News World of Warcraft: Cataclysm - Release Date Confirmed

[ray_gillespie]

The release date for the highly anticipated third expansion to World of Warcraft has just been revealed as 7th December 2010. Following on from Wrath of the Lich King, the new expansion 'Cataclysm' raises the level cap from 80 to 85, introduces several new end-game dungeons, two new playable races and drastically re-forges the design of the original two continents after a 'cataclysmic' event.

"Cataclysm includes the best content we've ever created for World of Warcraft," says CEO and Blizzard Entertainment co-founder, Mike Morhaime. "It’s not just an expansion but a re-creation of much of the original Azeroth, complete with epic new high-level adventures for current players and a redesigned leveling experience for those just starting out."

Source: Edge

 

[BouncingSoul]

I'm pumped! A Blue post on MMO Champ said

The expansion will be available on DVD-ROM for Windows(R) XP/Windows Vista(R)/Windows(R) 7 and Macintosh(R) at a suggested retail price of $39.99 and will also be offered as a digital download from the Blizzard Store

No waiting outside of a retailer in 15 degree weather for this nerd!

 

[ray_gillespie]

Lol - I've got it pre-ordered online so will hopefully get it a day or so early, ready for the big midnight switch-on 🙂

 

[ElementalDragon]

ray.... i highly doubt anyone will be getting it a day or two early. I don't recall ever seeing such a thing happen.... at least when it comes to WoW.

Bouncing: You actually have to wait outside stores? Wow..... i could more than likely wander into WalMart mid-day and find ample copies.... just like i did with BC and WotLK.

 

[ray_gillespie]

I got Lich King a day early 🙂 I queued up at midnight to play it with about 100 other people who all had it the day before it was released. It crashed several times mind you...

 

[BouncingSoul]

You could actually play it before the release date? I was under the impression that Blizz wouldn't enable the new content until it was out for everyone. I remember back in BC, I hopped on right when my realm came back up on a patch day (2.3 maybe?) and the patch installed but the game wouldn't launch, it would say "version mismatch" and kick me out. Then the realms went back down for a few more hours.

I wasn't into the game hardcore back when BC came out so I picked it up a few weeks after release. I stood in line for my collectors edition when Wrath came out. But I honestly never used any of the special features so I'm not doing CE this time around, I'll just use my 20 meg connection to download it this time!

 

[ray_gillespie]

No, I never got to play before the release date; it only arrived the day before release. Upon the actual release date, at midnight, the servers were activated and I was ready to play. I would have done as well, had it not crashed almost immediately!

 

[Electronic Punk]

Been on the beta for a while so curious to know about the digital download release as I know the streaming client is well on par... like typical digital downloads I bet it somehow ends up being more expensive than a boxed copy.

 

[ElementalDragon]

Yea... i think that's the one thing that's always a tossup with developers when i comes to digital downloads or retail boxed. You either have to pay for servers to be able to handle the amount of traffic, or pay a publisher to put the game on the shelves.

Bouncing.... i thought about the CE for 5 seconds before i realised that they're milking people for $80 for an expansion, exclusive pet, and a bunch of other crap you'll probably find scans/copies of online within a day or two.

 

[Electronic Punk]

YouTube - Cataclysm Cinematic Intro

😀

 

[LordOfLA]

blizzard digital download is the most expensive way to get the standard edition 🙂

I'm rocking forsaken in the beta. Story is absotively posolutely brill-iant 😀

 

[BouncingSoul]

blizzard digital download is the most expensive way to get the standard edition

Is that speculation or is it confirmed? It isn't up on their store so I can't compare but it certainly sounded like the download version was the same cost as the dvd version.

Also ... How epic is that trailer? I'm so excited, 7 more weeks!

 

[LordOfLA]

Just based on the press release compared to EU retail prices 🙂

 

[ray_gillespie]

Yeah he's right, download will almost certainly be full RRP whereas stores will generally discount. I pre-ordered two copies (one for me and one for wife) a few months ago, costing £16.95 each. I think it'll be a while before the download prices get that low! 😀

 

[BouncingSoul]

Download version preorder is now live. Same price as retail version. I'm all set for midnight!

 

[Electronic Punk]

£20 delivered from Amazon, or £30 direct from Blizz.

 

[BouncingSoul]

Must be nice to live in the UK. Amazon here says $40 just like Blizz.

 

[ElementalDragon]

Yea.... i still really don't know if i wanna grab this day 1..... or even month 1. I'm already gonna have Black Ops.... Assassins Creed: Brotherhood....... possibly Goldeneye 007 for Wii..... and even if i do get Cataclysm.... i'll probably wind up doing the same thing i've done for the last two expansions, too. Resubscribe to WoW for a month, play it for a week, unsubscribe.

 

[rungms]

World of Warcraft: Cataclysm