WoW Insiderhttp://wow.joystiq.comWoW Insiderhttp://wow.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gifWoW Insiderhttp://wow.joystiq.comen-usCopyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/WoW Insider ShowEvery week, the WoW Insider Show brings you news and views from the World of Warcraft and the site that covers it all, WoW Insider. We introduce a panel of rotating guests, including bloggers from WoW Insider and other WoW blogs, and many popular personalities from around the WoW community. From the live listener chat and polls during the show, to the emails direct from listeners (reach us at theshow@wow.com), right on to the "meat" of the show -- in-depth discussion of the most popular news and posts on WoW Insider -- the WoW Insider Show is a terrific source of news and entertainment about what's going on with Blizzard and their World of Warcraft. Listen live every Saturday at 3:30 pm Eastern on our Ustream page (http://www.ustream.tv/channel/wow-insider-show) or subscribe to the feed and let us know what you think by reviewing the show right here in iTunes.Reminder: Deadline for BlizzCon ticket information is tomorrowhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/13/reminder-deadline-for-blizzcon-ticket-information-is-tomorrow/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/13/reminder-deadline-for-blizzcon-ticket-information-is-tomorrow/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/13/reminder-deadline-for-blizzcon-ticket-information-is-tomorrow/#commentsFiled under:

Reminder Deadline for BlizzCon ticket information is tomorrow
For those of you planning to attend BlizzCon 2013, Blizzard has posted a friendly reminder on its community sites that ticket information needs to be finalized by Tuesday, May 14 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. That's tomorrow night, so get to it if you haven't already done so.
BlizzCon Ticket Reminder: Attendee Information Deadline-May 14
If you purchased BlizzCon 2013 tickets for family or friends, just a reminder you have until next Tuesday, May 14 to enter or edit attendee information, including:
  • The names to be printed on the badges.
  • Battle.net account names for the pre-show online merchandise sale for BlizzCon ticket holders-more details to come. (Please note that only registered accounts will be able to access this pre-show sale.)
  • Optional game information such as World of Warcraft character, realm, clan, and BattleTag.
If this information hasn't been entered by May 14, all badges will default to the name on the purchaser's Battle.net account. Don't miss the opportunity to customize your badges!

For more info, check out the Badge Information page.

Head to your Order History within Battle.net account management to edit attendee information before it's too late!

This information is particularly important if you're getting your ticket through a friend or family member. If the name on your ticket does not match the name on your photo ID, you will not be able to pick up your badge on your own. That, and if you don't select your franchise preferences, you might end up with a Diablo III badge instead of a World of Warcraft one. You wouldn't want that, would you?

WoW InsiderReminder: Deadline for BlizzCon ticket information is tomorrow originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 13 May 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>blizzconblizzcon-2013blizzcon-2013-ticketsbreakingDawn MooreMon, 13 May 2013 14:00:00 ESTWorld of Warcraft loses 1.3M subscribers since February, down to 8.3Mhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/wow-loses-1-3m-subscribers-since-february-down-to-8m/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/wow-loses-1-3m-subscribers-since-february-down-to-8m/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/wow-loses-1-3m-subscribers-since-february-down-to-8m/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

WoW loses 13 million subscribers since Feb down to 8 mil
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?

WoW InsiderWorld of Warcraft loses 1.3M subscribers since February, down to 8.3M originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 08 May 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>activisionbreakingexpansionnumberssubscribersubscriber-numberssubscriptionsubscription-numbersWorld-of-WarcraftFox Van AllenWed, 08 May 2013 17:00:00 ESTBlizzCon Benefit Dinner tickets on sale tonighthttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/01/blizzcon-benefit-dinner-tickets-on-sale-tonight/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/01/blizzcon-benefit-dinner-tickets-on-sale-tonight/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/01/blizzcon-benefit-dinner-tickets-on-sale-tonight/#commentsFiled under: ,

BlizzCon Benefit Dinner tickets on sale tonight
If you're still on the lookout for BlizzCon tickets -- and have deep pockets -- tonight's your last chance to get them from Blizzard. Tonight at 7 pm Pacific (10 pm Eastern), Benefit Dinner tickets go on sale for $500 each. Though they're costly, these tickets not only get you entry to BlizzCon, you also get to attend dinner with the Blizzard staff on Thursday before BlizzCon kicks off, giving you, as Blizzard puts it, "an opportunity to meet and chat with game developers, artists, executives and other folks from Blizzard Entertainment." You'll also get a signed piece of Blizzard artwork in addition to the usual BlizzCon swag. And it's for a good cause: all proceeds from the event go to the Children's Hospital of Orange County.

