World of Warcraft 5th year anniversary sweepstakes winners!

Congrats to everyone who won something from this sweepstakes. I, sadly, did not win anything.. I hope your luck was better than mine! If you haven't already checked to see if you were a winnner, check it out here or look at the list below!

List of Winners:

Week 1:
Drenethor from Detheroc
Realtalk from Area 52
Crans from Cenarion Circle
Solrando from Arthas
Bioky from Suramar

Week 2:
Karasuu from Bloodhoof
Azult from Ner'zhul
Whatshisface from Misha
Boopie from Anvilmar
Destroyere from Windrunner
Horff from Spinebreaker
Heretor from Stonemaul
Serei from Rivendare
Monkutaro from Thorium Brotherhood
Dethscythe from Garrosh
Ferabalesto from Blade's Edge
Monoxìde from Misha
Mainman from Sargeras
Generated from Spinebreaker
Razheem from Mannoroth
Greensaturn from Elune
Frostybunz from Area 52
Feorian from Wyrmrest Accord
Roaxxe from Khaz Modan
Groove from Stonemaul.
Aramon from Azjol-Nerub
Heshiro from Kil'jaeden
Gwynn from Nathrezim
Arclord from Zul'jin
Cerokos from Argent Dawn.

Week 3:
Kismere from Greymane
Ourhero from Firetree
Keleyna from Zul'jin
Uthegental from Twisting Nether
Mawrick from Elune
Arithan from Ner'zhul
Austregisel from Fizzcrank

Week 4:
Thorad from Shadow Council
Luru from Magtheridon
Bonefurt from Tortheldrin
Zaltano from Stormrage
Kaznak from Shadowsong
Dreara from Cairne
Firestalker from Kargath
Lyerik from Zul'jin
Jormundgand from Kalecgos
Kittyrumrums from Trollbane
Azailin from Shu'halo
Jayhanez from Magtheridon
Irontoe from Gilneas
Soulstomper from Lothar
Raphiel from Onyxia
Dragunoth from Cenarion Circle
Darkmeltdown from Khadgar
Sinfest from Area 52
Chakakhan from Dragonblight
Nerdrayge from The Forgotten Coast
Loyid from Area 52
Breshona from Alleria
Season from Malfurion
Mifivestone from Proudmoore
Chrianiell from Muradin

Week 5:
Boneitis from Sargeras. (laptop)
Arithell from Andorhal. (laptop)
Cormanthor from Gorgonnash.
Durga from Laughing Skull.
Riktors from Hellscream.




From the World of Warcraft website:

The World of Warcraft Fifth Anniversary Sweepstakes has come to a close! Congratulations to today's final winner, Boneitis from Sargeras, who's won an ASUS Republic of Gamers 3D Vision-enhanced laptop, one year of World of Warcraft game time, and an autographed Onyxia print.

Congrats once again to all of the sweepstakes winners over the past few weeks, and thanks to everyone who's been a part of World of Warcraft over the past five years. We’re looking forward to sharing more epic adventures with all of you in the years to come.

World of Warcraft turns 5!

Who would have guessed that World of Warcraft has already been around for 5 years? It certainly doesn't seem like it has been that long to me! Log into WoW on any character between now and December 6th gets a free pet to celebrate the 5 year anniversary of World of Warcraft.

From the World of Warcraft website:

The World of Warcraft five-year anniversary celebration is now officially underway! To mark this special occasion, any character that logs into the game between now and Sunday, December 6 at 11:59 p.m. (realm time) will receive their very own Onyxian Whelpling non-combat pet, along with a special message from the development team. We have more World of Warcraft 5-year and Warcraft 15-year anniversary festivities coming soon, so be sure to keep your eye on the official website. Thanks for being part of the adventure, and we look forward to many more whelps and great memories in the years ahead.

Mr. T + WoW = Awesome

So, if you haven't seen the Mr. T World of Warcraft commercial, you should watch it right now. Apparently, you can also get an in-game "Mohawk grenade" by going to any of the starting cities. Be sure to check out the commercial here on YouTube!


