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The Daily Grind: Taking a personal day due to frostbite?
Massively readers, you may lie to your bosses, but we here at the blog know that you're really not going to be sick tomorrow. You're going to have your hands glued to your keyboards, because you'll be up all night playing World of Warcraft: The Wrath of the Lich King for a span of time that is probably considered unhealthy.The question is though, how many of you faithful readers are going to be taking this "MMO personal day?" Plus, we want the details if you're going to go for the gold. How are you going to do it? Are you going to go for the fabrication of sickness? Are you just going to call in one of your personal days and be totally honest? Or are you going to dodge school using some Ferris Bueller tricks? Comment away, dear readers. Comment away.
Knaak signing at a midnight launch in Arkansas, Blizzard to release audiobooks
Live in Arkansas and can't make it to one of our meetups around the country tomorrow night? Author Richard A. Knaak will be holding a book signing at a store in Fayetteville, Arkansas. There will be copies of the new Night of the Dragon and Warcraft Legends vol. 2 available, but it's at Hastings Bookstore, so I'm not quite sure they'll have copies of Wrath there -- you may have to make a stop at a game store before or after. But if you're in AR and missing out on the festivities elsewhere (and are a fan of Knaak's Warcraft fiction), it's a place to be.And speaking of Warcraft fiction, Blizzplanet has the news that Blizzard is publishing three of the extended lore books in audio form, read by Dick Hill, an award-winning "Golden Voice." No news yet on whether the books will be in iTunes (that's pretty much the only way I listen to an audiobook these days, is downloaded onto the old iPod), but it's probably what'll happen. So if you've been putting off reading up on the lore because words hurt your eyes, maybe your ears will be able to do the job for you.
Rumor: Activision Blizzard paying mall costs for Gamestop midnight launches
When Gamestop first started taking pre-orders for Wrath of the Lich King, they told their customers that they would be open at midnight for the launch. About a month ago, however, the Gamestop stores in malls had to cancel their midnight launches. When I asked my local mall Gamestop employee while taking the mini-gamer trick or treating, I was told that the malls were charging too much to keep the doors open and that all Gamestop mall stores were canceling midnight launches. I informed my friends who had pre-ordered and they went to cancel their pre-orders only to be told that Activision was paying the mall costs and the midnight launches were back on schedule. When I called to confirm, I was told the same information but that the employee would not be quoted.So I called Gamestop Corporate. The marketing department refused to comment saying that they would not release information about a publisher covering any costs for Gamestop. He was very irritated, to put it mildly.
The Daily Grind: Midnight release party or no?
Unless you've been hiding under a rock somewhere, you've probably heard that World of Warcraft's second expansion Wrath of the Lich King releases this Thursday -- or more properly, Wednesday night. As our sister site, WoW Insider has covered, there are Midnight launch events planned for both stores big and small -- including meet-ups with the WI staff. Even 7-11 decided to get in on the Wrath midnight launch action, providing a one-stop shop for your snacks, Mountain Dew slurpees and MMOs. (Or maybe we're the only ones who think that's pretty cool.) Since this is one of the largest midnight launch initiatives we've seen for an MMO to date, we thought we'd ask; will you be attending a midnight release party for Wrath of the Lich King? Or did you just decide to order it online and save yourself the lines? For that matter, if you ordered it online, what kind of shipping did you go for? Next day? 'Save money and wait for the starter areas to clear out' shipping? We'd like to know!
Breakfast Topic: How are you buying Wrath of the Lich King?
In less than a week, at 12:01 AM on 11/13/08, Wrath of the Lich King will be available and (hopefully) live on the servers. If you, like many of us, are planning to get the expansion immediately, how are you going to get it? After all, there are so many options: Pre-Order for in-store pickup: You can pre-order your copy and then pick it up when it is available. This works great if you are going to a Midnight Launch or you just want to make sure it is available when you are able to get to the store. Pre-Order for delivery: You can pre-order your copy to be delivered to your door. Amazon even gives an option to have it delivered before midnight. Though if you want the Collector's Edition, you have to catch Amazon during one of the brief windows it is available. More options are after the break.