If you're looking for a chance to nab a ticket of your own, be online and ready before 7 pm Pacific (10 pm Eastern) and check out our ticket purchasing tips to get an edge on the competition. There are only 200 tickets available and, even at $500 each, they're certain to sell out quickly. But even if you don't get a ticket, remember that virtual tickets will be available later and you can still enjoy BlizzCon even without a ticket.

WoW InsiderBlizzCon Benefit Dinner tickets on sale tonight originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 01 May 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>blizzardblizzard-blizzconblizzconblizzcon-2013blizzcon-2013-ticketsblizzcon-ticketsbuy-blizzcon-ticketshow-to-buy-blizzcon-ticketshow-to-get-blizzcon-ticketswow-blizzconElizabeth HarperWed, 01 May 2013 16:00:00 ESTHow to attend BlizzCon if you weren't lucky enough to get a tickethttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/29/how-to-attend-blizzcon-if-you-werent-lucky-enough-to-get-a-tick/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/29/how-to-attend-blizzcon-if-you-werent-lucky-enough-to-get-a-tick/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/29/how-to-attend-blizzcon-if-you-werent-lucky-enough-to-get-a-tick/#commentsFiled under: ,

As you probably know, tickets for this year's BlizzCon are now sold out. If you weren't lucky enough to nab a ticket of your own, there are still a few ways to enjoy this year's convention -- and they don't even have to cost an arm and a leg.

The bargain basement option: Stay home and follow the blogs.
Total cost: Nothing
No ticket costs, no travel costs, and no need to interrupt your regular weekend schedule. You'll still get the news, as well as commentary, photos, and video from your favorite blog (which we hope is us, but don't judge if it isn't).

Continue reading How to attend BlizzCon if you weren't lucky enough to get a ticket

WoW InsiderHow to attend BlizzCon if you weren't lucky enough to get a ticket originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 29 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>blizzconblizzcon-2013blizzcon-2013-ticketsblizzcon-ticketsgoing-to-blizzconhow-to-go-to-blizzconwant-to-go-to-blizzconElizabeth HarperMon, 29 Apr 2013 20:00:00 ESTBlizzCon Tickets on sale today at 10am PDThttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/blizzcon-tickets-on-sale-today-at-10am-pdt/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/blizzcon-tickets-on-sale-today-at-10am-pdt/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/blizzcon-tickets-on-sale-today-at-10am-pdt/#commentsFiled under:

Blizzcon
The last opportunity to purchase tickets for Blizzcon 2013 comes knocking at 10am PDT today. (That's three hours from the time this is published.) The last set, which went on sale at 7pm PDT on Wednesday, sold out at remarkable speed, just as you'd expect for a conference of the huge status and minimal size of BlizzCon.

Do check out WoW Insider's tips to getting yourself ready for the ticket push, and most importantly, don't assume that you can wait five minutes before logging on to obtain a few tickets. These sell out incredibly quickly, and you'll need to be ready to go in advance of the scheduled time, with your finger working that F5 key to destruction so that you can get into the queue in a decent position. Don't alt-tab around, don't get a coffee.

If you can recruit friends, do! Working as a group can be the very best way to try to ensure that you can secure tickets for you and your friends. You'll need a little organization and communication, but it's worth it, this is BlizzCon, people! This time of day is also far more sociable for the EU than the previous time, so bear that in mind when planning your raid on the battle.net site. Pre-pot for this one!