Mohawk Grenade FAQ:

Q. What is the Mohawk Grenade?

A. The Mohawk Grenade is Mr. T's latest invention: an in-game item that, when hurled at another character, gives everyone within the blast radius an instant T-riffic haircut. Don't worry, you and your friends will look gooooood.

Q. Where do I get it?

A. Quit your jibber-jabber and claim your Mohawk Grenades from any of the Night Elf Mohawk NPCs camped outside every starting zone.

Q. What regions are eligible to claim the Mohawk Grenade?

A. North America, Europe and Korea.

Q. Is this a permanent item?

A. Each Mohawk Grenade has five charges before exhausting its power, and you're welcome to claim another once the charges are gone.

Q. How long will the Mohawk Grenade be available in-game?

A. Claim Mohawk Grenades starting November 16th in North America and November 24th in Europe and Korea. They'll be available until... well, until the Night Elf Mohawk decides his work is done.



From the World of Warcraft website:
"You gotta choice, Jack. You can watch Mr. T's new TV commercial…or you can HURT." Mr. T, outraged that any fools would doubt his hacking skills, has returned to World of Warcraft to show off his latest invention in a series of nationally televised ads.

Battle.net Account Now Required

Hey guys,

Just thought I should let you know that the folks at Blizzard have finally made it mandatory to merge your World of Warcraft account with a Battle.net account.

From the World of Warcraft website:

World of Warcraft is now a part of the new Battle.net! In preparation for the rollout of Battle.net’s upcoming communication and community features, as of today, all World of Warcraft accounts must be merged with a free Battle.net account in order to log in to the game. To upgrade to a Battle.net account, please go here. For more info, check out the Battle.net site or read the FAQ.

So if you haven't already upgraded to a Battle.net account, do it now!

Battle.net conversion

Hey guys, just making sure everyone has seen the news about merging your account with a Battle.net account! The deadline is currently November 11. If you go ahead and merge your accounts, you'll also get a special in-game pet.. a penguin! So go ahead and do what you'll have to do if you haven't done it already and get your pet!

From the World of Warcraft website:

A few months ago, we unveiled the Battle.net account, our new way for players to log in to World of Warcraft and future Blizzard games, sign up for upcoming beta tests, shop the online Blizzard Store, and more with just one username and password. This was just the first step in the rollout of the brand-new Battle.net; in the future, players will be able to use Battle.net to participate in cross-realm chat in World of Warcraft, create real-life friends lists, communicate across different games, and awhole lot more.

In preparation for the launch of these new features, on November 11, 2009, all current World of Warcraft players will be required to merge their World of Warcraft accounts with a Battle.net account in order to log in to the game. As our way to say "thanks" for taking a moment to go through the process, existing World of Warcraft accounts that upgrade to Battle.net (including those that have already switched over) will receive a brand-new penguin in-game pet -- check for him in your in-game mailbox later this week. Starting on November 11, all World of Warcraft players will need to log in to the game using a Battle.net username and password, and anyone who wishes to create a new World of Warcraft account will need to start with a Battle.net account.

Creating a Battle.net account is simple and free. To merge your existing account with a Battle.net account, go here. For more info, check out theBattle.net site or read the FAQ.

Tier 10 preview

Looks like the folks at Blizzard have decided to unveil a first look at some new Tier 10 armor sets. Check it out here! So far only the Death Knight, Druid, Hunter, and Warrior sets are up.



From the World of Warcraft website:

As the threats within Icecrown Citadel continue to take shape, so do the rewards for the brave souls who seek to face them. We’ve just released a first look at some of the new tier-10 armor sets that will be available to intrepid adventurers upon the release of the Icecrown Citadel raid dungeon. The preview contains all of the sets that we’ve completed so far, and you can click an image to see each set from different angles. We’ll add more classes’ sets as we continue to develop and polish them, so be sure to check back for updates.

