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New charity Battle Pet coming to the Pet Store soon
A new Battle Pet is headed to the Blizzard Pet Store soon. The Alterac Brew Pup, pictured above, seems to be slated for release in the not-too-distant future. According to a page found by the fine folks over at Wowhead, the Brew Pup, like other Battle Pets in the past, will have a percentage of the proceeds from its sales donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The page also mentions that the cost of the Battle Pet will be $10 -- which is the standard rate for pets on the store. Although the purchase page was briefly visible in the Blizzard Store -- long enough for Wowhead to nab a screenshot, it has since been removed. This could be for any number of reasons: they may have simply jumped the gun on making the page available, might have just been testing the layout, or may have some changes to make to the listing page. Regardless, we now know where that perfectly adorable new Battle Pet will be found -- and now it's just a matter of patiently waiting until it's released. For more information on the Battle Pet and its abilities, check out Wowhead's Battle Pet database.
Cinder Kitten 25% off this week only
Good news, Battle Pet enthusiasts! If you somehow originally missed out on nabbing the cuddly, roly-poly Cinder Kitten, you can now pick up the ball of fluff and flames for 25% off in the Blizzard Pet Store this week. Originally introduced in late 2012, the Cinder Kitten is usually $10 to purchase. With the sale, it's all of $7.50. And while it's admittedly adorable beyond all reason, it's also a pretty fierce Battle Pet to add to your team, too! Check out the Blizzard Pet Store to pick up your very own cuddly flaming ball of fiery purring death, or nab a few for holiday gifts later this year. But if you want to take advantage of the sale price, better hurry - the sale price for the Cinder Kitten runs until September 3, at 11:59PM PDT, and applies to both US and EU players.
50% off Swift Windsteed for one week only
The Swift Windsteed, a.k.a. the floaty goat, one of the most bizarre mounts Blizzard has ever put on the battle.net pet store, is on sale for one week only at a fairly substantial 50% discount. This puts it at $12.50 in the US, and expect a similar discount to follow in the EU, although, interestingly, an EU sale hasn't yet been announced. It's usually the case that the EU announces a sale then the US follows suit, but perhaps the EU team are just biding their time on this one. Do be sure, though, not to buy a US one for an EU account, or, indeed vice versa. The mounts are region-locked, and as such are not transatlantically transferrable. So, if you've ever felt the urge to float through the skies on a half goat half dragon... or fish... that itself runs on a cloud, now's the time to part with your hard-earned cash, as the sale ends at 11:59 p.m. PDT on August 13. Will you be buying a Swift Windsteed? Update: The EU now has the same sale.
Transmog helms, TCG-style items coming to Blizzard Pet Store
Blizzard is adding a little variety to the Pet Store, in the form of transmogrification items and toys. In the preview posted on the official site, Bashiok talks about each of the items that will be made available at some point in the future. Perhaps the most interesting items are new helms with vivid spell effects that players can use for transmogrification purposes. One is an icy helm with a skull that covers the player's face, another is a set of fiery horns, and the third is a glowing red and black hood, which appears to be complete with a pair of ominous red eyes. In addition to the transmogrification items, Blizzard will also be adding some fun, limited-use items similar to those that you can currently get from the WoW TCG. The first is a seesaw that you and a party member can hop on, the second is the Iron Hitching Post, an item you can place on the ground. Up to 24 players can click on the item to jump on a gorgeous Iron Warhorse mount -- perfect for storming the Battlegrounds. It's interesting to see Blizzard take a different approach to the Pet Store. Originally just a place where players could purchase fun pets and mounts, the new additions add a lot of variety. I doubt I'll be purchasing any of the helms, but that Iron Hitching Post is certainly tempting, as is the seesaw. I don't think I mind the new additions, as they serve the same purpose as mounts and pets -- nothing that will further your character's performance, just fun items for cosmetic purposes. While we don't know exactly when these items will be hitting the Pet Store, what do you think? Are there other things you'd like to see added? Would you rather transmogrification gear simply be an in-game option? Will you be purchasing any of the new stuff?
