Ucigasa - World Of Warcraft

Happy Holidays from the World of Warcraft team! Here’s a small present to tide you over until the new year.

The Pet Battle page has just been added to the World of Warcraft Game Guide. On this page, you’ll find a presentation of the Pet Battle system, and a summary of the achievements and benefits that can be earned while challenging other players and taming wild pets.

In just a few steps, you’ll discover how to start your pet taming career. And who knows –  you may soon be on your way to becoming the ultimate Pet Battler!

Check out the new Pet Battle page to find out how the Pet Battle system works. Already battling, or can’t wait to try it out? Let us know what your favorite pets are in the comments below!

2012 was a busy year for the community team. There were many exciting challenges to overcome and evolving projects to wrench by the horns, and in these final days we’re preparing ourselves for the road that lay ahead (assuming the road still exists after tomorrow). As we began to calculate the initiatives we have lined up for next year and assess the environmental confines of our department here at Blizzard headquarters, a single concept became illuminated with a blinding simplicity: We need more meeting rooms!

Bashiok put it plainly: “Zarhym, we have to ‘meet.’ See, meetings are where we discuss ‘info,’ and info is what gives players a reason to post on the forums. If there's no info, they can't post. If they can't post, they can't forums. If they can't forums, they can't fall in love, and then I'm history.”

It wasn’t quite clear what he was getting at, but then, upon a soothing voice from beyond [the cube wall], a brilliant question floated: “What about raiding the Closet space?”

   

Lylirra titled the right one: "Zarhym Shrugged."

The Closet, or There and Back Again

With a door that lets people in and out, but never seems to open, the community team’s Closet inhabits a space beyond our plane of existence. Only through the recitation of recently discovered incantations etched on Excel spreadsheets, and oaths forged in black Sharpie, have we, at last, managed to attune ourselves to this dungeon. And lo, the artifacts we found were plentiful, entombed in a series of cardboard coffins on musty shelves that stretched far and wide. These items of yore, we realized, were the perfect possessions to part with in the spirit of giving for the holidays!

We’ve catalogued the spoils of our intractable war with the dust mites dwelling in our mystical Closet, and, at the expense of a few hundred carrier pigeons, we tossed the riches to a number of worthy allies in the community. Many of these treasures are of a most rare quality and cannot be found anywhere anymore. (When was the last time you saw a signed standard edition copy of Wrath of the Lich King?)

Pop Quiz: From what year is that BlizzCon bag Lylirra's grasping?

This sweet loot has now been divvied up amongst many different sites, and we’re letting them set the terms for how and when it’s all given away. Below we reveal the sites that received packages from us, as well as what loot we sent out . . . but you’ll have to be sedulous in your pursuit if you want to find out when and where which items will appear! We have full faith in your sedulity.

Loot List (Checked it Twice)

• Mists of Pandaria standard copies* (pretty much over 50!)
• Mists of Pandaria Collector’s Edition copies*, autographed by the development team (we’re pretty sure over 50!)
• Warcraft III Action Figures
• Taverncraft World of Warcraft Steins
• SoundBlaster World of Warcraft Headsets
• SteelSeries World of Warcraft keyboards, mice, and mousepads
• World of Warcraft MegaBloks
• Diablo III stuff, and more still!

*These copies can only be claimed with North American game licenses.

   

Bashiok decides The Daily Blink gets to take the perky pug home.

Gift Givers

• /r/WoW
• AtheneLOL
• BlizzPlanet
• Curse
• Gamersbook
• Icy Veins
• Legendary, GameBreaker
• Machinima
• MMORPG
• OMFGCata
• Oxhorn Brand Movies
• Swifty
• Ten Ton Hammer
• The Daily Blink
• The Instance
• TradeChat
• WoW Insider
• Wowcrendor
• ZAM

And other things happened.

Good luck to everyone who participates in the quest for giveaways. We now have a room ready for retrofitting with meeting materials, and for that we thank you.

P.S. Here’s a picture of my cat and me. BFFs for nearly fifteen years.

Each year the people of Azeroth count their blessings, cross their daggers, tuck a shrunken head (or two) under their pillows, and wish upon a star that Greatfather Winter will bring them just what they’ve always wanted. It won’t be long until colorfully wrapped presents appear under the trees in the great cities of Orgrimmar and Ironforge. Until that day arrives, there’s still time to write a letter to Greatfather Winter and post it below. There’s no guarantee that he’ll bring you what you want, but it doesn’t hurt to ask!