Icecrown Citadel: The Frozen Throne

Blizzard recently published some new information about the new dungeon, Icecrown Citadel, in their "under development" page:

This dungeon reveals the culminating story events and battles of the Wrath of the Lich King expansion pack. Join the legendary heroes Highlord Tirion Fordring, High Overlord Saurfang, Muradin Bronzebeard, Highlord Darion Mograine, and King Varian Wrynn in an epic battle against the Scourge and their master. Icecrown Citadel features 10- and 25-player versions of the raid dungeon, and each version has 12 encounters. Each encounter can be fought in either normal or Heroic mode, and players can use a new user interface feature to toggle easily between difficulties. The rewards in the raid dungeon start at item level 251 in the normal mode with 10-player encounters, increase to item level 264 in the Heroic mode with 10 players and the normal mode with 25-player encounters, and then finally reach item level 277 in the Heroic mode with 25 players.

This should offer quite the challenge to even hardcore players. Let the race to finish Icecrown Citadel begin!

Patch 3.2.2 - Onyxia returns!

From the World of Warcraft website:

After years of lurking in her lair, battling brave adventurers who travelled from afar, Onyxia has been reborn -- and she’s stronger than ever before. To commemorate the upcoming fifth anniversary of World of Warcraft, the classic Onyxia raid encounter has been updated in the newly released patch 3.2.2.

• Onyxia has been retuned to offer new challenges to level-80 players (in both 10- and 25-player modes) while keeping the fundamental experience of fighting her intact. Beware the Deep Breaths!
• Onyxia will now drop new level-80 gear featuring the aesthetics of loot from the original encounter.
• The luckiest adventurers will have a chance to receive the Brood of Onyxia, a very rare 310%-speed mount modeled after the Brood Mother herself.

You can check out all of the other changes in patch 3.2.2 by reading the full patch notes.

Faction Change Service

From the World of Warcraft website

The new World of Warcraft Faction Change service is now live. As we mentioned previously, we've been in the process of developing a new service for World of Warcraft that will allow players to change their faction from Alliance to Horde or Horde to Alliance for a fee. After purchasing a Faction Change for a character, a player can choose any race of the opposite faction that is compatible with the character’s class. For more information on the Faction Change service, please read the FAQ, or visit theFaction Change page to get started.

Based on further community feedback, we have also decided to offer a race change service in the future. Players who choose to switch races will be able to change their race within their same faction and class. Additional details will be released at a future date.

Patch 3.2.0!

So, as you all know, patch 3.2 has been released! New PvP, less strict mount requirements, and tons of other improvements and changes makes this a HUGE update. There has been some debate on whether some of these changes are for the better or worse. With lower levels able to use mounts and the ability to get experience during PvP do you think that more changes are going to come to make the gap between casual and hardcore gamers smaller? Do you think that a smaller gap between the two would be a good thing or a bad thing?

Check out some of the other changes: http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/patchnotes/

Cell phone authentication

The Battle.net Mobile Authenticator, an optional security tool to help prevent unauthorized Battle.net account access, is now available for a wide range of mobile phones and carriers in the United States and Europe. Previously available only for the Apple iPhone, the Battle.net Mobile Authenticator is a mobile application that generates a one-time password to use in addition to your regular account ID and password when logging in to a Battle.net account or any merged World of Warcraft accounts.

Sounds pretty neat if you ask me. I know some of you are (understandably) ultra protective of all the time you put into your toons!

Next Under Development Segment

The folks at Blizzard just updated the Under Development section with a Paladin question and answer! Check it out here: http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/underdev/paladin.html

Win a Trip to Blizzcon 2009!

Hey everybody, just letting you know there is a chance to win a trip to Blizzcon 2009!

SteelSeries has joined forces with J!NX, Upper Deck, BradyGames, and SwagDog to offer you the chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Blizzcon 2009. Visit the official Blizzcon Sweepstakes websitewww.blizzconsweepstakes.com and fill out an entry form for a chance to win. Runner-up prizes include prize packs valued at $2000.