Patch 5.4: In-game store announced
We've been speculating about it since the experience potion was datamined, and now we have an announcement. Yes, Virginia, there will be an in-game store. Bashiok gives us the details on what the current plan for the feature is, including a way to get lesser charms of good fortune, and the big news is that the feature will be rolled out first on Asian realms. Bashiok - 5.4 In Game Store 100% XP buff? First, we'll be testing the in-game store with some new kinds of items we're looking into introducing (in Asian regions, at the outset) based on player feedback: specifically, an experience buff to assist with the leveling process, as well as an alternate way to acquire Lesser Charms of Good Fortune. We've had a lot of requests from players in different regions for convenience-oriented items such as these, and as with other new ideas we've introduced as WoW has evolved-including Pet Store pets, mounts, and more-your feedback plays a hugely important part in determining what we add to the game. source So as we speculated before, the experience buff is going to be region specific, rolling out in Asian realms first. No word on when/if these features will make their way to Europe or North America. It's a move that I have to admit makes sense considering that most of the recent subscriber drop was reported to be in Asia. Asian realms use a different business model where you pay by the hour, and new players are not willing to play hourly in order to catch up with existing players. Whether or not a version of the store with the various mounts and pets available on the website will debut at the same time as the convenience items like lesser charms and the new XP buff is yet to be determined.
Blizzard store pets and more on sale
Have you've been wanting a Lil' Ragnaros at your side to make cooking in Halfhill more convenient? Did it recently occur to you that having the Pandaren Monk companion pet next to your playable pandaren monk would be amazingly cute? If so, you might want to check out the latest sale at the Blizzard store. Following up last week's sale on mounts, Blizzard has announced that most Blizzard store pets will be 50% off until Jan. 1, 2013. (The sale is good for you too, EU players.) The new Cinder Kitten is not on sale, since funds collected from Cinder Kitten purchases are still being donated to the American Red Cross for Superstorm Sandy Relief. The Wind Rider Cub and Gryphon Hatchling plush toys aren't on sale either, even though they accompany redeemable digital pets. That leaves the following pets on sale. Soul of the Aspects Guardian Cub Cenarion Hatchling Moonkin Hatchling Lil' K.T. Lil' XT Lil' Ragnaros Pandaren Monk And if you happened to miss Blizzard's Black Friday sale late last month, the World of Warcraft Battle Chest is on sale again, along with the two latest expansions, Cataclysm and Mists of Pandaria.
Cinder kitten now on sale in Blizzard store
If you've been eagerly awaiting Blizzard's release of the fiery little furball pictured above, your wait is over. The Cinder Kitten is now available for purchase on the Blizzard Pet Store for $10. As mentioned last month, 100% of the proceeds from any Cinder Kitten purchased between now and December 31, 2012 will go towards the American Red Cross's Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. The kitten is available in both the US and European Pet Stores. Purchasing the kitten will give you a code that can be redeemed on any North American (or European, for kittens purchased through the Europe Pet Store) account. This code can either be redeemed for your account, or emailed to friends as a gift. After all, nothing says "Happy Holidays!" like a flaming ball of fiery purring death. If you're looking for a good present for that special someone, the Cinder Kitten is a cool in-game item, you can use it for pet battles, and the proceeds go to the Red Cross. What's not to love?
Li'l KT on sale for one week only
Blizzard announced this morning that the Lord of Naxxramas' miniature alter ego is on sale for just one week for €5 or £4 from the battle.net pet store. If last week's Battle Chest sale is anything to go by, a US sale will follow with a discount, making KT probably available for $5 to US customers. KT is a battle pet, of the undead family, and is strong against humanoids and mechanicals. He has various abilities including a Death and Decay, and a Drain Life-esque heal called Siphon Life. He is, alas, weak against aquatic pets. You could put him in a team with Mr. Bigglesworth, that might cheer him up! He also automatically takes out critters when he's near to them, so if your guild doesn't have Critter Kill Squad yet, KT is a valuable asset. Even if his demonic cackling can grow a little tiresome, he's a great deal for only €5. 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.