The new WoW Insider and the launch of Wrath of the Lich King
Finally, the day has come. Our designers here at WoW Insider have been working on a long-awaited new design for the site, and finally, you get to see the fruits of their work. Welcome to the brand new WoW Insider, just in time for the launch of the game's second expansion.And that's not all -- from now (actually, we kicked off this morning already) until Wrath's launch, we're going into overdrive. We'll have multiple contests every day until November 13th -- we're giving away some of the coolest stuff inside and outside of the World of Warcraft, and all you have to do to win it is keep an eye right here on the site (yes, even you too, EU folks). As we announced a few days ago, we're hosting multiple reader meetups all across the country, too, so if you're in the area, you can come with us to get your copy of Wrath at the midnight launch, and maybe win some stuff there as well.And of course, we'll have what we always have: unprecedented coverage of this game and its players. Stay tuned for all the Wrath previews we can post -- we'll have looks at all the new zones in Wrath of the Lich King, your guides to which quests to look for while leveling, walkthroughs of all the new instances, where and when to get your new addons, and we'll let you know exactly where to spend your next ten talent points and what to do with your new talents and abilities. If you need to know something about Wrath of the Lich King, it'll be on this site just in time for launch.After the break, find out what's new around WoW Insider's redesign.
Meet WoW Insider at the Wrath midnight launch
Blizzard's holding official launches across the world, various retailers in all sorts of places are planning out midnight launches, and we here at WoW Insider are no different -- we'll be covering the release all across the world, and we're inviting you readers to come out and join us wherever we are.We've got a full list of meetup locations after the break -- I'll be in Chicago, co-lead Dan O'Halloran will be at the Fry's in Anaheim covering the Blizzard event there (Chase Christian will be in Santa Barbara, also in CA), and Elizabeth Harper will be in Austin, where Blizzard devs will be meeting and greeting as well. We've also got reader meetups planned in North Carolina and Minnesota (where BBB will be passing out buttons), and our own Jennie Lees will be picking up Wrath in Edinburgh, Scotland. And if you're in Orlando, BRK and Mania from Petopia are holding their own event down there.Stay tuned to this post for more updates (if we've missed anyone on the team, they'll add their information here), and feel free to organize your own meetups and events in the comments. The second expansion launches next week -- let's party!
When will we see patch 3.0.3?
The devs have said all along that we'll be getting patch 3.0.3 before Wrath of the Lich King launches, and it's pretty obvious that we will. It's a pretty important patch overall. The game is playable without it, but there is a lot of balance fixes in the patch that is crucial to the launch of a whole load of new content. I don't doubt we'll get it before we hit Northrend. The question is... when?Will we get it tomorrow? It's a possibility, but from the sounds of things it's kind of unlikely. I don't think we've ever had a patch didn't happen on a Tuesday (though I may be mistaken), so if it's not tomorrow that only leaves November 11th for a patch prior to launch. Alternatively, maybe they'll roll it out the night of Wrath's launch, so when you pop in those install discs you get to patch, too. Considering midnight launches though, it would be really unusual if they rolled out the patch the evening of November 12th. Personally, my money is on patch 3.0.3 being pushed live on November 11th, and if the devs announced patch maintenance for tomorrow while I write this I am going to eat my hat.%Poll-21849%
Gears of War 2 special midnight launch events in NY, LA, London and Seattle
Microsoft is expecting some 20,000 stores worldwide to hold midnight openings for Gears of War 2 this Friday, Nov. 7. However, much like the Wrath of the Lich King, certain locations will also have special events going on.London, Los Angeles, New York and Seattle will hold special events and contests where GoW 2 branded consoles, Zunes, comics, art books, posters and "more" will be given away. Microsoft is putting its effort behind the LA launch, which will have the game's voice cast, Clifford Bleszinski (aka: CliffyB, Cliff Söze, Cliff Organa Solo) and other MS notables in attendance. After the break we've listed all the special launch locations, with some more details about who will be attending.