You better believe I've already entered! So if you haven't already entered, you better get to it. The last day to enter is July 31st.

New Edition of Gadgetzan Times

Hello everybody!

I would just like to let you know (as if you don't know already) that there is a new edition of Gadgetzan Times out now! Gadgetzan Times is a collection of World of Warcraft fan fiction. The best of the best are published here, so check it out!

http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/gadgetzan/index.xml

Under Development: New Tier 9 Class Sets

The great folks at Blizzard just updated the World of Warcraft website with some exciting news. They are giving us a preview of the new tier 9 class sets due to come out with patch 3.2. You can check out the sets they have up here at their under development page!

It also looks like they're working on a long list of other new things for the Call of the Crusade patch:

• Introducing the Crusaders' Coliseum: Within the Crusaders' Coliseum only the greatest champions of the Argent Tournament are given entrance. Here they will face new challenges, battle new foes, and achieve new glory. The coliseum includes new gameplay options for the most hardened of veterans in ten and twenty-five-player Heroic modes as well as a five-player dungeon. Read more about the Crusaders' Coliseum.
  
  
• New Battleground: Located north of Icecrown, the Isle of Conquest bristles with activity as the Horde and Alliance go head-to-head in a bid to control the resources that could mean their victory against the forces of the Lich King and his Scourge. The upcoming content patch, Call of the Crusade, will introduce the new Isle of Conquest Battleground, where players will be able to battle forty-versus-forty to control this critical location. Read more about the newest addition to our Battleground system.
  
  
• Battleground Experience Arrives: War brings experiences few would choose to endure in their lifetimes; and yet, in Azeroth, it is the way of the world. With the upcoming content patch, players will be able to gain experience within the Battlegrounds for completing objectives and actions that yield honor. If you want to play Battlegrounds without leveling, a small fee can be paid to disable a player's ability to gain experience, and players who make this choice will face only those opponents who have chosen a similar fate. Lead Content Designer Cory Stockton explains more about the new experience system for Battlegrounds and gives an in-depth briefing on the features found on the Isle of Conquest in our recent Battleground Q&A.
  
  
• New Argent Tournament Updates: The Argent Crusade continues to call forth the bold and brave to take up arms against their enemies and overcome the threat of the Lich King. In the upcoming content patch, Call of the Crusade, the Argent Tournament expands into two new points of interest, adding new dailies, new rewards, and new challenges for the heroes of Azeroth. Read more about these new additions.
  
  
• Updated Druid Forms: Druids will find a host of new textures for two major forms, cat and bear. There will be five different designs for each of these forms for the Horde and Alliance. Take a look at the new artwork here.

World of Warcraft Art Exhibition

From the World of Warcraft Website:

This summer, Laguna Art Museum and Blizzard Entertainment are proud to present WoW: Emergent Media Phenomenon. This exhibit features art created by professional artists from around the world who have been influenced by World of Warcraft, as well as works generated by Blizzard Entertainment and by members of our community.

The goal of this exhibit is to illustrate the impact that World of Warcraft has had on our modern art culture and to give insight into the creative community it has gathered. The exhibit is currently open and will be running through October 4, 2009.

If I lived anywhere near California, I'm pretty sure I'd have to check this out. Some of the artwork looks absolutely amazing!

Rise of the Lich King Stein Collection

From the World of Warcraft website:

The Rise of the Lich King stein is now available for shipment. Featuring Lich King Arthas Menethil and his undead minions, each hand-crafted stein features amazing graphics by Alex Horley. Also available is an ultra-rare Legendary version featuring an 18 ct. gold-plated lid and hand-painted gold accents. The Legendary version of stein is limited to 750 pieces worldwide, with each signed by Horley. To celebrate the launch, 3 Point Entertainment is offering up to 20% off on all Warcraft Epic steins. For a limited time you can enjoy big savings on Alliance, Horde, and the new Rise of the Lich King stein. Visit their website for details and to join the celebration.

