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Chris Metzen looks tired.
The normally indefatigable senior vice president of story and franchise development, no doubt taxed by myriad projects, falls over his words and momentarily pauses during the Mists of Pandaria press event at Blizzard's sprawling Los Angeles headquarters.
Then, with traditional Metzen panache, a few jokes are cracked and it's back to business.
Blizzard today announced World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria. Blizzard’s objective is to create new gameplay experiences. Whereas previous World of Warcraft expansions have always focused on an apocalyptic enemy, Mists of Pandaria wants to get back to Warcraft II – focusing on the conflict between the Alliance and the Horde.
The expansion introduces a new continent, Pandaria. It has a pan-Asian theme and is home to the Pandaren race. It is a single, unified continent much as Outland and Northrend were before it.
Following Deathwing’s fall, the Horde and Alliance resume their hostilities. After a devastating naval battle, both factions wash up on the shores of a new continent, Pandaria. The land had been shrouded in mist ever since the Sundering. The objective in the expansion is to save Pandaria from being consumed by the Horde and Alliance war machines.
Speaking at BlizzCon this morning, Blizzard's senior vice-president of story and development Chris Metzen revealed World of Warcraft's latest expansion.
Mists of Pandaria will be set in the new continent of Pandaria, and will see World of Warcraft's level cap raised to 90.
The new expansion will also feature new dungeons, new PvP content and a new talent system, as well as the introduction of the Pandaren race, and the Monk class. Pandaren will be playable as both Alliance and Horde.
The games industry is unique in a number of ways. It’s certainly the youngest of the major entertainment forms and, arguably, it’s also the spriteliest. Native to computers and later to the Internet, games have thrived where the rotund film, music and television industries have recently been emaciated.
But games also have a unique relationship with their audience. The cost and complexity of games creates a barrier to entry that often makes them seem arcane to those who are merely passing curious. On the other hand, those with the requisite skill-set and interest to graduate to gamerdom are soon endowed with an emotional and financial attachment to their favourite titles and to the industry, which sees them more engaged and invested than they might be with other forms of entertainment.
The same can rarely be said of the one-night stands so many of us regularly carry out with film and TV: So it’s so super-awesome that you’re still here, Dame Judi Dench, but I have this thing on soon. There’s a bus timetable on the fridge and half a fare’s worth of change on the counter – by Thundera, if you’ve stretched out my original Atari tee...
World of Warcraft creator Blizzard Entertainment has registered a new trademark for “Mists of Pandaria”.
In Warcraft lore, the Pandaren are an elusive Panda-like race inspired by Chinese history. Like dwarfs, they have a penchant for the brewing of ales.
The Pandaren were initially conceived as an April Fools’ joke but quickly gained traction with Blizzard’s fanbase.
Blizzard has today announced that World of Warcraft is free-to-play up to level 20.
Previously, the World of Warcraft trial program had lasted from 10 to 14 days.
Now called the Starter Edition, the trial also includes access to The Burning Crusade expansion, meaning players can choose the Draenei and Blood Elf races.
Blizzard has defied convention and announced dates earlier than usual for BlizzCon 2011. The gathering will take place on the 21st and 22nd of October at the Anaheim Convention Center in California.
BlizzCon is a celebration of all things Blizzard and the company’s primary platform for announcements and revelations regarding its blockbuster franchises Warcraft, StarCraft and Diablo.
Ticket sales haven’t been announced but they usually sell out within seconds of becoming available, so if you happen to know you’ll be in California in October, or if you’re considering heading to the event, watch this space closely.
This special edition collector’s set will feature an inventory of rare, exclusive items created to commemorate the launch of your epic quest into Azeroth, including:
<li> The full game on both CD-ROM and DVD-ROM
<li> 1-month subscription to World of Warcraft
<li> The Art of World of Warcraft, 200+ page hardcover art book
<li> World of Warcraft Behind-the-Scenes DVD
<li> Exclusive in-game pet
<li> Official soundtrack
<li> Cloth map charting the continents of Kalimdor, Azeroth, Khaz Modan, and Lordaeron
<li> Signed Collector’s Edition game manual
<li> 10-Day Free Guest Pass – invite one of your friends to join the epic quest
Four years have passed since the aftermath of Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, and a great tension now smolders throughout the ravaged world of Azeroth. As the battle-worn races begin to rebuild their shattered kingdoms, new threats, both ancient and ominous, arise to plague the world once again.
World of Warcraft is an online role-playing experience set in the award-winning Warcraft universe. Players assume the roles of Warcraft heroes as they explore, adventure, and quest across a vast world. Being "Massively Multiplayer," World of Warcraft allows thousands of players to interact within the same world. Whether adventuring together or fighting against each other in epic battles, players will form friendships, forge alliances, and compete with enemies for power and glory.
A dedicated live team will create a constant stream of new adventures to undertake, lands to explore, and monsters to vanquish. This content ensures that the game will never be the same from month to month, and will continue to offer new challenges and adventures for years to come.
Features:
<li> Adventure together with thousands of other players simultaneously.
<li> Explore an expansive world with miles of forests, deserts, snow-blown mountains, and other exotic lands.
<li> Join the Horde or the Alliance as one of 8 playable races.
<li> Select from 9 classes, including holy Paladins, shape-shifting Druids, powerful Warriors and Mages, demon-summoning Warlocks, and more.
<li> Encounter many familiar and new Warcraft characters and monsters.
<li> Enjoy hundreds of hours of gameplay with new quests, items, and adventures every month.
<li> Journey through an epic world filled with dungeons of different styles and depths.
<li> Explore 6 huge capital cities, which serve as major hubs for the races inhabiting them.
<li> Practice various trade skills to help locate reagents, make and enhance custom items, acquire wealth through trade with other players, and more.
<li> Purchase tickets for travel along a number of air routes flown by creatures such as Gryphons and Wyverns. For global transportation, travel by Boat or Goblin Zeppelin.
<li> Once a certain level has been achieved, players can choose to purchase permanent personal mounts, such as Dire Wolves and Horses.
<li> Establish a guild, purchase a custom guild tabard, and promote or demote recruits to different ranks within the guild.
<li> Locate and engage other players with easy-to-use features and tools, including chat channels, friends lists, and animated and audible character expressions.
<li> Customize the game’s interface via XML.
<li> Enjoy hundreds of hours of gameplay with new quests, items, and adventures every month.
