Slashdot Mirror
WoW Street Date Announced
OneMadOgre writes "Ready or not, here it comes. Blizzard has announced that the World of Warcraft will be released to NA/AU/NZ on November 23, 2004."
← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)
← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)
Yeah, but it looks lke folks might get to keep their open beta characters.
If you don't like their payment plan for the level of service you want, you don't have to buy their product. Most hard core MMO players probably spend less than folks who play many different games. In my house we have Gamefly for all of our console games, and we rarely buy PC games, since we mostly play a single MMO. We probably spend less on games than we did before we played MMOs.
The final stress test beta has been going on a couple days, and it's supposed to be a week-long, followed immediately by open beta, at which point the stress beta accounts will be migrated over.
-9mm-
The sticker price for the retail CD package includes a free month of play.
If you buy more months of play at a time, it costs less per month.
;).
It is still a lot though. But I'll surely pay up without too much complaint
Yea, too many MMORPGs don't let you try the game out before you buy it. They give you a free month or so, yes, but there's no free demo version of the game. In allowing people to play this game in beta a week or so before release, Blizzard will have a lot more people lined up to buy the game upon release, which is always good.
WOW!
:)
Blue's News has links for the awesome introduction cutscene (DivX from World of Warcraft game. Also, FileShack (registration required; free or subscription required) has it. It is about 46.5 MB; AVI; 2 minutes and 49 seconds long).
Apple has this introduction cutscene in QuickTime format (non-saveable) as well.
The introduction was almost like watching The Lords of the Rings movies. Amazing! I can't wait for the free open beta!
Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
Here is some data for you. The WoW games are going to come with region codes built in. Meaning, if you buy a North American version of the game you can only play against or with people in North America. Many gamers are protesting WoW because of this. The reasoning behind the protests is that a majority of clans out there are made up of gamers from all around the world. Putting a region code in a game that restricts gameplay with other regions would make it so these clans can't play together. All in all, a pretty shotty move by Blizzard if you ask me.
Open Beta starts November 8th. The servers are up -- they're the same ones people are playing on now in the final stress test -- they just have to start allowing new signups.
Plus $50 for the game to start with... I can't play this game enough to justify the cost. Looks like they are taking their cues from the cable companies.
Actually, they're taking cues from their players, and from other similar games.
If everybody played WoW, well, it wouldn't work -- the servers couldn't function at release-quality if they did. The goal isn't to get as many people as possible, it's to make the most money possible.
This could backfire. I've been playing it since my download finished last night and at the moment I've found nothing that makes me want to go out and buy it. In fact, I've started two characters now that have both stalled at roughly the same place. While most of my friends have pre-ordered, I'm *currently* (though this may change) recommending against purchasing the game.
The collector's edition comes with the game on CD's and on one DVD. I assume you can just give them one of those to install for the friend trial. Then they just start paying afterwards. I think I heard that the Stress Test 2 version and open beta version will be the retail version, so those that buy a boxed copy and played in the open beta will just have to use their new key and won't have to reinstall.