If you buy more than one, you get a better deal. If anyone out there buys one (or more!) of these amazing pieces of artwork, let us know if they are worth the $90+ it will take to get one!

The Flame Keeper and Flame Warder Guide

As you all know, the Midsummer Fire Festival is going on right now. And for those of you looking to add more completed achievements to your list, this is a great opportunity! We found a step by step guide to getting those achievement points for both the Horde and Alliance! Check it out at IGN's WoW Vault:

http://wowvault.ign.com/View.php?view=Guides.Detail&id=321

No WoW on consoles

From Industrygamers

Massively multiplayer games continue to thrive on PCs, but the industry has yet to truly see an MMO take off on a console. There may be some attempts soon with games like APB or Champions Online (or Sony Online Entertainment's games coming to PS3), but there's a reason that MMOs are not really at home on consoles, Rob Pardo, Blizzard's executive vp of game design, recently explained as part of a larger exclusive interview with IndustryGamers.


Might we see WoW on a console one of these days?

"...there's a lot of challenges. I'd say challenge #1 is the input device. So if you're going to port a game like WoW how does that work? Do you ship a keyboard and a mouse? Do you try to make a game that [adapts] to all the different controls and buttons? That's a porting issue. The bigger issue would be things like hard drives. I think WoW now is about 10 gigs and we're always pushing out more content. That's something cloud computing could eventually solve, but in the current generation of consoles that's a lot to deal with. You'd have to eat almost the entire hard drive, and there are Xbox consoles [sold to consumers] that don't have hard drives. So that's a big issue," Pardo commented.

He continued, "Another big issue is how to actually do patches because the certification process is pretty arduous to do that. I know that's something Microsoft is trying to work out so you can do more updates and the certification process is faster, but it's not going to be nearly as fast as we can do it. We just put it through our QA department and upload to our servers. ... Then, the other big issue is the business model. Right now, Microsoft and Sony charge platform fees for retail, but if you do an MMO there and it's subscription-based, they're going to want a cut of the subscription revenue too, and so that becomes a hurdle. So there's definitely a lot of hurdles right now for doing MMOs on a console, but it all can be overcome and I think in the next generation of consoles it'll be much easier."

Pardo also did confirm with us that Microsoft has been asking Blizzard for advice in the MMO area, but for what project (if it's even one that's been announced yet) we don't know. "Microsoft has shown us some stuff they have in development and they asked us our opinion," he noted.

Ultimately, we feel that MMOs will start to become commonplace on consoles. The online networks are already there with Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. It's just a matter of designing with consoles in mind and giving the audience what it wants.

Kid freaks out because his mom cancels his account

Apparently this kid's mom cancelled his World of Warcraft account. Some pretty serious stuff going on there! Hahah. Good thing you don't need to play that often with these hints to help you out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YersIyzsOpc

Hint entry 1: Make TONS of gold fast!

Have you ever wanted to make a ton of gold? Easily, fast, and without doing anything that could get you banned? Sounds too good to be true, right? Think again! With this guide that I found, you can make 300+ gold in just a matter of hours!

They even have a video to prove it. He also offers a 100% refund if you aren't happy with the results. Trust me on this one.. you will NOT need to take him up on that refund. You won't want to put this book down!

Click here or on the image below to check out the only guide you'll ever need!

Blizzard Live! Concert July 18

From the World of Warcraft website:

Video Games Live! has been putting on concerts of game music for years, and you may have had a chance to see them perform at BlizzCon in the past. Their upcoming show in Houston with the Houston Symphony on July 18 has been expanded to an all-day celebration called Gamer MusiCON 09 that will feature a separate concert of music from Blizzard Entertainment games to kick off the afternoon in addition to the regular Video Games Live! performance in the evening. The festival also includes an interactive panel and Q&A session with Blizzard Entertainment music composers and an on-stage costume contest. For more information on Gamer MusiCON 09, or to purchase tickets, please visit the event website.