World of Warcraft players will soon have yet another way to keep up-to-date with the game’s many complexities. Yes, there will be a World of Warcraft magazine. (That’s what Blizzard just told us, but the Web site won’t be live till Friday.) It’s the result of a partnership between Blizzard and Future, the same company that publishes the likes of Edge, PC Gamer, and Nintendo Power. → Read More
This could be the most important week in the history of Creation. Blizzcon starts on Friday—once again Blizzard reminded me in an e-mail that I can purchase the Web stream or DirecTV pay-per-view for $40—and we’re sure to be hanging on the company’s every word re: World of Warcraft: Cataclysm. Today’s hot news is that Creative will release a World of Warcraft-branded headset in November. Look for it around $100-$150. → Read More
While I haven’t logged into World of WarCraft since, I don’t know, February (for the Valentines Day things), a new expansion should bring me back into the fold. Most fans know that Blizzard trademarked the name “Cataclysm,” and that’s what we expect the name of the next expansion to be. But now! Now, friends, wow.com’s sources have pretty much confirmed two new races for the expansion. Say hello, probably, to the Worgen (Alliance) and the Goblin (Horde). → Read More
Rest easy, friends, since the World of Warcraft-in-China saga has come to an end. Yes, the game is now up and running once again. Unfortunately, I guess, there’s a bit of censorship to contend with. → Read More
This could well be the biggest news on Planet Earth today. World of Warcraft is coming back to China, nearly two months after having been knocked offline because of a content dispute. Fox News Alert! → Read More
Nope, not health care. Nope, not the recession. My white whale is the status of World of Warcraft in China. No, the game isn’t banned, per se, but Blizzard is having a hell of a time getting it back online. After switching to a new local operator, NetEase, Blizzard had to re-submit the game to the Powers That Be. Apparently you need government approval to run online games over there. And the Chinese government has a few problems with the game. → Read More
Just to clarify, World of Warcraft is not banned in China. Repeat: World of Warcraft is not banned. Keep on gold farmin’, kids. Silly rumors. → Read More
This is the only World of Warcraft iPhone App you’ll ever need. Blizzard has just released World of Warcraft Mobile Armory, which gives players of the game full access to the Armory. (The Armory tracks player and item stats and the like. It’s essential for “real” players of the game.) So add this App with a few trips to WoW Wiki and Thottbot, and you’re a mobile WoW warrior (but not necessarily Warrior). → Read More
Blizzard’s World Of Warcraft appears to be down indefinitely in China, which is one of WoW’s largest user bases. Blizzard recently changed the company that was operating WoW for them in China from The9 to NetEase. WoW was supposed to be up and running by the end of June. Apparently the transition hasn’t gone so well because WoW isn’t up in China and it appears that there is no update as to when the game will be available.
One report suggests that the Chinese government is looking into the partnership between NetEase and Blizzard as possible illegal joint venture and has suspended WoW until the investigation is over. → Read More
There’s currently a 144-page thread on the official World of Warcraft message board discussing this latest earth-shattering news: you’ll soon be able to take your Horde character and transform him to the closet Alliance equivalent, and vice-versa. So, for example, taking your Orc Warrior and changing him into a Human Warrior. And then cats and dogs will break bread with each other. → Read More
A bit of World of Warcraftnews for you this Thursday afternoon. If given the chance, how many of you would play the game on your Xbox 360 or PS3? It doesn’t even matter, as Blizzard’s executive vice-president of game design, Rob Pardo, said that producing a console version of the game would run into a whole host of challenges that would need to be overcome. Chief among them: an input device. Do you go create a specially designed WoW controller, or leave it up to people to bring their own mouse and keyboard? → Read More
Someone got all the way to level 80 in World of Warcraft without dying. It’s quite the achievement (although not an actual Blizzard Achievement.) → Read More
Okay, this is one of the better “gadgets” I’ve yet seen. It’s called the WoWPod, and it’s a self-sufficient tiny room for World of Warcraft players. Easy-to-reach food and water, built-in toilet, no annoying people distracting you, etc. It’s probably the closest thing to Heaven that a certain section of our society will ever encounter. → Read More
It’s time for Blizzcon again. Yes, Blizzard’s annual pilgrimage-for-so-so-many returns this August, but tickets for the show itself go on sale on May 16. And this year there’s an Internet stream you can watch! That’s good news for those of you who cannot (or do not want) to travel to Anaheim and dole out the $125 per ticket. → Read More
Jesus, Mary, Joseph! We fleetingly mentioned those Tax Day Tea Parties yesterday, but this is too much. That’s right: Tea Parties in Second Life, the game that, um, is still popular? (Not a lot of buzz about it these days, I mean to say.) Anyway, here’s a few photos of the in-game protest about in-real-life issues. Because that’s how minds are changed, in online video games. Or don’t you remember the Republican National Convention in Stormwind last year? → Read More
Friday being what it is and all (read: a complete waste of time), here’s something that, while utterly pointless, may put a smile on your face. (It may put a frown on your face, too, depending on your persuasion.) Yes, it’s a proper World of Warcraft mask, made of genuine latex, a wondrous compound that has been bringing man joy for some time now. → Read More
Attention Facebook users! SteelSeries is giving away a boss drop sized bunch of loot. And while you might not get a set piece out of it, it’s still some really damn nice stuff. And you won’t have to listen to the hunters whine about how nothing ever drops for them to use. → Read More
How I missed this, I have no idea. (Actually, I was at SXSW, that’s how I missed it.) Eurogamer, which is always good for a “think piece” or two, is running an exposé on gold farming, a term used to describe the buying and selling of in-game currencies (and items) in games like World of Warcraft. It’s a four-parter, and part two was just published today. Headline there: there are approximately 1 million gold farmers in China alone. Subhead: conservative estimates put the gold farming industry at $2 billion USD. Yes, that’s billion with a “b.” That’s officially insane. → Read More
You’re Blizzard. You develop a little game called Word of Warcraft. You move into a new office building—a sign of your importance—and want to commemorate said action. You hire the dudes responsible for the Lord of the Rings special effects, and tell them, “Make us a big statue of an Orc on his mount, looking sinister.” And they do. → Read More
So here’s a weird question for y’all: what happens when you die? More specifically, what happens to the “online version” of you? Will your World of Warcraft guild hold a funeral for you, one that’s promptly invaded by a bunch of rival faction jerks? Will there be a Facebook “We miss you, man” group? Does anyone in your life have the password to you Gmail account, should you need to contact your contacts? “Remember Bill? Yeah, he doesn’t live here anymore.” → Read More
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