Update: Our friends over at GuildWars2Guru were able to take part in the press event for Guild Wars 2 and get PvE, PvP, cities, character creation, and other videos. If you are interested in the game be sure to have a look!

Mists of Pandaria Internal Alpha Started
A lot of people have been asking me when we should expect a MoP beta or more updates on the game, and the answer to that question is simple: soon. All the recent events indicate that the internal alpha testing already started:


  • The old WoW2 Battle.net accounts used for the Cataclysm Beta have finally been removed from some players Battle.net pages.
  • The recent update of the official talent calculator had multiple spells tagged as "NYI" (Not Yet Implemented). This is what we see in Alpha/Beta stages of the game to indicate that a spell doesn't work in-game yet.
  • Community Managers have posted actual screenshots of new spells tooltips in-game. It means they have a server they can easily connect to for that, and it's most likely the biggest proof.


Now what does it mean for players? First, let's be clear, this is the internal alpha and it is different from the Friend & Family Alpha where non-Blizzard employees can play as long as they know someone in the company. This one would be restricted to employees only and Blizzard executives are probably watching anything happening there very closely.

However, it definitely means that if everything goes well we should see a Friend & Family Alpha or a Beta within one or two month, and the Mists of Pandaria press tour on March 19 is most likely a way to prepare fansites to that. For Cataclysm, the press tour happened about 2 weeks before the start of the closed beta.


NAO Invitational Tournament
Curse, Skill-Capped, and Logitech are sponsoring a player run Arena tournament with over $4000 in prizes. You can find the list of prizes on ArenaJunkies. See the structure and rules for more information about how the teams are selected.

This tournament did not allow 4.3 PvE gear and had the final matches this afternoon.



Method vs Dragon Soul
Method made a nice video overview of their journey through Dragon Soul that is different from the normal boss kill videos.



Trading Card Game Art Gallery Update
The Trading Card game art gallery has been updated with ten new pieces.



This article was originally published in forum thread: Mists of Pandaria Internal Alpha, NAO Invitational, Method vs Dragon Soul started by Boubouille View original post
Comments 148 Comments
  1. Prothall's Avatar
    Another beta that I won't get in. Who cares? Lots of other betas want me to be a part of them. Sorry, Blizzard. I can't be bothered with your trifles.
  1. Enris's Avatar
    That was the single most epic raiding video i have ever saw... Congratz to Method, you guys rock!
  1. Vladinator's Avatar
    Good to see another movie like that, reminds me of AQ40 with Nihilum back in the old ages.
  1. mmoc9b6e6339ec's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Solitare-sp View Post
    If we're guessing release dates then surely Sept/Oct has to be the most logical time.

    Firstly, Beta will take 4 months or so, as it has for all the expansions. Even if they annouced beta tomorrow, that would push them to July. Likely it'll be mid to late March for the F+F beta (plus release of info), with that for a month or so at least. So I reckon May/June for the full beta to start.

    Secondly. There is the issue of D3, scheduled for 'late Q2', ie May/June. Theres no way they'll release both products within say 6 weeks of each other, especially if they have known crossover between customers.

    I think Blizz are relying on people picking up D3 to cover the summer for subs, and then when that gets stale after 6 weeks or so, to hit them with the expansion in Sept time.
    Why do People allways forget that before the release of MoP not only D3 comes out but SC2: Addon 1 too? wich makes a summer/August release for MoP impossible...
  1. mmoc3eb006e951's Avatar
    So ehh, any way of getting out of this annual pass crap?
  1. Hawtshot's Avatar
    Love the Vid. Great work Method!
  1. mmoc89d48ffd6d's Avatar
    Too bad you spent that much of the video on trash mobs.. and you really should have let all voice acting out of it. The voice acting in Cataclysm has been so bad it's unbelievable. Otherwise, great video.

    Quote Originally Posted by Bantokar View Post
    So ehh, any way of getting out of this annual pass crap?
    Yes i would really like to know too.