Breakfast Topic: The month of the Lich King
It's November, the onset of the cool months, the time when winter's chill begins its fast approach. In less than two weeks, the World of Warcraft will be transformed completely with the arrival of one of the most anticipated games of the year. We've been given a teaser through the game-changing Echoes of Doom, but most of the good stuff is in Northrend. It's an entire new continent with more quests, more mobs to kill, ten more levels, and one totally badass bad guy we eventually need to kill.There will be midnight launches all over the United States and select countries all over the world. Some of you have already pre-ordered, some will be lining up at the stores, while a few will wait out the initial rush of players who will be needing a bigger boat. Are you excited? How are you playing the game these last few days of The Burning Crusade? Are there things you wish to accomplish before Northrend opens up? Like reach Level 70, maybe? Well, you have about two weeks. Get hopping. The weather's about to get really cold.
Quantum of Solace midnight launch in West Hollywood, new Bond theme goes Guitar Hero
Tired of all the Presidential coverage? Want to go British for a day? Activision has you covered. Best Buy and Activision have revealed plans to launch the Quantum of Solace game at midnight for players in the West Hollywood area. Beginning November 3 at 10PM, everyone and anyone is invited to celebrate the launch of the upcoming shooter which takes James Bond through Casino Royale and whatever a Quantum of Solace is. Attendees will also have a chance to score a boat load of prizes ranging from gift cards between $10 and $2,500 as well as a 52" LCD HDTV.Also on hand will be stations where gamers can practice their hand at the latest Bond theme, "Another Way to Die" from Jack White and Alicia Keys, in Guitar Hero: World Tour. The Bond theme will soon be made available as downloadable content for World Tour but no timing or price has been confirmed at this time.Not near West Hollywood? Best Buy has revealed 136 other locations will be open at midnight for the launch sans giveaways.
More information about the Wrath of the Lich King midnight launch
Blizzplanet's got the deets on a Future Shop midnight launch going on in Canada (eh?), so plans of Wrath midnight launch events are starting to sneak out into the world. Blizzard will be doing their usual schtick in Los Angeles, and this time also in New York, San Franscisco, and Austin, where developers go out to stores to sign and say hi while people buy their game. Our good friends BRK and Mania are hosting an event in Orlando, Florida, and I'll be picking up my game at the Gamestop just south of Clark and Diversey in Chicago (and I'll probably invite you all out for a drink or two beforehand at a bar around here, if you're interested). We're also planning some more events around the country here at WoW Insider -- stay tuned for more information about when and where things are going down.And if you've got information about a special midnight launch event going on around the country (or if, hint hint, you happen to work for a retailer and want to give us an inside scoop on what they've got planned, anonymity assured), please do drop a note on our tip line. The Burning Crusade launch was the biggest expansion launch of all time ever, and Wrath, with its return to Warcraft III lore and the increase in Blizzard's playerbase, is shaping up to be even bigger.
Blizzard announces official Wrath midnight launches
If you're interested in getting Wrath of the Lich King at a midnight launch with Blizzard employees present to sign your copy and discuss the game, Blizzard will be holding officlal midnight parties around the globe. For the moment, it looks like Amsterdam, Anaheim, Austin, Berlin, London, Madrid, Mexico City, New York City, Paris, San Francisco, Seoul, Stockholm, and Taipei will all have official midnight launches, complete with extra copies of the Collector's Edition Wrath on hand and Blizzard developers, executives, and CM's around.I've gone to the different WoW sites to see if there's any hard info on non-U.S. midnight launches and can't find it yet. I've possibly just missed it, so please let us know if there's information available on which stores outside the States will be hosting an official Blizzard launch. The one thing that we do know is that each site's launch will occur at midnight local time November 13th, and while there will be a ton of stores doing midnight launches, the official ones are just the locations where the Blizzard folks are going to be.U.S. official launch sites ahead!
Wrath of the Lich King special midnight launches
Blizzard plans to have a few special midnight signing events for the Wrath of the Lich King's launch on Nov. 13. Blizzard developers and executives are expected to attend, but no details have been given on who will be where. There are four events scheduled in the United States, but similar signings are planned for major metropolitan areas around the globe.With World of Warcraft currently claiming 11 million souls subscribers, it comes as no surprise that there are hundreds (more likely thousands) of midnight openings expected for the box that will grant access to Northrend. We've asked a couple retailers (and Blizzard itself) for a list of known midnight opening locations and we'll be sure to post those when we get them. The four US locations holding signing events can be found after the break.[Via Big Download]
Select Best Buy stores holding Fallout 3 midnight launches
Best Buy stores at strategic nuclear targets locations will be holding midnight openings for Fallout 3 next Monday night. Select stores (full details after the break) in the Washington DC, New York, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Dallas and Chicago metropolitan areas will be open, with the Best Buy in Rockville, MD serving as the flagship location.The Rockville store plans to have special events like giveaways and contests. The game's director, Todd Howard, is expected to attend, along with members of the dev. team, to sign copies of the game and chat. Lines will begin forming at all locations around 3PM local time on Monday. No word on how many copies the stores plan to have on hand, but there should be plenty.
