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World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King PC

Review

With well over ten million people playing the game, any expansion is a must-have for any fan of the game. More so this release, it has more content and depth than the first expansion and brings back a lot of the feel and flavour of the original game release.
 
9.5 / 10
"For the Horde!"
 

Latest updates

PC NEWS
The Middle Kingdom tips Azeroth.
NEWS
Blizzard show Ulduar.
Steelseries World of Warcraft Gear
FEATURE
Gotta have 'em, or just more gimmicks?

World of Warcraft caps 12m subs

PC NEWS by James Cullinane 8 Oct 2010, 9:29 am
 
World of Warcraft caps 12m subs

World of Warcraft now has more than 12 million active subscriptions. Blizzard’s massively multiplayer online game passed the milestone in the wake of the game's second expansion, The Wrath of the Lich King, finally being launched in China and as Western markets gear up for the launch of the third expansion, Cataclysm, on the 7th of December.

As if the above figures didn’t make it abundantly clear, World of Warcraft is the most popular subscription-based MMO in the world.

The game was the worldwide best-selling PC title in 2005 and 2006. In 2007 it came second to its first expansion, The Burning Crusade. In 2008 the second expansion, Warth of the Lich King, was launched and the series claimed three of the top five PC titles for the year.

 

New Lich King trailer released

NEWS by Dan Cheer 27 Feb 2009, 10:07 am
 
New Lich King trailer released

Blizzard have released a new trailer for World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King showcasing Ulduar, the new raid dungeon due to be incorporated in an upcoming patch.

Head over to GP Downloads to take a look - we've added some screenshots below;

 

Steelseries World of Warcraft Gear

FEATURE by Pablo D. 5 Feb 2009, 10:56 am
 
Steelseries World of Warcraft Gear

Of all the games to create software-specific hardware for, World of Warcraft seems to be a no-brainer. With over 11 million registered online users and counting, and a plethora of different commands required to navigate your way through the online game, it appears to be a market ready for some tapping.

Enter Steelseries. The Denmark-based computer hardware manufacturer has been releasing mousepads, mice, headphones and keyboards targeted at gamers since 2001, and recently acquired part of Ideazon, Inc. - producer of the well known Zboard gaming keyboards. So today for your viewing pleasure we have Steelseries' foray into World of Warcraft-branded peripherals - the Limited Edition 'Wrath of the Lich King' Zboard, MMO Gaming Mouse, plus the Qck and 5C mousepads.

WoW: Wrath of the Lich King Zboard - RRP $135.00

 

World of Warcraft hits 11.5m subscribers

NEWS by Dan Cheer 24 Dec 2008, 9:24 am

Blizzard Entertainment today announced that World of Warcraft is now played by more than 11.5 million subscribers worldwide. This new high was reached following the November 13 release of the game's second expansion, Wrath of the Lich King.

Within its first 24 hours of availability, Wrath of the Lich King sold more than 2.8 million copies, making it the fastest-selling PC game of all time. In addition to winning a number of editor's choice awards from major gaming publications, the expansion has now gone on to sell more than 4 million copies in its first month, setting a new record for monthly PC-game sales. Both sales records were previously held by World of Warcraft's first expansion, The Burning Crusade.

"We're pleased to welcome the new and returning players who have helped World of Warcraft reach these new milestones, and we appreciate the enthusiasm and support that the game's global community has continued to show," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "We look forward to providing all of them with an excellent entertainment experience for a long time to come."

 

Lich King sees first level 80

NEWS by Dan Cheer 17 Nov 2008, 10:16 am

Eurogamer have reported that an anonymous subscriber in a French-speaking European server is the first person to hit World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King's level 80 cap.

The player, known only as "Nymh", took a mere 27 hours to achieve this levelling feat, and used a single crypt in the Grizzly Hills area with a high respawn rate.

You can read the full article here.

 

Nov 14th huge day for Kiwi gamers

NEWS by Dan Cheer 14 Nov 2008, 2:58 pm

Activision Blizzard today released three major sequels for their largest gaming franchises, each likely to sell hundreds of thousands of copies and expand content for a phenomenal base of active gamers.

World of Warcraft, with over ten million subscribers and more than 60% of the MMORPG worldwide share, has opened its servers to the second expansion, entitled Wrath of the Lich King.

