a bunch of set narratives that people seem to love (like "OMG Becky did U hear a murderer played WoW and it probably drove him to murder 'n' junk?"), and the news media is thrilled to reinforce them whenever possible. But here in the real world, the people you meet online through World of Warcraft are pretty much the exact opposite of bloodthirsty murderers and rapists. Crazy, right?

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News By Fox Van Allen

WRUP: This workplace has gone 7 days without a retirement

Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW Insider 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! I have terrific news you guys. No one left WoW Insider forever this week. No one went off to start a new life across the country. Yours truly is here, in charge of WRUP, and sharing with you a nonsensical video to get your weekend started right. It is as it was meant to be. Mostly because everyone here has spent the last seven days locked in cages to prevent their escapes. Anyway, ladykin and menfolk, it's time to get out your NES Advantage knockoff, enter your favorite cheat codes, and tell us: What are you playing this weekend?

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News By Fox Van Allen

8th annual LGBT Proudmoore Pride celebration to be held this weekend

Here in the United States, the month of June is traditionally known as a month of celebration of pride by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. Around the country, major cities are erupting in parades, dance parties, and excellent interior design. But it's not just the real world that celebrates -- June is a time for celebration in Azeroth, too. Sponsored by The Stonewall Family (Alliance) and Taint (Horde) guilds, the eighth annual Proudmoore Pride celebration will be held this Saturday, June 16 on the Proudmoore (US) server. Lineup for the Proudmoore Pride parade begins at 11:00 a.m. server (2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific). Horde characters will line up at the Mor'Shan Ramparts in Northern Barrens; Alliance will meet at Honor's Stand in Southern Barrens. The parade begins at 11:45, with both factions scheduled to meet up in Booty Bay at 12:30 p.m. for a massive Disco Dance Party. There will be a special Pride edition of the WoW Factor transmog contest at 2:30 p.m. at the Stormwind Cathedral. All Alliance characters are encouraged to attend to show off their fiercest fashion and try to win a share of the 100,000 gold prize pool. If you haven't been to a Proudmoore Pride celebration before, I would recommend it -- it's quite the spectacle. Full details about Proudmoore Pride can be had at the official website, ProudmoorePride.com.

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