Update - Added a list of the keys staying in-game.

Patch 4.2: We Bid Thy Keyring Adieu
Originally Posted by Blizzard (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
World of Warcraft has evolved quite a bit since the day the Keyring bag slot was added in patch 1.11. When implemented, this Keyring provided players with a convenient way of storing dungeon, quest, and other keys automatically. Back when the largest bag was a mind bottling 18 slots - rumoured to be bottomless - the Keyring helped save precious bag space. But as things tend to do, time went on, bags got bigger, and designs for gating content (literally and figuratively) evolved through the years.

In today’s Azeroth, keys don’t really serve much of a purpose except to take up physical storage space from the game (which could be used for other awesome stuff), and visual interface space on yours. Because of this, we’ve decided to get rid of the Keyring in order to free up some user interface space for exciting new features. This change could also potentially allow us to play around with the amount of default storage space you’re allotted down the road. So, what does this mean for you and the keys you might not have looked at in the last couple expansions or so?

We’re currently working on the implementation of a system in patch 4.2 which will handle the removal of the Keyring, while causing you as little hassle with keys as possible. Some keys which no longer serve a purpose in the game will automatically be removed from your inventory. In return, you’ll be compensated for them with their respective vendor sell prices in gold. You might also have random leftover quest keys from outdated quests, or quests which were removed in Cataclysm. Keys that fall into this category have no use and no sell price, as they are labelled as quest items, and will be automatically removed from your inventory. Any remaining keys that might still potentially serve some use in the game will be transferred into your regular inventory. If there is not enough space in your inventory to hold any leftover keys once patch 4.2 hits live realms, the keys will be placed in a backlogged storage system. Once space is made for a backlogged key, the key will take that space after you log out or switch to a new zone (i.e. changing continents, entering a dungeon or Battleground, etc.).

We are continuing to work on new ways of allowing you to better manage the storage of various items in the game, and it is our goal to make sure the removal of the Keyring causes as little inconvenience to you as possible.
Update
Originally Posted by Bashiok (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
So, just as a reference here are the keys we're currently seeing as ones that will not be converted to gold or removed upon release of the patch -- if you have them they'd be put back into your normal inventory. This isn't necessarily a final list, and it's possible we could cut the list down even further before 4.2 releases.


This article was originally published in forum thread: Patch 4.2: We Bid Thy Keyring Adieu started by Boubouille View original post
Comments 507 Comments
  1. xindykawai's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Tikaru View Post
    So, are keys going to be useless after this goes live, as in, we don't need a key to get into the BC instances?
    I ask the exact same question xD

    ---------- Post added 2011-05-24 at 02:10 PM ----------

    Quote Originally Posted by Siorra View Post
    I haven't seen this much whine since Jesus went swimming at Water World.
    ^This go right to my signature!

    I laugh so hard!! XD
  1. Doombringer's Avatar
    What irks me the most about this is that recently, the devs have been getting whiny about how they've been adding improvements but not upping the subscription cost. I believe it was Zarhym who commented on this a few weeks back, and more recently the cross-realm Real-ID grouping was mentioned as requiring some monumental effort to develop... as if to justify charging a premium above and beyond our subscription cost for it.

    So... they're now removing the keyring. This was something they worked hard on in the past, devoting god knows how many hours to it, only to spend more development effort now to wipe it out.

    Work smarter, not harder, Blizz.
  1. Noradin's Avatar
    A shame. I liked collecting keys, I even managed to fill the keyring to the last place with unique keys on some of my characters xD
  1. powerstuck's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Toinouze View Post
    Who cares about the keyring?
    Your bank is full of epic tier 1 to tier 10 gear, your bags are full and your keys are soulbound. You sure don't need a keyring.
  1. Sammonoske's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by powerstuck View Post
    Your bank is full of epic tier 1 to tier 10 gear, your bags are full and your keys are soulbound. You sure don't need a keyring.
    What? You don't have 1 space for Blacksmith keys? Time to think over your inventory management.
  1. Trakanonn's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Callypso View Post
    A couple of years ago:

    "New feature: Key ring! No more cluttering your bags up with keys!!!"

    May 2011:

    "New feature: Keys are now once again cluttering up your bag!!"


    /facepalm.
    This is my feeling. Its like a slap in the face for no reason whatsoever. It's NOT that it hurts us per-say, its the fact that they are doing it that makes me mad. Nobody wants 10 keys in their inventory/bank even if they have space because there is already a feature that sorts them, its called the Keyring.


    If they got rid of keys then that is another story, but I dont see that happening.
  1. mmoc006c2c15ef's Avatar
    I worked quite a bit towards getting the Keymaster. Shame...
  1. Commander's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by wolfieone View Post
    eh, not major

    Remove the TBC heroic keys, just unlock it by gear level like Cata heroics.

    Remove the Kara portcullises so you can just go in.

    Remove the EoE key, anyone can start it.

    that sohuld be most of the keys
    BRILLIANT idea. Make TBC heroics entrance based on item level. Because NO ONE ever uses heirlooms which are ilvl1, in TBC heroics.

    You're a genius.
  1. Phototropic's Avatar
    I don't care how many times this has been said but:

    MAH KEYZ!!!
  1. Arck908's Avatar
    If they're going to make us waste inventory space on something we didn't have to waste it on the only keys that should be kept are the blacksmith keys.
  1. Drakkon's Avatar
    And thank you, Blizzard for removing yet another feature that made life easier and didn't need to be re-thought. How about you turn that brain trust towards doing something else, like stemming the rate at which you're hemorrhaging subscriptions, and leave the keyring alone... Just a thought.