There are also tickets to an exclusive pre-BlizzCon dinner to benefit Children's Hospital of Orange County go on sale Wednesday, May 1 at 7 p.m. PDT. These are more expensive at $500, and do include a ticket to BlizzCon itself. You can visit the Blizzcon Ticket Information Page for more information.

WoW InsiderBlizzCon Tickets on sale today at 10am PDT originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sat, 27 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>blizz-conblizzconblizzcon-2013blizzcon-2013-ticketsblizzcon-ticketsOlivia GraceSat, 27 Apr 2013 10:00:00 ESTBlizzCon 2013 contests announcedhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/25/blizzcon-2013-contests-announced/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/25/blizzcon-2013-contests-announced/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/25/blizzcon-2013-contests-announced/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Need another reason to be excited about BlizzCon? For the creative types out there (or those who just enjoy admiring the work of creative types), Blizzard has released a preview of the contest lineup for BlizzCon this November. And, though full details are to follow (including complete rules, guidelines, eligibility information, and submission details), you can start planning work now.


BlizzCon 2013 Contests
BlizzCon 2013 Art Contest
The Art Contest is coming back! We can't wait to see your always impressive original Blizzard-based artwork. Carpe diem-there's no time like now to dream up your next masterpiece in the hope of having it displayed at BlizzCon (and winning some great prizes).

BlizzCon 2013 Original Movie Contest
We're looking forward to screening another brilliant selection of original films based on Blizzard games. Whether it's live action, animated, wholly digital, or a combination, we can't wait to see what you come up with.

BlizzCon 2013 Costume Contest
The Costume Contest makes a triumphant return! Every BlizzCon, you keep upping the ante for amazing costumes, and we're sure this show will be no exception. As you're contemplating what you'd like to create, keep in mind that your safety is of paramount importance-that means that any costume you plan to wear should be something that you can easily see out of and safely maneuver in without assistance. In addition, no real weapons, dangerous materials, or large motorized costumes will be allowed.

And, while the costume contest is definitely something you need to be at the convention for -- remember, there's another round of ticket sales on Saturday and we have some buying tips for hopeful attendees -- the art and movie contests are online contests.

Gallery: BlizzCon 2011 Costume Contest Gallery

WoW InsiderBlizzCon 2013 contests announced originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 25 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>blizzconblizzcon-2013blizzcon-2013-contestsblizzcon-art-contestblizzcon-contestblizzcon-contestsblizzcon-costume-contestblizzcon-machinima-contestblizzcon-movie-contestcostume-contestmachinima-contestmovie-contestElizabeth HarperThu, 25 Apr 2013 20:00:00 ESTFirst round of BlizzCon tickets sold outhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/first-round-of-blizzcon-tickets-sold-out/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/first-round-of-blizzcon-tickets-sold-out/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/first-round-of-blizzcon-tickets-sold-out/#commentsFiled under:

First round of BlizzCon tickets sold out
As has been the case in years prior, if you didn't get into tonight's ticket queue within the first half of the first second of availability, you were out of luck. BlizzCon tickets have already sold out. If you didn't get lucky today, don't panic quite yet -- there's another round of ticket sales on Saturday, April 27 at 10 a.m. PDT.

WoW InsiderFirst round of BlizzCon tickets sold out originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 24 Apr 2013 22:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>blizzcon-ticketsticket-salesAlex ZiebartWed, 24 Apr 2013 22:24:00 ESTWhat does Blizzard need to do to make this BlizzCon epic?http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/19/what-does-blizzard-need-to-do-to-make-this-blizzcon-epic/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/19/what-does-blizzard-need-to-do-to-make-this-blizzcon-epic/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/19/what-does-blizzard-need-to-do-to-make-this-blizzcon-epic/#commentsFiled under:


I've been thinking a lot lately about the future of WoW and how a game company will need to adapt to continue to grow an eight-year old game. This is entirely new territory for a blockbuster franchise, and Blizzard needs to be its stewards. A large part of this stewardship is how the game's major updates will get rolled out. Now I'm not talking about the pomp and circumstance that comes with a BlizzCon, but the actual content of the updates and how it relates to the event of BlizzCon.