    I don't care about beta, I don't care about the mount and I don't care about D3. I won't miss any of them, only my money.
    inb4 deal with signing up for such a deal - I wasn't aware that my financial situation should suck this hard at the moment.
  1. mmoc6ae9b18026's Avatar
    There werent such videos since the Jack's one from BWL and MC. Really props to the maker of this one - awesome work! Anyone knows if there is a place where I can download it on HD? Like some torrent site or something where its HD is uploaded? Will appreciate it a lot !
  1. jeremynative's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Prothall View Post
    Another beta that I won't get in. Who cares? Lots of other betas want me to be a part of them. Sorry, Blizzard. I can't be bothered with your trifles.
    agreed i guess i will resub when they add new content. either that or only log in to do the same boring raid in lfr since my dead server cant pug it and blizzard is too *proud of their game* or *afraid* to merge servers to make the game better...
  1. mmocf74f506587's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Bantokar View Post
    So ehh, any way of getting out of this annual pass crap?
    Not a hope in hell xD
  1. Wayne25uk's Avatar
    Is it just me or does "He turned into Deathwing" seem like a half-arsed understatement?Anyway the video bored me i had to skip bits...
  1. mmocef71e99c15's Avatar
    By far the most likely release date for MoP still is, and always has been: November 2012.All that is happening is that all the loony theories of a "Q2" or "summer" are slowly losing ground as the evidence keep stacking up that MoP still is, and always have been, on roughly the same time track as all previous expansions.LOL at the nutjobs above who still think a Q2 is possible.In one ring-corner: Those who say MoP will be out well before November (Q2 or Q3).Arguments: 1. "OMG surely Blizz can't expect us to play 4.3 for an enire year!? Surely they have learnt from BT and ICC by now???"2. "The playable stuff from MoP at last Blizzcon looked AMAZING! Surely this time they are well ahead of schedule!?"3. They must get it out or SWTOR will take all the players!!!In the other ring corner: MoP is going to be out in Q4 just as always.Refuting the arguments of the Q2/Q3 crowd:1. Yes they can. People will still come back when MoP is released, no matter if they have to wait 11 or 14 months.2. That happened all the previous times as well. It means nothing about how the totality of the MoP is on schedule, and secondly, it means less about when Blizz WANT it to be out.3. Yeah, see what happened.Arguments:A. Some time before the holiday season is STILL the best timing of the year. There is no way Blizz shareholders to allow a huge drop in MoP box sales, nor risk the bad press from an expansion that sells considerably worse than previous expansions. Perception is everything. If they lose some subscribers now, it won't be a bid deal in mainstream media compared to failed sales of MoP.B. Check the dates of EVERYTHING that has been leaking or announced for MoP, from registration of the trademark and up to the current situation of no beta in sight for several months. It is precisely on the same track as the old expansions, give or take a month.C. Blizz have D3 and SC expansion to fill the buzz of spring and summer, and they don't want to have to do everything at once. If ever there was a case FOR a Q4 release of an expansion, it is this time.Conclusion, all the talk of "this time the expansion is more imminent than everyone expects!!!!" is the kind of talk we have heard EVERY SINGLE TIME. It will not turn out to be true this time either, primarily because it wouldn't make sense for Blizz to release it any other time than Q4 (probably November).
  1. 7seti's Avatar
    Considering the massive leaks that happened during Cata's F&F alpha, I wouldn't be surprised if Blizzard decided to skip that phase this time. If so, we could expect a release date around August.
  1. mmoc79af98f473's Avatar
    @bregtann everything you said I believe to be true, I've said it multiple times in various threads, but the sad thing is nobody listens. There, even the poster after you mentions August, which is to be honest, more realistic than other predictions, but still not on the spot. The evidence is there, it is obvious *cough* annual pass *cough* canceling blizzcon *cough*, but no one wants to actually use their brain. "But they can't do another BT and ICC!1!!1!!1 Rageeeaeaa!!! !!!" - Well here's a newsflash - yes, yes they can.
  1. asphyx5's Avatar
    People thinking a nov release date are smoking crack.. There's no way gonna have dragon soul last all of spring/summer/fall .. Especially since the raid itself is smaller than even ICC. I expect prob a august release but that cutting it.
  1. mmoc3eb006e951's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by asphyx5 View Post
    People thinking a nov release date are smoking crack.. There's no way gonna have dragon soul last all of spring/summer/fall .. Especially since the raid itself is smaller than even ICC. I expect prob a august release but that cutting it.
    Yeah but how many did Blizzard sucker into being stuck with their subs for that long? See a lot of people won´t have the option to leave.
  1. quras's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Bantokar View Post
    Yeah but how many did Blizzard sucker into being stuck with their subs for that long? See a lot of people won´t have the option to leave.
    I believe that number was announced to be close to a million suckers.
  1. Alianthos's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by The Ogdru Jahad View Post
    There is no way its a 2013 release lmfao. Do you honestly think blizz can keep people playing for another 10 months?
    Yes, Blizz can, and Blizz will.