Guardian Cub taking a bite out of third-party gold sales
The new Guardian Cub, the pet you can buy with real-world currency and exchange for in-game gold, has been available for sale on most realms' Auction Houses for a good 24 hours now. And early reports are looking very favorable for Blizzard; it is now significantly cheaper to buy gold through Blizzard than through one of the less-reputable, third-party Chinese gold sellers. The price of the Guardian Cub varies wildly by server -- a function of supply and demand. An impromptu Twitter survey suggests that the pet is currently selling for between 6,000 gold and 40,000 gold in game, depending on server size, competition, and a number of other factors. Most realms are currently seeing prices just north of 10,000 gold. Certainly, the final page of the Guardian Cub saga has yet to be written, and prices will be extraordinarily volatile in the next few days, weeks, and months. Still, even at a conservative exchange rate of $10 for a 10,000-gold pet, players can get a far better (and safer!) deal buying gold through Blizzard via the Guardian Cub than dealing with a gold seller. The difference is stark -- the same amount of gold may cost you $20 or $30 through a third-party site. And even then, you have no guarantee of getting your gold, no guarantee that your account won't be compromised, and no guarantee that your purchase isn't supporting forced labor and account theft. Will the Guardian Cub kill off third-party gold sales? Probably not, at least on its own. Interest in this new pet simply cannot be sustained long term. But if the last 24 hours of trading on the in-game Auction House are any indication, Blizzard just fired a shot into a multi-billion-dollar gray market.
The Lawbringer: Guardian Cub pros and cons
Pop law abounds in The Lawbringer, your weekly dose of WoW, the law, video games and the MMO genre. Mathew McCurley takes you through the world running parallel to the games we love and enjoy, full of rules, regulations, pitfalls and traps. How about you hang out with us as we discuss some of the more esoteric aspects of the games we love to play? Blizzard recently treated WoW fans to a preview of the Guardian Cub tradable pet, going on sale soon at the Blizzard pet store. Immediately upon hearing that the pet was tradable, readers began inundating me with email and Twitter messages to talk about said cub on The Lawbringer, as this is sort of the thing I fancy myself a connoisseur of. So here we go -- let's talk about the ramifications of these adorable little pets on our server economies. The Guardian Cub represents a sea change in the nature of the gold selling war from Blizzard's perspective, one that has been coming for a long, long time. With a Blizzard-sanctioned way for players to dip their toes into the waters of pay-for gold, gold buying looks a little less attractive to players who would otherwise have to risk their computer's integrity and credit card security. Players have sharp opinions one way or the other on player-bought gold, so I'm going to do my best to hit the right points to discuss my opinion on the whole premise. I mean, it's right there in the FAQ. This pet has the added incentive of being a safe and secure way to potentially, maybe, make some gold off your purchase.
Gold Capped: Legally buy gold with the Guardian Cub
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Gold Capped, in which Basil "Euripides" Berntsen and Fox Van Allen aim to show you how to make money on the Auction House. Email Basil with your questions, comments, or hate mail! If you buy a Guardian Cub with real money, you can sell it for in-game gold, effectively purchasing gold. If you're one of the millions of WoW players who are constantly cash-strapped in game, you now have the option of leaving the whole gold making process to others; simply buy a $10 pet that can be sold for gold on the AH. BOE gear, mounts, flying training, and alts are all expensive, and making money (playing the AH, doing dailies, selling valor point BOE gear, etc.) isn't the most fun use of some peoples' time. This change will be a welcome one for those who would rather spend the time needed to make $10 at their day job than hours grinding gold. Additionally, pet collectors who also play the gold making game will be able to get a pet from the pet store without having to lay out real money for it. So how much will these pets cost, anyway? The answer will vary from realm to realm, but one thing is certain: The demand for the pets will spike out of the door, then fall off a cliff as soon as enough people have one. Also, repeat business isn't any more likely than for other Blizzard Store items -- I almost never see people sporting their Lil' K.T or sparkle ponies these days, and I imagine that few people still pay real money for them. As the demand drops off, these will sell for less and less gold. The supply is directly related to the number of people buying them from the store for resale on the AH. This means that the more gold the cubs are worth, the more supply there will be. Eventually, as demand peters out, people will be less likely to buy them for resale. In short, if you want to buy gold without breaking the terms of service, get it while the getting is good. The gold per pet will go nowhere but down, unless Blizzard likes this system so much that it introduces more items like this.