A good example of a lot of pageantry but little (end-game, at least) content was what happened with Cataclysm. There was gigantic roll out of the expansion -- probably Blizzard's best. Designers had their ideas lined up, artists had the major artwork done, and the story was known from the outset. There wasn't much to be left to the imagination after BlizzCon, and that's okay. But then the title released and the end game didn't live up to expectations. So while BlizzCon was epic, the good feelings didn't last.

What's important for Blizzard at this year's BlizzCon is to make those good feeling last. The community needs to be reinvigorated about the game. There needs to be substantial reasons why we should continue stomping around Azeroth, fighting and working our way towards the end goal (whatever that is in an MMO). A new expansion will do this, of course, but it can't just be another run of the mill expansion. It needs to be something cataclysmic (little c).

So what does Blizzard need to do to make this expansion and the announcement happen? What do they need to do to translate the excitement and the interest of BlizzCon to the game's long term stewardship? How will Blizzard make BlizzCon epic?

WoW InsiderWhat does Blizzard need to do to make this BlizzCon epic? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 19 Apr 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>blizzconblizzcon-2013featuredAdam HoliskyFri, 19 Apr 2013 16:00:00 ESTBlizzCon ticket purchasing tipshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/18/blizzcon-ticket-purchasing-tips/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/18/blizzcon-ticket-purchasing-tips/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/18/blizzcon-ticket-purchasing-tips/#commentsFiled under:

BlizzCon tickets go on sale on April 24 at 7pm Pacific time, and again on April 27 at 10am Pacific. Apart from the usual tactics of getting your parents, cousins, and all your friends to refresh the ticket sale page on as many computers as you have at your disposal, there are some other things you need to do to prepare yourself for the ticket purchases. Blizzard Support Forum Agent Roraks has run down the vital list, so check his full posts after the break for more details, but we'll sum it up here:
  • Create a Battle.net account. You probably have one of these already, but don't hold on until April 24 at 6.59pm to make one if you don't. Get ahead of the game!
  • Add a payment method to your account. You'll need to pay for the tickets somehow, so adding one, or even several payment methods is a very good idea. Just in case your preferred one doesn't work, it's also a good idea to have a backup method available. If you've had your battle.net account all set up for a while, check that your payment methods are still valid and correct.
  • Blizzard also recommend that you contact your bank, or financial institution, so that they don't assume a $175 payment to someone you usually give $14.99 is fraudulent. If they think it's fraud, they may block the transaction.
  • Set up your cookies! If your browser is not set up to allow and automatically refresh cookies, you will be unable to move forward in the queue for tickets and may even lose your place within it. There are several guides linked in Roraks' post after the break.
  • Keep an eye on your email! A confirmation will be sent there, if it doesn't show up you'll need to go back to the store to confirm it.
And good luck! Hit the break for the full post.

Continue reading BlizzCon ticket purchasing tips

WoW InsiderBlizzCon ticket purchasing tips originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 18 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>blizzconblizzcon-2013blizzcon-2013-ticketsblizzcon-ticketsOlivia GraceThu, 18 Apr 2013 20:00:00 ESTBlizzCon tickets go on sale April 24 and 27http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/04/blizzcon-tickets-go-on-sale-april-24-and-27/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/04/blizzcon-tickets-go-on-sale-april-24-and-27/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/04/blizzcon-tickets-go-on-sale-april-24-and-27/#commentsFiled under:

BlizzCon 2013 tickets are $175 and will go on sale at the following times:
  • Wednesday, April 24 at 7 p.m. PDT
  • Saturday, April 27 at 10 a.m. PDT
BlizzCon takes place November 8 and 9 this year at the same place it's always been: the Anaheim Convention Center outside of LA. For those that cannot attend in person, a virtual ticket will be made available. And of course, we'll also have around the clock coverage on WoW Insider.

Tickets to BlizzCon have normally sold out in seconds (literally), so you'll need to be at your computer at the times above, be very quick, and have a lot of luck in order to get one.

Good luck! The full announcement is after the break.