Wrath of the Lich King adds a host of content to the existing game world. Players will be able to explore a vast new continent, and battle other high-level heroes to determine the fate of Azeroth. This expansion has been in beta for some time now, and you can read our previous findings here.

 

Wrath of the Lich King gets release date

NEWS by Dan Cheer 16 Sep 2008, 9:28 am

Blizzard Entertainment announced today that World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, the second expansion for its award-winning subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), will arrive in stores on November 13 in North America, Europe, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and Russia, and November 14 in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.

The expansion will be available in Korea and the regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau on November 18. Details regarding the launch of Wrath of the Lich King in mainland China will be announced at a later date.

“We’re looking forward to launching Wrath of the Lich King and finally giving World of Warcraft players a chance to take on Arthas and his minions,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “Until then, we’ll continue to refine and playtest the expansion content to make sure it provides a highly polished and entertaining experience.”

 

World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King

PC HANDS ON by Coldy 15 Sep 2008, 3:40 pm
 
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King

I have a confession to make. I am a World of Warcraft addict.

Ever since I was convinced to buy the game by a close friend of mine (that'd be me... sorry! -Ed), I've been hooked. I am, however, in excellent company. Since its initial release in 2004, World of Warcraft has grown to become a gaming phenomenon with legions of fanatical players - fanatical in the kind of way that puts your average religious zealot to shame.

In the past year Blizzard has celebrated a swelling monthly subscription base, too. Staggeringly, there are now more than 10 million accounts worldwide.

 
 
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Game info

Description: The World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Collector's Edition will contain: World of Warcraft: The Wrath of the Lich King on DVD-ROM. The Art of World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, a 208-page book featuring never-before-seen images from the game. An exclusive in-game pe... (more info)
Description: (hide)
The World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Collector's Edition will contain:
  • World of Warcraft: The Wrath of the Lich King on DVD-ROM.
  • The Art of World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, a 208-page book featuring never-before-seen images from the game.
  • An exclusive in-game pet: Frosty, the baby frost wyrm.
  • A behind-the-scenes DVD containing over an hour of developer interviews, the Wrath of the Lich King intro cinematic with director’s commentary, and more.
  • The official soundtrack CD, containing 21 epic tracks from the game, along with exclusive bonus tracks.
  • A mouse pad featuring a map of the newly opened continent of Northrend.
  • Two World of Warcraft Trading Card Game March of the Legion™ starter decks, along with two exclusive cards available only in the Collector’s Edition.

In the cold, harsh northlands...

The Lich King Arthas has set in motion events that could lead to the extinction of all life on Azeroth. With the armies of the undead and the necromantic power of the plague threatening to sweep across the land, only the mightiest heroes can oppose the Lich King's will and end his reign of terror for all time.

Blizzard Entertainment's latest expansion to World of Warcraft – Wrath of the Lich King – adds a host of epic content to the existing game world. Players will achieve soaring levels of power, explore a vast new continent, and battle other high-level heroes to determine the fate of Azeroth. As you pit yourself against the dangers of the north, prepare to:
  • Master the necromantic powers of the Death Knight - World of Warcraft's first Hero class.
  • Quest to level 80, gaining potent new abilities and talents along the way.
  • Learn the craft of spell augmentation with the new Inscription profession.
  • Brave the harsh new continent of Northrend, the icy domain of the Lich King.
  • Engage in epic siege warfare, deploying mighty siege engines to lay waste to destructible buildings in your path.
  • Transform your hero's look with new character-customization options, including new hairstyles and dances.
  • Explore perilous new dungeons filled with some of the deadliest creatures -- and greatest treasures -- on Azeroth.
  • And much, much more...
FAQ:

What are the features of the new expansion?

Wrath of the Lich King builds on the rich foundation established in World of Warcraft and The Burning Crusade, providing a wealth of new content for players to explore. The harsh, forbidding continent of Northrend, home of the Lich King and his undead minions, will be uncovered on the world map, and to contend with the new challenges found there, players will be able to advance to level 80, acquiring potent new abilities and talents along the way.

In addition, Wrath of the Lich King will introduce the death knight hero class to World of Warcraft. Once certain criteria are met, players will be able to create a new death knight character, which will start at a high level. Furthermore, player-vs.-player battles will reach a new level of intensity with the addition of siege weapons and destructible buildings, not to mention a new battleground. There will also be an abundance of new quests, dungeons, monsters, items, and recipes -- as well as a new profession, inscription -- for players to try out. The expansion will include some additional character-customization options for players as well. We'll be going into more detail on all of these features in the months ahead.