Gamestop's Metal Gear Solid 4 midnight launches revealed
While not as fancy as Konami's midnight launch plans – don't expect Hideo Kojima or David Hayter to walk past the launch line you're standing in – GameStop has released a mega-PDF revealing what stores will be holding midnight launches for Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. All in all, there are 1,494 locations listed for US stores (including Puerto Rico), so there's a good chance you can find one near you. As always, customers shouldn't plan on showing up at the launch without a pre-order and expect a copy. We hear this game might be a little bit popular. %Gallery-23093%Source [PDF file]
Best Buy giving away five GTA IV Elite consoles
Another Canadian retailer has jumped on the Grand Theft Auto IV midnight launch bandwagon, this time with an awesome exclusive prize. Best Buy Canada is giving away an ultra-rare Grand Theft Auto IV branded Xbox 360 Elite at five select locations across the North (One per midnight location, totaling five).The first 100 gamers who wait in line at the select Best Buy locations will be entered to win various Grand Theft Auto IV based prizes, including the exclusive console. Pretty sweet deal if you can snag that prize!Full list of locations can be found after the jump.[Thanks, NobleArc]
FutureShop plans GTA IV event at select stores
Canadian gamers looking to score their copy of Grand Theft Auto IV as soon as possible are in luck. Big box retailer FutureShop is holding midnight launch events at select stores across the Great White North in anticipation of the big game. Select customers will be treated to a IV branded baseball cap while live DJs spin tunes at the event. Also on site will be Sony street teams allowing gamers to demo various titles (we doubt GTA IV will be playable due to its M rated nature however).One lucky winner at each event will also be able to win a PlayStation 3, we say lucky because a PS3 probably trades for a decent amount towards an Xbox 360. We kid, we kid.%Gallery-3451%
Lord of the Rings Online midnight launch in Beantown
At the Prudential Mall in Boston last night, Turbine and Gamestop held a midnight launch for the Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, this was one of the five sites across the country where LoTRO fans could get their MMORPG on early. The game is going into a very different MMORPG climate post-World of Warcraft and is doing its best to compete, with the first free content update already expected in June.We had a chance to speak with Jeff Anderson, president of Turbine at the event, and he was looking forward to showing players who never experienced a Turbine produced game the company's strength, "Most companies throw a project out there and don't update for six months to sometimes over a year. Turbine has been good at episodic content and we're looking to launch strong and keep adding content every quarter."The little gallery we put together of last night's event was supposed to be up this morning, but due to some technical difficulties that we're blaming on fat hobbits, we can now show off some images that survived the melee. We now wait to see if LoTRO can fair better than every other MMO that's entered the market over the last two years.%Gallery-2785%
Brits learn from U.S., some stores cancel PS3 midnight launch
In an effort to protect the citizens of London during the PlayStation 3 launch this Friday, police expressed security concerns and two major retailers on Oxford Street have canceled their midnight launches. Virgin Megastore will still proceed as scheduled, but Game and HMV are opening at their normal time the following morning.Great examples of the right and wrong way to hold a launch occurred in Boston last year during the PS3's U.S. launch. Best Buy at Landmark saw the writing on the wall and canceled their midnight launch, placing public safety above profit. On the other hand, the Sony Style Store at Copley Square took a very different approach. Although they didn't hold a midnight launch, they withheld information from customers about how many units were available and caused tensions to escalate over the evening. It all came to a head the following morning with screaming crowds and panic. The mayor ended up billing Sony for the chaos, but at least nobody got shot. Best advice to our fellow gamers across the pond: Stay calm Europe, stay calm.