Continue reading BlizzCon tickets go on sale April 24 and 27

WoW InsiderBlizzCon tickets go on sale April 24 and 27 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 04 Apr 2013 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>blizzcon-2013blizzcon-2013-ticketsblizzcon-ticketsbreakingAdam HoliskyThu, 04 Apr 2013 10:10:00 ESTWRUP: Our crystal ballshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/03/02/wrup-our-crystal-balls/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/03/02/wrup-our-crystal-balls/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/03/02/wrup-our-crystal-balls/#commentsFiled under: ,

WRUP Our crystal balls
It's like someone announced some big giant party. Oh? You mean BlizzCon in November? Yeah, that might be what we're thinking of. So it's time for your intrepid team of WoW Insider journalists to break out our crystal balls... and tell you what we think will go down.

Anne Stickney (@Shadesogrey) I'm going to be helping my dad - he's remodeling the atrium. It is a messy task but loads of fun! And also I have raiding on Sunday, which has returned to being loads of fun, too. Bonus answer: Expansion announcement, I'm hoping outer space because draenei, maybe new character models, maybe also a hint or two about Titan. So many possibilities this year for cool information, really!

Continue reading WRUP: Our crystal balls

WoW InsiderWRUP: Our crystal balls originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sat, 02 Mar 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>blizzconwrupMichael GraySat, 02 Mar 2013 14:00:00 ESTWoW Insider's favorite BlizzCon memorieshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/wow-insiders-favorite-blizzcon-memories/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/wow-insiders-favorite-blizzcon-memories/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/wow-insiders-favorite-blizzcon-memories/#commentsFiled under:

blizzcon favorites
With another BlizzCon on the horizon, the WoW community has been abuzz with excitement -- and the WoW Insider team is no exception. But what are we to do with all of this excitement and still 9 months to BlizzCon? Why, relive BlizzCons past, of course! There have been a lot of great moments at BlizzCon over the years -- from expansion announcements to the costume contests to the open Q&A sessions with the developers -- but when I asked the WoW Insider staff what their favorite memories of BlizzCons past, it was almost entirely about the people rather than the event itself.

So just what were the WoW Insider crew's favorite BlizzCon moments? Read on to find out.

Gallery: BlizzCon 2011 Costume Contest Gallery

Continue reading WoW Insider's favorite BlizzCon memories

WoW InsiderWoW Insider's favorite BlizzCon memories originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>blizzardblizzard-blizzconblizzconblizzcon-2013wow-blizzardwow-blizzconwow-blizzcon-2013wow-insider-blizzconElizabeth HarperMon, 25 Feb 2013 13:00:00 ESTWeekly news roundup with Panser of TradeChathttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/02/23/weekly-news-roundup-with-panser-of-tradechat/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/02/23/weekly-news-roundup-with-panser-of-tradechat/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/02/23/weekly-news-roundup-with-panser-of-tradechat/#commentsFiled under:

TradeChat's Panser returns with this week's WoW Insider news recap, where we look back at the hottest news from the past week and whatever other kickin' rad things may have come our way. This week's topics include: If you enjoyed the show, make sure to subscribe to TradeChat, leave a comment, and come back next week for the next episode!

WoW InsiderWeekly news roundup with Panser of TradeChat originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sat, 23 Feb 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>daniellenewspansertradechatweekly-newsMichael GraySat, 23 Feb 2013 14:00:00 ESTBlizzCon 2013: November 8 and 9 in Anaheim, CAhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/02/19/blizzcon-2013-november-8-and-9/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/02/19/blizzcon-2013-november-8-and-9/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/02/19/blizzcon-2013-november-8-and-9/#commentsFiled under:

Blizzard has just announced that BlizzCon is coming back to the Anaheim Convention Center on Friday, November 8th and Saturday, November 9th, 2013. BlizzCon is a (somewhat) annual convention celebrating all of Blizzard's games and the gigantic community that surrounds them. Ever want to meet up with 25,000 other WoW players in real life? Now's your chance!

The highlights are the same as years past, including panel discussions on the games, lots of rare merchandise, great entertainment, and demos of the latest games (hopefully including the next expansion, although we don't know anything, so we're just hoping).