    They'll just give you some filler content until MoP is ready.

    Lich King Patch : December 2009
    Cataclym : Decembre 2010.
    1 year. Between, Halion and that's it.

    But yeah, MoP late 2012. Brace yourselves.
  1. Stevoman's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Alianthos View Post
    Yes, Blizz can, and Blizz will.

    They'll just give you some filler content until MoP is ready.

    Lich King Patch : December 2009
    Cataclym : Decembre 2010.
    1 year. Between, Halion and that's it.

    But yeah, MoP late 2012. Brace yourselves.
    They don't even have to do that. They've already got over a million suckers who are stuck paying for the game even if they don't want to play it. It only needs 1.5m subscribers to remain profitable, right?
  1. mmoc600acd2b9f's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by bregtann View Post
    By far the most likely release date for MoP still is, and always has been: November 2012.All that is happening is that all the loony theories of a "Q2" or "summer" are slowly losing ground as the evidence keep stacking up that MoP still is, and always have been, on roughly the same time track as all previous expansions.LOL at the nutjobs above who still think a Q2 is possible.In one ring-corner: Those who say MoP will be out well before November (Q2 or Q3).Arguments: 1. "OMG surely Blizz can't expect us to play 4.3 for an enire year!? Surely they have learnt from BT and ICC by now???"2. "The playable stuff from MoP at last Blizzcon looked AMAZING! Surely this time they are well ahead of schedule!?"3. They must get it out or SWTOR will take all the players!!!In the other ring corner: MoP is going to be out in Q4 just as always.Refuting the arguments of the Q2/Q3 crowd:1. Yes they can. People will still come back when MoP is released, no matter if they have to wait 11 or 14 months.2. That happened all the previous times as well. It means nothing about how the totality of the MoP is on schedule, and secondly, it means less about when Blizz WANT it to be out.3. Yeah, see what happened.Arguments:A. Some time before the holiday season is STILL the best timing of the year. There is no way Blizz shareholders to allow a huge drop in MoP box sales, nor risk the bad press from an expansion that sells considerably worse than previous expansions. Perception is everything. If they lose some subscribers now, it won't be a bid deal in mainstream media compared to failed sales of MoP.B. Check the dates of EVERYTHING that has been leaking or announced for MoP, from registration of the trademark and up to the current situation of no beta in sight for several months. It is precisely on the same track as the old expansions, give or take a month.C. Blizz have D3 and SC expansion to fill the buzz of spring and summer, and they don't want to have to do everything at once. If ever there was a case FOR a Q4 release of an expansion, it is this time.Conclusion, all the talk of "this time the expansion is more imminent than everyone expects!!!!" is the kind of talk we have heard EVERY SINGLE TIME. It will not turn out to be true this time either, primarily because it wouldn't make sense for Blizz to release it any other time than Q4 (probably November).
    Use some darn paragraphs if you want people to read what you're posting.
    It will be fun to see what happens to the people in development/marketing teams when Wow loses two-three millions of subscriptions by November-i'm sure they'll be happy they were able to fool us into thinking MoP will be released in Q2,yy

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