Month: October 2009

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 a whole 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 the Battle.net site or read the FAQ.

Brought to you straight from a printing press deep in the frozen hills of Icecrown, the new edition of the Gadgetzan Times has hit the stands and is packed full of Azerothian goodness. In this issue:

• You No Take Candle!: A new kobold poem that is all the rage
• The Airstrip: A tale of a warlock down on his luck, but seeking new frontiers in Northrend
• The Heart of Battle: A priest wins the day in the hotly contested Warsong Gulch
• New Holiday-Themed Crossword Puzzle
• Fresh classifieds hot off the presses
• Holiday calendar

Have a tale to tell or need to get the word out in a classified ad? Submit your stories and new classifieds here.

Countless heroes and villains have played a part in the ever-changing tableau of Azeroth’s history. In the upcoming World of Warcraft content patch, two will step forward to confront the Lich King Arthas — one a former friend, the other a former servant — in the Icecrown Citadel: The Frozen Halls dungeon.

Learn more about Jaina Proudmoore of the Alliance and Sylvanas Windrunner, Banshee Queen of the Forsaken, on our new bio page.

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.

With the legendary heroes Highlord Tirion Fordring of the Argent Crusade and Highlord Darion Mograine of the Knights of the
Ebon Blade joining forces to lead the charge through the fortified gates of Icecrown Citadel, members of the Horde directed
by High Overlord Saurfang, and Alliance marshalled by King Varian Wyrnn, will be called to end the reign of the Lich King
once and for all. It may be the greatest challenge our most courageous adventurers have yet seen. With animosity between the
Horde and Alliance building, and the most potent forces of the Scourge standing between the front gates of the citadel and
the Frozen Throne, the task is nigh impossible.

Let us take you through our latest preview,
Icecrown Citadel: The Frozen Throne, the
upcoming epic raid dungeon in patch 3.3.

Congratulations once again to the winners of the tournament stage matches at BlizzCon 2009!

• Warcraft III Winner: Lyn (Korea)
• StarCraft Winner: Effort (Korea)
• World of Warcraft Arena Winner: TSG (North America)

If you want to relive your favorite moments from this year’s tournaments, we’ve got you covered. The Videos on Demand (VODs) for the featured stage matches from the World of Warcraft and RTS stages are now available on our video archive for your viewing pleasure. You can also find the Warcraft III and StarCraft replays on our tournament brackets, which feature most of the games that weren’t shown on stage. Please note that you need to have the appropriate game installed to view the replays. Don’t forget to check out the exciting matches of your favorite teams and players.

Each year, the Harvest Festival commemorates those who have sacrificed their lives for the sake of others. The Alliance honors the memory of all the fallen, but most especially Uther Lightbringer. The Horde also remembers those who have fallen, with special emphasis on the memory of Grom Hellscream. Be sure to sample the free food and drink commemorating the occasion. The Harvest Festival runs until October 3.

The new official Blizzard Entertainment channel on YouTube is now live! Check out high-quality streaming versions of our cinematics, gameplay trailers, and in-game movies. Make sure to come back often, as we will be adding even more video content in the weeks ahead.