Tickets tend to be expensive, well over $100, and are very hard to come by. The date the tickets go on sale has not been announced yet, but when those dates come (usually tickets are on sale two times, one on a week day and one on a weekend), you'll want to be sure to be sitting at your computer clicking like crazy to get in the virtual line. Tickets sell out within a second or two. For those of you looking to book hotels already, check out Blizzard's hotel info page.

On our front, we don't have anything to announce yet about the reader meetup we've thrown every year. In 2011 we teamed up with Wowhead and Gamebreaker.TV to put on what many considered to be the opening act of BlizzCon. It was a great time had by all, and when we know more about what'll go down, we'll let you know.

Blizzard
BLIZZCON!!!!!! The seventh BlizzCon is coming to the Anaheim Convention Center Friday, November 8 and Saturday, November 9, 2013. Those who join us for this epic community gathering will experience two solid days of hands-on time with the latest Blizzard games, in-depth developer discussion panels, intense eSports action featuring some of the top players in the world, and a variety of other exciting activities and events. Further details on the show, including ticket pricing and availability, will be posted here on BlizzCon.com at a later date. In the meantime, check out the press release for more info and prepare to help us blow Anaheim's mind.


You can read the full press release on Blizzard's site.

Gallery: BlizzCon 2011 Costume Contest Gallery


Gallery: BlizzCon 2011 Costumes

WoW InsiderBlizzCon 2013: November 8 and 9 in Anaheim, CA originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 19 Feb 2013 09:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>blizzcon 2013blizzcon 2013 ticketsblizzcon-2013blizzcon-anaheimblizzcon2013blizzcon2013ticketsbreakingAdam HoliskyTue, 19 Feb 2013 09:05:00 ESTTrade in your real currency for toy currency today!http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/trade-in-your-real-currency-for-toy-currency-today/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/trade-in-your-real-currency-for-toy-currency-today/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/trade-in-your-real-currency-for-toy-currency-today/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Earlier today, the European Battle.net community site announced the release of both the latest set of collectible World of Warcraft action figures and a brand new collection of Alliance- and Horde-themed coins. ... Wait a second, haven't we seen those coins before?

Oh. Yeah. We did. We saw them at Comic-Con in 2009. I'm going to cut Blizzard a break on this one and assume it doesn't control DC Direct's production and distribution facilities. So ... DC, this one's for you. Holy crap, guys. Almost three years ago! Three!

Well, anyway, if you're looking to spend your hard-earned coins on different coins that aren't worth as much as the ones you started with, you can purchase them on the North American Blizzard Store for $49.99 USD per set or on the European Blizzard Store for £56.95.

WoW InsiderTrade in your real currency for toy currency today! originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>blizzconbreakingcoinscomic-concomiccondc-directdc-unlimitedworld-of-warcraft-collectibleswow-coinswow-collectiblesAlex ZiebartFri, 10 Feb 2012 16:00:00 ESTBashiok on BlizzCon: "It makes sense to focus our efforts"http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/bashiok-on-blizzcon-it-makes-sense-to-focus-our-efforts/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/bashiok-on-blizzcon-it-makes-sense-to-focus-our-efforts/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/bashiok-on-blizzcon-it-makes-sense-to-focus-our-efforts/#commentsFiled under: ,

In case you hadn't already heard, there won't be a BlizzCon 2012. While I personally have never gone, many of the staffers here have and are sad pandas that they won't get to this year, as I gather are a lot of you as well. Our friend Bashiok answered a forum thread on the news with the reasoning behind it.

Bashiok - No Blizzcon
Yeah it's a bit disappointing because we all really do enjoy being able to 'open the doors' so to speak. But, it is an enormous effort by all employees, including our game designers and artists, not to mention customer support and quality assurance, PR, our business departments, and *hot breath on fingernails & shirt rub* Community & eSports to make a BlizzCon happen. In a year when we're working to release multiple titles (knock on wood) it makes sense to focus our efforts. Also with multiple game releases we just wonder if we'd be at a point with any of them where we'd have anything really big or new or cool to talk about.