Blizzard introduces RMT loophole in World of Warcraft
Normally, the introduction of yet another pet in Blizzard's online pet store wouldn't raise any eyebrows. This time, however, the company is making one small change with a vanity pet that could have huge consequences in the game itself. World of Warcraft's newly announced Guardian Cub is on its way to the pet store and will retail for $10. The difference between this and other pets available in the store is that the Cub will not bind to the player who purchased it but rather will remain bind-on-equip -- and tradable -- until it is used. Effectively, this turns the Cub into a $10 currency item that can be traded for in-game gold, a fact that Blizzard openly acknowledges in the pet's FAQ: While our goal is to offer players alternative ways to add a Pet Store pet to their collection, we're OK with it if some players choose to use the Guardian Cub as a safe and secure way to try to acquire a little extra in-game gold without turning to third-party gold-selling services. However, please keep in mind that there's never any guarantee that someone will purchase what you put up for sale in the auction house, or how much they'll pay for it. Also, it's important to note that we take a firm stance against buying gold from outside sources because in most cases, the gold these companies offer has been stolen from compromised accounts. While some players might be able to acquire some extra gold by putting the Guardian Cub in the auction house, that's preferable to players contributing to the gold-selling "black market" and account theft. Player reaction has been strong and varied, with many seeing this as a full endorsement of RMT in WoW. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Winged Guardian mount in action
Blizzard has just released the Winged Guardian, the newest mount in the Blizzard pet store, which of course means I had to buy it and quickly throw together a video of this majestic beast in action. The Winged Guardian works as both a ground and flying mount, scaling with your riding skill all the way up to 310% mount speed. Over a year ago, WoW players ran the gamut of emotions when the Celestial Steed was introduced. Now, however, DLC (downloadable content) has become a fact of life for many games and virtual worlds. In fact, many people (myself included) don't understand why these mounts don't come out even more frequently, because there is obviously a market for these cool extras. Check out the video of the Winged Guardian in action. So far, I like this guy. He feels thick and beefy, with a lot of weight to him -- definitely an imposing presence. Plus, it's not another dragon, and we can all be excited for that.
Winged Guardian flying mount now available at the pet store
The Winged Guardian flying mount is now available for purchase at the Blizzard pet store. Much like its Celestial Steed counterpart, the Winged Guardian is available to every one of your characters in game and costs $25. Head over to the Blizzard pet store now to buy this awesome flier. EU players can get the mount at the EU Blizzard store.
Blizzard releases Cenarion Hatchling pet for Japan earthquake relief
Blizzard has just released a new pet at the pet store called the Cenarion Hatchling, a baby version of the hippogryph that once was only available as part of the old WoW TCG. A full 100% of the proceeds generated by this pet purchase will go to help the American Red Cross's Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami relief efforts, compared to the 50% from previous pets like the Pandaren Monk. The donation process will be ongoing through July 31.
The Lawbringer: Fighting the gold fight -- how the strategy must change
Pop law abounds in The Lawbringer, your weekly dose of WoW, the law, video games and the MMO genre. Running parallel to the games we love and enjoy is a world full of rules, regulations, pitfalls and traps. How about you hang out with us as we discuss some of the more esoteric aspects of the games we love to play? Last week on The Lawbringer, I introduced you to the world as it is, a battlefield littered with the corpses of stolen accounts, inconvenienced players, and a priceless reputation on the line. This week, we look at concrete solutions to actually helping the gold selling system wind down and remove many of the hurdles that instant gratification with purchasing gold sets up for Blizzard. You might have mixed and angry reactions to what I'm going to talk about, but do give me the benefit of the doubt. I think being open-minded might win this fight. So what can Blizzard do besides selling its own currency? Here are my suggestions for the first steps that Blizzard needs to take in the new war against gold selling.