    ---------- Post added 2011-05-24 at 11:51 AM ----------

    Quote Originally Posted by Arck908 View Post
    If they're going to make us waste inventory space on something we didn't have to waste it on the only keys that should be kept are the blacksmith keys.
    Its a whole additional bag for most of my alts, as they carry just about all the keys in the game. I'm a completionist, and I don't like permanently losing access to content I may never give a damn about again. Plus the Jump-a-tron is fun...
  1. kezzy's Avatar
    I'll be fine with this change if they remove the key requirements on dungeons. I have enough old content junk clogging up my bank out of nostalgia.
  1. Sincados's Avatar
    So, just as a reference here are the keys we're currently seeing as ones that will not be converted to gold or removed upon release of the patch -- if you have them they'd be put back into your normal inventory. This isn't necessarily a final list, and it's possible we could cut the list down even further before 4.2 releases.

    Grim Guzzler Key (BRD)
    Secret Safe Key (BRD)
    Dark Keeper Key (BRD)
    Relic Coffer Key (BRD) (On front of MMO-C it says Blackfathom Deeps)
    Jump-A-Tron 4000 Key (Nagrand)
    Kolkar Booty Key (Barrens quest)
    Ethereum Prison Key (Netherstorm – Blade’s Edge)
    Captain’s Key (Tanaris)
    Any Blacksmith keys (e.g. Titanium Skeleton Key)

    Curse Bashiok's quick editing skills... I was going to say Relic Coffer Key is def not BFD but BRD. So many B(something)D's. ;P

    Also, can't reply on WoW forums under said topic. Bollocks.
  1. Achaman's Avatar
    the keyring was fine who seriously had an issue with it ?!
  1. Magjee's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Siorra View Post
    I haven't seen this much whine since Jesus went swimming at Water World.
    Thanks for the smile.
  1. Aqua's Avatar
    HOLY NERFBAT BATMAN... thats alot of nerf.
  1. Viterian's Avatar
    Well the Blizzard keyring forum has reached its posting time limit so I couldn't post there. So here are my two cents

    I didn't see a definitive list of what keys are remaining or being deleted with the few exceptions posted by Bashiok. So apologies beforehand if some of this is redundant.

    So I list the most keys I have on one character as a example:

    Veil Skith Prison Key
    Boulderfist Key – Corki’s Prison
    Northwind Key – Corki’s Prison
    Cho’war’s Key – Corki’s Prison
    Camp Anger Key
    The Warden’s Key
    Deathforge Key
    Reservoir Key
    Coilskar Chest Key
    The Master’s Key
    Warpforged Key
    Key of Time
    Flamewrought Key
    Auchenai Key
    Icehammer’s Harpoon Controller
    The Violet Hold Key
    The Eye of Haramad
    Scarab Coffer Key
    Great Scarab Coffer Key

    Some are Burning Crusade Heroic keys already mentioned but no mention if they will be required. This applies to the Karazhan Key as well.

    I post these with the thinking that they would be helpful for anyone who would use it as a checklist to catch any that might fall through the cracks.
    As suggested before maybe it would be helpful if the devs would post those that are being deleted so we can provide some meaningful feedback.
  1. Paigeyotto's Avatar
    Lololol @ the the 'mind bottling' phrase
    Mind boggling, not bottling
    This isn't Blades of Glory
  1. Frozenbeef's Avatar
    with all the terrible features in the game that need fixing >>>>>archaeology<<<<<< why bother wasting time removing something that isn't harming a single person? 0o
  1. Renowned's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by xindykawai View Post
    what will happend to dungeon key, like sekket hall heroic mode, you can only enter there with a key
    Quote Originally Posted by Tikaru View Post
    So, are keys going to be useless after this goes live, as in, we don't need a key to get into the BC instances?
    Quote Originally Posted by kezzy View Post
    I'll be fine with this change if they remove the key requirements on dungeons. I have enough old content junk clogging up my bank out of nostalgia.
    Do you people ever bother to research these answers?

    Quote Originally Posted by http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2548839953?page=1#16 View Post
    We still have a number of keys that serve a purpose. Heroic BC, for example. Karazhan. We still want to be able to access that content, so will key requirements be removed from those?
    Originally Posted by Bashiok (Blue Tracker)
    Key requirements are removed from the examples you gave, and should be for all other similar examples. Our intent is not to remove the Keyring and then throw a bunch of keys into your normal bags, so we're going through and making changes to more or less finalize the move away from using keys that began midway through Burning Crusade.
    As for the list of keys that you will keep:
    Originally Posted by Bashiok (Blue Tracker)
    Grim Guzzler Key (BRD) (One use only)
    Secret Safe Key (BRD) (One use only)
    Dark Keeper Key (BRD) (One use only)
    Relic Coffer Key (BRD) (One use only)
    Jump-A-Tron 4000 Key (Nagrand)
    Kolkar Booty Key (Barrens quest) (One use only)
    Ethereum Prison Key (Netherstorm – Blade’s Edge) (One use only)
    Captain’s Key (Tanaris) (One use only)
    Any Blacksmith keys (e.g. Titanium Skeleton Key) (One use only)
    That's a whopping 1 key that you actually "need" that will flood your bags, and it can safely be dropped and reacquired from Pazik "The Pick" Prylock in Dalaran, Walter Soref in Undercity or Benik Boltshear in Stormwind.

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