We didn't have a BlizzCon in 2006 either, and at that time we were really strong on the idea that BlizzCon isn't really supposed to be and doesn't have to be an annual event. Of course then we have it for five straight years in a row... which obviously built some expectation.

Personally I always enjoy seeing the excitement, the rushing crowds, hearing the clicking of mice on the demo stations, and waiting in agony as the seconds countdown to an announcement and then the waves of emotion from the crowd that follow it. But thinking about our year and what we're trying to get done already without a BlizzCon, and having to think pretty hard about what we'd have to announce or demo, it just makes sense to me not to have one.

Here's to the Battle.net World Championship, it's going to be awesome, and to a bigger and better BlizzCon in 2013.


So there you have it. With multiple titles aimed for release this year, not only would it be a lot of work to also run a convention, but then the convention wouldn't have much to show, since all the titles would have been released beforehand. While this is sad news, it does definitely make me think we're going to be running around Pandaria (and freeing Sanctuary, and dealing with the Zerg) well before the middle of this year.
The news is out -- we'll be playing Mists of Pandaria! Find out what's in store with an all-new talent system, peek over our shoulder at our Pandaren hands-on, and get ready to battle your companion pets against others. It's all here right at WoW Insider!

WoW InsiderBashiok on BlizzCon: "It makes sense to focus our efforts" originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>BashiokBlizzConblizzcon-2011ForumNo-BlizzconMatthew RossiWed, 25 Jan 2012 15:00:00 ESTNo BlizzCon in 2012, Battle.net championship to be held in Asiahttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/no-blizzcon-in-2012-battle-net-championship-to-be-held-in-asia/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/no-blizzcon-in-2012-battle-net-championship-to-be-held-in-asia/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/no-blizzcon-in-2012-battle-net-championship-to-be-held-in-asia/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Blizzard has announced that the 2012 Battle.net World Championshop will be taking place in Asia at the end of the year. In the past, these Battle.net World Championship events were part of the BlizzCon celebrations, with the StarCraft Gaming League having its first ever final matchup on U.S. shores in 2011.

No BlizzCon in 2012.
In light of our jam-packed schedule, we've decided to hold the next BlizzCon in 2013.


Hit the jump for the full announcement. We have not had any other official word from Blizzard, but we will let you know as soon as we do.

Continue reading No BlizzCon in 2012, Battle.net championship to be held in Asia

WoW InsiderNo BlizzCon in 2012, Battle.net championship to be held in Asia originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>blizzconblizzcon-2012blizzcon-2013no-blizzcon-2012Mathew McCurleyWed, 25 Jan 2012 08:12:00 ESTThe Care and Feeding of Warriors: Class and specialization abilities in Mists of Pandariahttp://wow.joystiq.com/2011/11/26/warriors-class-and-specialization-abili/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/11/26/warriors-class-and-specialization-abili/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/11/26/warriors-class-and-specialization-abili/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Every week, WoW Insider brings you The Care and Feeding of Warriors, the column dedicated to arms, fury and protection warriors. Despite repeated blows to the head from dragons, demons, Old Gods and whatever that thing over there was, Matthew Rossi will be your host.

Continuing the discussion from a month ago, we look again at the three specializations for warriors in Mists of Pandaria. We can do this because Blizzard itself has released the talent calculator for the expansion, and it has loads of information for us to go over. The calculator lists class abilities and specialization only abilities in addition to talents, which means we now have more details to examine in terms of what's coming.

One thing I noted immediately was that yes, arms is going to be the only tree with Colossus Smash. It will be an ability gained at level 81, and the redesigned CS also applies the current Blood Frenzy debuff rather than its being applied via bleeds. Since this is what we expected would happen with arms in Mists back when we talked about it in October, I think it's OK if we pat ourselves on the back here, fellow warriors. We saw this coming.

Since we have three specs to talk about, let's get started. There's a lot of ground to cover in Pandaria's new talent scheme.