How will the death knight class fit into the game?

The death knight combines martial prowess with dark, necromantic energies. Players might be familiar with the death knight from previously released Warcraft games -- most recently, in the campaigns for Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and the Frozen Throne expansion, the former paladin Arthas became a death knight and wreaked havoc across Azeroth and Northrend before fusing with the spirit of Ner'zhul to become the Lich King. The death knight is the first hero class in World of Warcraft; once certain criteria are met, players will unlock the ability to create a new death knight character, which will begin play at a high experience level. We're currently exploring various options for how the death knight will play and the types of abilities at its disposal, and we'll be revealing more information about this new class as we get further along in development.

Will the death knight have any abilities from previously released Warcraft games?

The way we portrayed death knights in past Warcraft games is certainly a source of inspiration, but we are still determining how best to capture that feel within the mechanics of World of Warcraft, and haven't made any final determinations on specific abilities.

What role will the death knight play in groups and raids?

In general terms, the death knight can be considered a type of class that combines damage dealing and tanking, but naturally it will have an array of unique abilities as well.

What races will be allowed to play death knights?

We haven't yet made a final determination about which races can be death knights. However, the class will be available to both the Alliance and the Horde.

How long will it take to advance from level 70 to level 80?

We were pleased with the pacing from level 60 to level 70 in The Burning Crusade, and we intend to take a similar approach to pacing character advancement in Wrath of the Lich King. However, the specific amount of time that it will take players to reach level 80 will vary widely based on play style.

What can you reveal about Northrend?

The first area of Northrend we're showcasing is the Howling Fjord, a region of grasslands overlooking massive cliffs at the southeastern edge of the continent. This, along with the Borean Tundra, is the front line of the war against Arthas, and players will come face to face with his minions as soon as they set foot on Northrend. Eventually, as players progress further, they will explore the Grizzly Hills, Dragonblight, and more. We'll be showing off some of these new areas in the months ahead.

What's the level requirement to enter Northrend?

Players of any level who have purchased the expansion can visit Northrend. However, all of the content is designed for players level 68 and up.

How many new dungeons will be in the expansion?

The first dungeon players will enter is Utgarde Keep, which is intended for five players around level 70. Utgarde is inhabited by the Vrykul, a Viking-like race bent on proving their strength to the Lich King, who will raise the most worthy of their warriors to serve him beyond the grave. We intend to provide a variety of dungeons comparable to that in The Burning Crusade and will be revealing more details about some of these in the months ahead.

Do you plan to continue with the 25-player model for raids?

Yes. We've been pleased with the tactics, intensity, and variety of the 25-player raid model, and plan to continue with it.

Will the new dungeons have heroic versions?

Yes. We feel that the heroic versions of dungeons are a great way to add another level of challenge and reward for experienced players, and we intend to continue creating these variants.

In what ways will players be able to further customize their characters in the expansion?

In addition to the numerous new character-customization options that will be available with all of the new weapons and armor added by the expansion, we'll be offering some fun ways to alter both existing and new characters with regard to dances and hairstyles, but we're not ready to go into more detail just yet.

What can you reveal about the new profession coming with the expansion?

The Inscription profession will allow players to permanently enhance their own spells and abilities and those of other players. You can think of it as enchanting for your spells and abilities. We'll provide more specific details on the mechanics of this new profession in the months ahead.

What can players expect with regard to player-vs.-player combat in the expansion?

Players will be able to take control of siege weapons and use them to destroy opposing buildings, adding a new layer of complexity to PvP battles. Naturally, we'll be providing some fun places to put these new tools to good use, and we'll be revealing more information about them in the months ahead, in addition to the new battleground content being added.

Can you give a sneak peek at the new recipes and items in the expansion?

There will be hundreds of new recipes and thousands of new items available, but we're not ready to discuss specific examples just yet.

Will there be any graphical enhancements?

Yes. We're currently working on some technical enhancements to the game's graphics, and we'll be discussing these further in the months ahead.

How many zones will be in the expansion?

Northrend will be roughly equivalent to Outland in terms of size and scope.

Will there be any new cinematic scenes?

Yes, our cinematics department is hard at work preparing a new intro movie for the expansion.

World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Box Shot
Release Date
16 September 2008
Genre
Adventure & Role Playing: MMORPG
Classification
General Audience