[WoW] Official World Of Warcraft Discussion (Patch 1.8 available)

[Ace Rimmer]

I know there is other threads on this game but having all the discussion for it in a thread asking what class you're going to play seems wrong.

Anyway, releases date and pricing have been confirmed, it's posted at www.worldofwarcraft.com

Blizzard Entertainment® today announced that its eagerly awaited massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) World of Warcraft® will be in stores in North America on November 23, 2004. World of Warcraft will launch simultaneously in Australia and New Zealand, and is planned for release in Korea, Europe, and other countries throughout Asia shortly following. With a monthly subscription, players in these regions will soon be able to experience the epic adventure of the Warcraft® series in an immersive and continually evolving online environment.

World of Warcraft will be available for Windows® 98/ME/2000/XP and Macintosh® formats at a suggested retail price of $49.99 in the U.S., and will include a free one-month subscription to the game. The special collector's edition of World of Warcraft will also be available at release for a suggested retail price of $79.99 and will include the World of Warcraft game on both CD-ROM and DVD, a free one-month subscription, a World of Warcraft behind-the-scenes DVD, an exclusive in-game pet, a cloth map of the game world, a soundtrack CD, an Art of the World of Warcraft coffee table book, and a commemorative game manual signed by the development team.

After the initial free one-month subscription ends, players of World of Warcraft will be able to continue playing under one of three different subscription plans. The month-to-month subscription plan costs $14.99 per month, the three-month plan costs $13.99 per month, and the six-month plan costs $12.99 per month. World of Warcraft subscription fees can be paid by major credit card, PayPal, and pre-paid game cards, which will be available in stores where World of Warcraft is sold. World of Warcraft has received a Teen rating from the ESRB.

Definately going the 6 month cheaper plan.

[sWatz]

i dont understand, you spose to buy WOW, then PAY monthly to play it? wtf is that sounds like a rip-off, more ways for them to make a quick dollar.

[garry_starling]

Originally Posted by sWatz

i dont understand, you spose to buy WOW, then PAY monthly to play it? wtf is that sounds like a rip-off, more ways for them to make a quick doller.

yes seems all games are headed that way these days

[Maceo]

Kudos to Blizzard for making this a no-bullshit affair. Can't wait for this game - and only 3 weeks until it hits us.

It also seems like Australia has moved up on the priority list with American game developers... Does it seem interesting to anyone else that we are getting the game before all other countries outside the US (apart from NZ)? Not so long ago we we're waiting months for games to hit our shores - apart from the rare occurance of a worldwide release.

Pricing seems a bit steep but millions of suckers are gonna pay for it without batting an eyelid... including me probably. Ahh well.

Pics anyone?

[sWatz]

Maceo, most American companys now see Australia as a niche market, with minor diffrances in market trends, i supose this could account for one of the reasions we see products quicker than usual.

[surgeon]

Well the reason we are getting WoW before all other countries is because we aren't important enough for our own local servers. With the low pings to the US and relatively low player base I guess some smart cookie figured just let the aussies have a US server

As for the price complaints, how is this different to any of the other MMOG's that have come out recently?. You cant blame them for charging what people will happily pay

[Wizardx8]

Originally Posted by sWatz

i dont understand, you spose to buy WOW, then PAY monthly to play it? wtf is that sounds like a rip-off, more ways for them to make a quick dollar.

OK, here's the deal, this is the way MMORPG's work, like it or leave it. You pay for the game to cover the development costs, and Blizzard are one company that spend a crapload of $$$ polishing the product. I have never found a Blizzard game that did not offer hours upon hours of entertainment, they know their stuff.

The monthly fee is to cover the costs of servers, staff, bandwidth, and also adding new content all the time. I'm quite happy to pay $17 a month for a game that is almost guaranteed to give the amount of enjoyment I am expecting from this title.

[Ringwraith]

Have Aussie prices/fees been confirmed yet?

[gLaCiuS *]

Pricing plan is definitely smart of Blizzard

Can't wait for this game, perfect time for release too, just after exams haha
Hopeing to get in before the newbie areas become completely packed camping spawns etc

It says the collector's edition comes on both CD and DVD, what format is the regular edition in? And also, what is this exclusive in-game pet? I would think it is different to the mounts you get at lvl40ish

[Sabien]

IRVINE, Calif. - November 4, 2004 - Blizzard Entertainment® today announced that its eagerly awaited massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) World of Warcraft® will be in stores in North America on November 23, 2004. World of Warcraft will launch simultaneously in Australia and New Zealand, and is planned for release in Korea, Europe, and other countries throughout Asia shortly following. With a monthly subscription, players in these regions will soon be able to experience the epic adventure of the Warcraft® series in an immersive and continually evolving online environment.

Ummm have another read of this. It says that it is instores in North America on the 23rd and didn't include Aust & NZ in that statement. I wouldn't be expecting it to be released on that date in Aust & NZ. I might be wrong and I hope I am but I called EB and they still say 15/12 for Aust release even with knowledge of the press release.

So they estimate 3 weeks to ship from North America to Australia

[TK421]

Originally Posted by Sabien

...they still say 15/12 for Aust release even with knowledge of the press release... 3 weeks to ship from North America to Australia

Does anyone know if they offer a download purchase? I really don't need yet ANOTHER box on my shelf!!!

[Kaji]

Originally Posted by sWatz

i dont understand, you spose to buy WOW, then PAY monthly to play it? wtf is that sounds like a rip-off, more ways for them to make a quick dollar.

More and more content to the game world is added after release. You're not paying just for using the servers.

Originally Posted by Sabien

Ummm have another read of this. It says that it is instores in North America on the 23rd and didn't include Aust & NZ in that statement. I wouldn't be expecting it to be released on that date in Aust & NZ. I might be wrong and I hope I am but I called EB and they still say 15/12 for Aust release even with knowledge of the press release.

So they estimate 3 weeks to ship from North America to Australia

I believe it will be in Australian stores on the 23rd, other the use of the word "simultaneously" is moot. Don't believe everything that EB says

[dahurldog]

I dont know if this has already been posted, but here is a link for a video to have a look at how it all looks for those who didn't get a beta test back:

http://www.filerush.com/download.php...t=WOWIntro.avi

[gLaCiuS *]

Originally Posted by dahurldog

I dont know if this has already been posted, but here is a link for a video to have a look at how it all looks for those who didn't get a beta test back:

http://www.filerush.com/download.php...t=WOWIntro.avi

That intro is awesome, especially the infernal and NE chick/metamorphosis

Hope they'll make it longer for the official release

[Shimmy]

Originally Posted by sWatz

i dont understand, you spose to buy WOW, then PAY monthly to play it? wtf is that sounds like a rip-off, more ways for them to make a quick dollar.

It's exactly how every one of these games that's been released in the last 7 years has been operating. If you knew how much it costs to run and maintain these games you'd understand that $17 a month is not that bad afterall. If there weren't a monthly fee things would be ALOT worse.

EDIT: also, according to blizzard:

When will the game be released in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand?
The game is scheduled for simultaneous release in the North America, Australia and New Zealand on November 23, 2004.