The penultimate chapter of Li Li’s Travel Journal is now available in the Destination: Pandaria section of the World of Warcraft website.

As Li Li’s journey through the lands of her ancestors draws to a close, her expedition takes her to more and more exotic (and dangerous!) regions of Pandaria. In this chapter, Li Li finds herself on top of one of Pandaria’s most significant cultural sites: The Serpent’s Spine. Separating the lands of the pandaren from what lies in the Townlong Steppes and beyond, the enormous fortified wall known as the Serpent’s Spine has stood for millennia. But even this massive barrier, which had been thought to be virtually impenetrable, does have its weak spots... as Li Li is about to find out first-hand.

Read Chapter 10: The Townlong Steppes now!

Download the new wallpaper now!

The penultimate chapter of Li Li’s Travel Journal is now available in the Destination: Pandaria section of the World of Warcraft website.

As Li Li’s journey through the lands of her ancestors draws to a close, her expedition takes her to more and more exotic (and dangerous!) regions of Pandaria. In this chapter, Li Li finds herself on top of one of Pandaria’s most significant cultural sites: The Serpent’s Spine. Separating the lands of the pandaren from what lies in the Townlong Steppes and beyond, the enormous fortified wall known as the Serpent’s Spine has stood for millennia. But even this massive barrier, which had been thought to be virtually impenetrable, does have its weak spots... as Li Li is about to find out first-hand.

Read Chapter 10: The Townlong Steppes now!

Download the new wallpaper now!

Time flies when you’re having fun, and that’s no less true for those who have graciously taken time to participate in the Guild Mentoring Program. We’ve seen a plethora of new heroes pass through the halls of some great guilds—who have volunteered their time and expertise to guide new and old players alike into the vast expanses of World of Warcraft. The program ends on December 18 and we’ll be taking all of the information and feedback we’ve collected and looking at how we may better support similar initiatives in the future.

A sincere “thank you” goes out to the following participating guilds for placing themselves at the frontlines of training the next generation of heroes. If you’re new to the game, or are just looking for a friendly guild, we heartily recommend looking up any of these outfits for a potential home.

Aggramar
Alliance – Legendary
Horde - Knight Stalkers

Azuremyst
Alliance – Mordax
Horde - The Crimson Guard

Blackhand
Alliance - Silentium
Horde - Exile

Cenarius
Alliance - The Queens Knights
Horde - Pwny Express

Dalaran
Alliance - Dark Sun Knights
Horde - Dalaran Misfits

Dath'Remar
Alliance - Hybrid Theory
Horde - Zenith

Doomhammer
Alliance - Conclave
Horde - FREE Guild Perks       

Garona
Alliance - Fair Enough
Horde - Focus Fire

Garrosh
Alliance - Celtic Brotherhood
Horde - Audacity            

Ravencrest
Alliance - Texmex Pack
Horde - The Covenant

Saurfang
Alliance - INTEGRITAS
Horde - Antiquus

Sen'jin
Alliance - Godz of War
Horde - WAR PIGZ          

Shu'halo
Alliance - Ronin
Horde - Renegades

Ysera
Alliance - Breach of Faith
Horde – Myriad

Time flies when you’re having fun, and that’s no less true for those who have graciously taken time to participate in the Guild Mentoring Program. We’ve seen a plethora of new heroes pass through the halls of some great guilds—who have volunteered their time and expertise to guide new and old players alike into the vast expanses of World of Warcraft. The program ends on December 18 and we’ll be taking all of the information and feedback we’ve collected and looking at how we may better support similar initiatives in the future.

A sincere “thank you” goes out to the following participating guilds for placing themselves at the frontlines of training the next generation of heroes. If you’re new to the game, or are just looking for a friendly guild, we heartily recommend looking up any of these outfits for a potential home.

Thunderhorn
Alliance – The One

Azuremyst
Horde – Life Begins
Alliance – Vice Versa

Lightbringer
Horde – The Fearless
Alliance – Chaotic Good

Aggramar
Horde – Warseeker Tribe
Alliance – Enigma

Stormrage
Horde – Wombles of the World
Alliance – Order of Gray

Aszune
Horde – Broken Faith
Alliance – Mea Culpa