The Lawbringer: Fighting the gold fight -- the world as it is
Pop law abounds in The Lawbringer, your weekly dose of WoW, the law, video games and the MMO genre. Running parallel to the games we love and enjoy is a world full of rules, regulations, pitfalls and traps. How about you hang out with us as we discuss some of the more esoteric aspects of the games we love to play? The Lawbringer has in the past been used as a personal launching pad for some of the more out-there or esoteric ideas that I have in regards to the World of Warcraft and virtual currency in general. You guys seem to love it, and there's always plenty of great discussion about these ideas. For the next two weeks, I want to introduce you to my thoughts on how Blizzard should be attacking gold sellers and, at the same time, working to remove some of the content gates that gold has erected in the MMO we all love. This week, we will set up the story and the history of it all, and next week, we will talk about hard conclusions. Gold selling isn't going away as long as fungible and liquid currency exists in MMOs. Gold is "fungible" because it can be exchanged for something exactly like it, at a 1:1 ratio -- gold is gold. Gold is also liquid, as it can be used and exchanged for other goods or services. Short of Blizzard's getting rid of this type of currency altogether or selling its own currency for a cheaper price than gold sellers can furnish it, people will sell gold and items that can be traded. Blizzard has shown that it has the guts to go after gold selling as an industry but has so far failed in scope to bring down the snake that slowly poisons everything it has worked to build. As sellers become hackers, and as hacking chips away at the good will, reputation, and stability of the game we love to play and the company we love to patronize, there has never been a more urgent time to fight the gold fight. The strategy needs to change from focusing on the people who sell gold to a combination of those that sell and the gold itself.
Lil' Ragnaros and Moonkin Hatchlings now available at the pet store
Blizzard had previously promised new pets Lil' Ragnaros and the Moonkin Hatchling before the end of November and it has delivered, just barely. Right now, you can purchase both pets in the pet store. Lil' Ragnaros will ignite nearby critters, do his famous submerge, and even counts as a cooking fire! The Moonkin Hatchling comes in Horde and Alliance versions, depending on your faction, and will plant flowers around your feet and even /dance with your friends. Check out the pet store here.
Breakfast Topic: Here, plushie plushie plushie...
My wife and daughter love their Murky and Kwurky murloc plush dolls that I got for them during last year's BlizzCon. In hindsight, I really should've gotten a Lurky plush for myself. I mean, you gotta admit, those suckers are cute! Blizzard apparently knows it, too, and they're about to release two new plushies soon with the added bonus of including a code for an in-game pet! Those wyvern cub and gryphon hatchling models have been in the game files for a while now, but we've only just found out about where to get them. Blizzard has already hinted at this kind of merchandising, noting when the Blizzard pet store was announced that plushies with codes for in-game pets would be introduced soon. I'm likely to pick up a plush wyvern or two to join our murloc brood, and I'll get the added bonus of getting an in-game pet for myself (take that, Lurky!). Do you plan to pick up a plushie, either for its real or pixel cuteness? Which one interests you? It's highly likely that Blizzard will introduce more plushies in the future -- what other stuff do you think they'll come up with? Plush Deathwing, maybe? A plushie Yogg Saron might not sell too well, I think. Future plushies should expectedly have equivalent in-game pets, so the possibilities are pretty exciting... %Poll-41543% %Gallery-85155%
Virtual WoW pet sells out [update: the Monk is back!]
We thought the institution of a for-pay pet store in World of Warcraft would incite enough outrage. However, Blizzard has gone one step further, declaring the Pandaren Monk pet "sold out" just one week after the launch of the store. Even though, as a virtual item, any scarcity or supply limitation would be fully artificial. And even though Blizzard pledged to donate half of the proceeds from sale of that item to Make-A-Wish until the end of the year. The Lil' K.T. pet is currently still available. It's the Make-A-Wish pledge that makes us believe that this is less a nefarious plot to deprive players of their fake pets and more an error in Blizzard's shopping system -- probably triggered as a result of too many people buying the Monk. We fully expect WoW players to be given the opportunity to waste their money on this pet (for a good cause) soon. Update: The Pandaren Monk is once again available for sale. Blizzard told us that a "minor technical error" caused the Monk to display as out of stock. [Via WoW.com]