Continue reading The Care and Feeding of Warriors: Class and specialization abilities in Mists of Pandaria

WoW InsiderThe Care and Feeding of Warriors: Class and specialization abilities in Mists of Pandaria originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sat, 26 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>class-helpguideMists-of-Pandaira-Talent-Calculatormists-of-pandariamists-of-pandaria-talent-changestalenttalentswarrior-guidewarrior-infoworld-of-warcraft-class-guideworld-of-warcraft-guidewow-class-guidewow-class-helpwow-guidewow-talent-guidewow-warriorwow-warrior-infoMatthew RossiSat, 26 Nov 2011 20:00:00 ESTIs it time to kill the global cooldown?http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/11/15/is-it-time-to-kill-the-global-cooldown/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/11/15/is-it-time-to-kill-the-global-cooldown/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/11/15/is-it-time-to-kill-the-global-cooldown/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

OK, so I was playing some Diablo III beta last night. Since this is a site that covers World of Warcraft, I'll just say that the little snippet I managed to play through before passing out was such that I could describe it in superlatives. But one of the things I noticed when playing was that the barbarian class plays absolutely perfectly to me. There are attacks that gain you the resource (fury) that you then spend on larger, more punishing attacks. You can spam those fury-gathering attacks; there's nothing limiting you from making them. You could hammer the keyboard all night if you wanted to. And it felt good.

This is when I realized that I hate the global cooldown. I guess it's double kudos to Blizzard that it got me to accept the global cooldown for seven years and then got me to despise it with another of its own games. Looking over the list of class abilities not affected by it, I find myself starting to wonder if it even serves a purpose anymore. Or is it just a holdover from the game's original design?

Continue reading Is it time to kill the global cooldown?

WoW InsiderIs it time to kill the global cooldown? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 15 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Auto-Attackauto-shotdiablo-iii-betagame-balanceGCDGlobal CooldownGlobal-CooldownGlobalCooldownMists-of-PandariaMonkMatthew RossiTue, 15 Nov 2011 17:00:00 ESTLichborne: BlizzCon cause and effect for death knights in patch 4.3http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/11/08/death-knights-patch-4-3-blizzcon/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/11/08/death-knights-patch-4-3-blizzcon/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/11/08/death-knights-patch-4-3-blizzcon/#commentsFiled under: , ,

darkmoon arena
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Lichborne for blood, frost, and unholy death knights. In the post-Cataclysm era, death knights are no longer the new kids on the block. Let's show the other classes how a hero class gets things done.

So the past few weeks have actually been pretty exciting for death knights. We saw a lot of new info come out of BlizzCon, including getting a couple long-standing questions answered with new updates to the patch 4.3 PTR. Today, we'll cover the basics of what we discussed with the devs at BlizzCon and see what fruit those discussions have borne on the PTR itself.

Bloody questions

One of the first questions asked at the Class Q&A on BlizzCon 2011 day two was more of a laundry list of blood death knight grievances, such as our issues with spike damage and with avoidance working against mastery. While we have gotten a good bit of dev love on the forums on these beefs, it was actually pretty nice to see it answered candidly on stage, if only to see a dev give an on-the-spot, straight-up answer.

Continue reading Lichborne: BlizzCon cause and effect for death knights in patch 4.3

WoW InsiderLichborne: BlizzCon cause and effect for death knights in patch 4.3 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 08 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>acherusblizzcon-2011blood-death-knight-lichborneblood-presenceclass-helpcritical-strikecritical-strike-ratingdeath-knight-blood-lichbornedeath-knight-guidedeath-knight-infodeath-knight-starting-armordeath-knight-talentsdeath-knight-unholy-lichbornedk-guidedk-infodk-talentsebon-holdfeaturedghoulguideguide-to-death-knightsheartlessmagdalenamasterymastery-ratingmight-of-the-frozen-wastespatch-4.3quartermaster-ozorgraise-deadreplica-armorreplica-setsstarting-zone-armorsummon-gargoyletalenttalentsunholy-death-knight-lichborneworld-of-warcraft-class-guideworld-of-warcraft-guideworld-of-warcraft-patch-4.3wow-class-guidewow-class-helpwow-death-knightwow-dkwow-guidewow-patchwow-patch-4.3wow-patch-4.3-newswow-patch-newswow-talent-guideDaniel WhitcombTue, 08 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST