Patch 4.3 Preview - The All New Darkmoon Faire
Originally Posted by Blizzard (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! Step right up and prepare to be amazed!

It’s incredible! It’s unbelievable! You’ll be dazzled. You’ll be amazed! You aren’t prepared for the Darkmoon Faire, ‘cause it’s like nothing you’ve seen before! Don’t be shy now, don’t be bashful, step right up for a tantalizing glimpse of what we’ve got in store for you when patch 4.3 arrives!

That old thing?

No, no, no, Clem. The Darkmoon Faire isn’t what it used to be and it isn’t where it used to be. The management hasn’t changed but the Faire certainly has. It’s a whole new animal. Tickets? You don’t need those old tickets, just rip ‘em right up, ‘cause we’ve got new tickets! Out with the old, in with the new -- new quests, that is! Things have changed ‘round here: we’ve got an island all to ourselves now, and what an island it is. Mist-shrouded Darkmoon Island is a conundrum wrapped in an enigma. It’s a place of mystery and wonder, and you wouldn’t believe the deals we made to get it… or who we made ‘em with. But never mind that, just follow me right through here and I’ll show you what the Darkmoon Faire is all about.


All new! All spectacular!

Catch a show at the marvelous main stage or witness a dazzling fireworks display. But don’t stare too long or you might miss the stunning spectacles that surround you. Gaze in awe of our magical menagerie, get your fortune told by the amazing Sayge, go on a pony ride, experience the healthful effects of carnival food, and more!

Of course, there’s more to the Darkmoon Faire than just fantastic shows and culinary delights. You can still turn in your Darkmoon Cards, but you wouldn’t just come here for measly ol’ cards when there’s so much more to see, experience, and win. Yes, win! You like dancing bears, right? Everybody likes dancing bears. Even bears like dancing bears. How about a dancing bear… you can ride!

That’s not all! We have adorable companion pets includin’ a fez-wearing monkey, a plethora of profession recipes, toys, balloons, souvenirs, delectable carnival snacks and beverages, heirlooms for the little ones, and even replicas of long-lost suits of armor that we’re offering for your Transmogrification needs. You can also make your mark with new achievements and titles. All it takes to earn these fabulous rewards is a few Darkmoon Faire Prize Tickets and a good reputation with the carnies. How do ya get your grubby mitts on some tickets? I’m glad you asked!

Step right up! Try your luck! Everyone’s a winner!

Have we got games? You bet we’ve got games, and they’re so easy to play an orc could do it. Just head on over to the midway, buy some Darkmoon Game Tokens, and get ready to play. Easy to learn, difficult to master, anyone can play and everyone can win. Just lay your tokens down for a chance at winning Darkmoon Prize Tickets playing games like Whack-a-Gnoll, the Tonk Battle Royale, the Cannon, Ring Toss, the Shooting Gallery, and more! Five games are there to test your skills at any one time. The better you play, the easier it is to win a bucket of Darkmoon Faire Prize Tickets! Once a month, you’ve got a shot at tickets, and the fun never stops ‘cause you can play as many times as you like. But that’s not the only way to win big!


The Darkmoon Faire Field Guide

It’s your passport to riches, my friend. Y’see, we need a few things -- just some junk, nothing valuable to a big hero like you. We call ‘em Darkmoon Artifacts, and there’s all different kinds to be found all over Azeroth. The Darkmoon Field Guide helps you discover artifacts while you’re explorin’ dungeons, slayin’ monsters, and fightin’ in Battlegrounds. Without a guide, you’d never notice ‘em, and it’ll help keep you focused on the stuff we want. Whether you just reached level 10, or you’ve crushed the biggest baddies in the land, we need somethin’ from nearly everybody. You won’t have to go too far out of your way to get ‘em and each month you’ll get a new opportunity to seek out an Artifact for us. What do you get out of the deal? Don’t you worry, you’ll get your cut. When you bring a Darkmoon Artifact back to us, you’ll get valuable experience (it builds character, you know!), earn a better reputation, and possibly earn precious Darkmoon Faire Prize Tickets too!

Oh, did I mention that you can use the Field Guide to get to Darkmoon Island whenever the Darkmoon Faire’s monthly extravaganza is up and running?

So, you want to work in show business?

Maybe you’d like a little peek behind the scenes, eh? Want to see what it takes to run the greatest show on Azeroth? Well, it’s not all sunshine and cotton candy, my friend. There are beasts to heal, food to cook, and buildings to fix. If you’re willing help keep the show going and put your skills to work, you’ll not only impress us, but you can get experience, Darkmoon Prize Tickets, and even polish up your skills -- up to five skill points per profession, per Faire week, if you’re good at what you do!


Darkmoon Deathmatch!

Like any good carnival, the Darkmoon Faire has a shady side. You can leave the skilled labor to the suckers and go for a faster score instead. If you’ve got the minerals, the Darkmoon Deathmatch offers an experience unparalleled since the Gurubashi Arena. Pitmaster Pei has a big old treasure chest just brimming with goodies and Darkmoon Faire Prize Tickets that he’ll drag out into the Darkmoon Deathmatch Pit every three hours or so. Everybody wants it, so if you want a piece of the action you’ll just have to jump in and prove that you’re the toughest one in the Pit.

Oh, the Faire is perfectly safe, Clem. Just don’t wander into the woods.

Now, now, don’t panic. Darkmoon Isle might be a bit spooky, but except for the Deathmatch Pit, the Faire itself is completely safe, I guarantee it. It’s a sanctuary even, and we won’t let anybody’s beef ruin the fun. The shadowy woods surroundin’ the fair are another thing entirely, though. I wouldn’t say that people have disappeared into those woods never to return, but, well… people disappear into those woods never to return. So watch your step , and your back, when you leave the Faire. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya!


Mark your calendar

Now that you know how amazing the new Darkmoon Faire is, you won’t want to miss it. Just take a look at your in-game calendar, and the Darkmoon Faire dates will show up there on the first week of every month. Darkmoon Faire barkers and displays will also pop up in every capital city to herald the arrival of the Faire. Silas Darkmoon himself has even started up a mailer to make sure that no one misses out!

Hitch a ride

During the first week of each month, convenient Darkmoon Faire outposts with Darkmoon Portals will appear in Elwynn Forest and Mulgore, offering free rides to Darkmoon Island and the Faire!

Darkmoon Mages in capital cities and on Darkmoon Island will also be around to help you get between the Faire and various capital cities. There’s no such thing as a free lunch, so naturally you’re obliged to compensate them for their services.

The all new Darkmoon Faire is coming to Darkmoon Island in patch 4.3. Don’t miss it!
This article was originally published in forum thread: Patch 4.3 Preview - The All New Darkmoon Faire started by Boubouille View original post
Comments 472 Comments
  1. Sardonicus's Avatar
    Uh oh, Looks like Blizzard has stepped up their A game. Once fans started to leave, they bring out the big guns.
  1. Bahska's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Papadragon View Post
    There's nothing epic in this. It's for kids and casuals players. It's a zone designed for them. They are like : "Dancing bears, games, cannon..." Cmon...it's a crap event
    Seeing as how there's nothing in the game at the moment for casuals its probably a good thing.
  1. TarzoEzio's Avatar
    Oh....thank....GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD.Hello T3, I just wanted to say HAAAAAAAI.On a more like none Caps lock words, wow this is great...i'm so gonna do this first hour!

    ---------- Post added 2011-08-25 at 05:57 PM ----------

    Quote Originally Posted by jantimirlol View Post
    so it's a new daily quest hub you can only go to the first week of a month?
    Noo it gonna be always there but the first week of the month there a portal
  1. Alraml's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Papadragon View Post
    There's nothing epic in this. It's for kids and casuals players. It's a zone designed for them. They are like : "Dancing bears, games, cannon..." Cmon...it's a crap event
    Cause Darkmoon Fair was so super serious in the past.

    I find it hillarious just how much people hate on this game. Just quit already
  1. mmoc7d0ef109c7's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by shimargh View Post
    They clearly made a spelling mistake in their announcement, it's as obvious as that all this mists and island stuff hints at Pandaria. Nice try correcting me though.
  1. Sicom's Avatar
    "Island" "MIST-shrouded" Bring on the Pandarians, baby!
  1. Katsumo86's Avatar
    I love this idea. A new Guru Arena type for the all out players too. Love this.
  1. vhok's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Scyo View Post
    They clearly made a spelling mistake in their announcement, it's as obvious as that all this mists and island stuff hints at Pandaria. Nice try correcting me though.
    did anyone else notice the emphasis on the "mists covering the island" and the dummy that the orc is hitting in one picture is a panda?
  1. Tinykong's Avatar
    Yay, another super-long, artificially lengthened cosmetic event that will takes months to complete at only one hour per day!

    Excellent!
  1. Notos's Avatar
    A fighting pit????!!! I foresee some bloodbaths in the future.
  1. Gemini Sunrise's Avatar
    Can't wait to see what is in the woods. Also, dancing bear!
  1. Desminn's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by F-Minus View Post
    What armor isn't available anymore? The only thing I could come up with is T3 which has a complete lookalike in T7. Everything else is pretty much still in the game.

    EDIT: Maybe ZG/ZA but I think the drops in todays instance look pretty much the same as the original drops.
    well t7 arnt complete look alikes i for one hate the look of the war t7/7.5 but love the t3 look.

    also the za gear is slightly different too and a lot of the original zg gear is no longer obtainable.

    ALSO season 1/2 weapons and season 3 gear is no longer obtainable.

    there are as well many quest items that have unique modles that cant be obtained any longer....but if they do bring some of these back i dont see them bringing back all of them (ei. corrupted ashbringer)
  1. KCguy's Avatar
    So these artifacts you bring back get you rep? This place pretty much pointless for people that are exalted. haha.
  1. keLston's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by feigning View Post
    Why are people so damn negative about everything? I'm not a kid, I think this looks really fun.
    Because people are looking for actual content, not a daily quest hub with arbitrary gating mechanics to pace how long it takes you to actually get to the end so that it will last until the next expansion since 4.3 is the last content patch until the next expansion.

    If you looked at it expansion by expansion, this is the worst expansion by amount of actual content but each time someone brings it up, some Blizzard apologist quickly comes up with some excuse demanding people to stop being so negative. Why? Did your monthly subscription start costing less? Did Cataclysm expansion cost less than the TBC expansion or WotLK expansion?

    TBC gave us nearly 60 raid bosses, a new "planet", a ton of new dungeons and bosses within, heroics, and love it or hate it gave us arenas and daily BG/honor grinds as a way for PvPers to compete which was also brand new content. WotLK gave us like 45 some raid bosses, a new continent, a handful of new dungeons, and it gave casuals a way to gear up with the Argent Tournament.

    Cataclysm will end up giving us 20? some raid bosses and at least 2 end ones so far have been recycled (Nef and Ragnaros), 7 new dungeons and recycled for us Shadowfang Keep and Deadmines, recycled ZA and ZG and called them "new", gave us like 5 new zones. The content is so lacking, in fact, that Blizzard apologists are so desperate that you're willing to latch on to a side event like the Darkmoon Faire and call it "content"? Oh look it adds a mount ooooh. And some companion pets. Oooooh. So a billion dollar company took a year to add 1 mount and some companion pets? This is what you accept as content now when you are paying the same price? Your bar is so low?

    They're not even bothering trying to put out new content because they decided that after 5 years of saying they didn't want you changing how you looked, they reneged and introduced transmogrification and you said HOORAY. So the "new content" of Cataclysm is you going back to do level 60 raids to get the gear you sold 4 years ago, that way, they don't have to make any new things for you because you're too busy going HEHEHE LETS GET THE OLD STUFF AGAIN THAT I FARMED BEFORE.

    This is why the game is dumbed down. Because Blizzard keeps lowering the bar and instead of getting an outcry, you just nod and lower your expectations below their bar and accept what they gave you. Giving you less and less each year but trying to squeeze out more microtransactions, and you keep paying for extra while accepting less for the same price you've been paying.

    It's absurd. And stupid.

    Content? It's not content. It's laughing at you and you're apologizing for it.
  1. Shâréz's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Sicom View Post
    "Island" "MIST-shrouded" Bring on the Pandarians, baby!
    Not to mention "....and you wouldn’t believe the deals we made to get it… or who we made ‘em with." Also "Pitmaster Pei" could easily be a Pandaren name.

    Now I don't really like Pandaren all too much, but either we get to see Pandaren there, or Blizzard is really messing with some people's heads.
  1. Uennie's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by vhok View Post
    did anyone else notice the emphasis on the "mists covering the island" and the dummy that the orc is hitting in one picture is a panda?
    It's a gnoll. Pandas don't have hunchbacks. Also it says whack a gnoll.
  1. Lignar's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by det View Post
    Oh look, Blizzard announces something that could be fun. Oh look, the forum is awash with naysaying and QQ.
    This, a million times over.
  1. Tidycat's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Azalu View Post
    Cause Darkmoon Fair was so super serious in the past.

    I find it hillarious just how much people hate on this game. Just quit already
    Its just ridiculous how many people get mad at something that isnt a requirement. It doesnt say "Do shit in Darkmoon Faire or else you cant raid Deathwing" If you dont like it dont go the goddamn island then. I can almost bet every person who hates on it and complains about it will do it to some extent. Hypocritical bastards. But yes just go play Madden 12 if you hate this game that much
  1. Schmilblick's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by keLston View Post
    Because people are looking for actual content, not a daily quest hub with arbitrary gating mechanics to pace how long it takes you to actually get to the end so that it will last until the next expansion since 4.3 is the last content patch until the next expansion.

    If you looked at it expansion by expansion, this is the worst expansion by amount of actual content but each time someone brings it up, some Blizzard apologist quickly comes up with some excuse demanding people to stop being so negative. Why? Did your monthly subscription start costing less? Did Cataclysm expansion cost less than the TBC expansion or WotLK expansion?

    TBC gave us nearly 60 raid bosses, a new "planet", a ton of new dungeons and bosses within, heroics, and love it or hate it gave us arenas and daily BG/honor grinds as a way for PvPers to compete which was also brand new content. WotLK gave us like 45 some raid bosses, a new continent, a handful of new dungeons, and it gave casuals a way to gear up with the Argent Tournament.

    Cataclysm will end up giving us 20? some raid bosses and at least 2 end ones so far have been recycled (Nef and Ragnaros), 7 new dungeons and recycled for us Shadowfang Keep and Deadmines, recycled ZA and ZG and called them "new", gave us like 5 new zones. The content is so lacking, in fact, that Blizzard apologists are so desperate that you're willing to latch on to a side event like the Darkmoon Faire and call it "content"? Oh look it adds a mount ooooh. And some companion pets. Oooooh. So a billion dollar company took a year to add 1 mount and some companion pets? This is what you accept as content now when you are paying the same price? Your bar is so low?

    They're not even bothering trying to put out new content because they decided that after 5 years of saying they didn't want you changing how you looked, they reneged and introduced transmogrification and you said HOORAY. So the "new content" of Cataclysm is you going back to do level 60 raids to get the gear you sold 4 years ago, that way, they don't have to make any new things for you because you're too busy going HEHEHE LETS GET THE OLD STUFF AGAIN THAT I FARMED BEFORE.

    This is why the game is dumbed down. Because Blizzard keeps lowering the bar and instead of getting an outcry, you just nod and lower your expectations below their bar and accept what they gave you. Giving you less and less each year but trying to squeeze out more microtransactions, and you keep paying for extra while accepting less for the same price you've been paying.

    It's absurd. And stupid.

    Content? It's not content. It's laughing at you and you're apologizing for it.
    I love you.
  1. mmoc7d0ef109c7's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by keLston View Post
    Because people are looking for actual content, not a daily quest hub with arbitrary gating mechanics to pace how long it takes you to actually get to the end so that it will last until the next expansion since 4.3 is the last content patch until the next expansion.

    If you looked at it expansion by expansion, this is the worst expansion by amount of actual content but each time someone brings it up, some Blizzard apologist quickly comes up with some excuse demanding people to stop being so negative. Why? Did your monthly subscription start costing less? Did Cataclysm expansion cost less than the TBC expansion or WotLK expansion?

    TBC gave us nearly 60 raid bosses, a new "planet", a ton of new dungeons and bosses within, heroics, and love it or hate it gave us arenas and daily BG/honor grinds as a way for PvPers to compete which was also brand new content. WotLK gave us like 45 some raid bosses, a new continent, a handful of new dungeons, and it gave casuals a way to gear up with the Argent Tournament.

    Cataclysm will end up giving us 20? some raid bosses and at least 2 end ones so far have been recycled (Nef and Ragnaros), 7 new dungeons and recycled for us Shadowfang Keep and Deadmines, recycled ZA and ZG and called them "new", gave us like 5 new zones. The content is so lacking, in fact, that Blizzard apologists are so desperate that you're willing to latch on to a side event like the Darkmoon Faire and call it "content"? Oh look it adds a mount ooooh. And some companion pets. Oooooh. So a billion dollar company took a year to add 1 mount and some companion pets? This is what you accept as content now when you are paying the same price? Your bar is so low?

    They're not even bothering trying to put out new content because they decided that after 5 years of saying they didn't want you changing how you looked, they reneged and introduced transmogrification and you said HOORAY. So the "new content" of Cataclysm is you going back to do level 60 raids to get the gear you sold 4 years ago, that way, they don't have to make any new things for you because you're too busy going HEHEHE LETS GET THE OLD STUFF AGAIN THAT I FARMED BEFORE.

    This is why the game is dumbed down. Because Blizzard keeps lowering the bar and instead of getting an outcry, you just nod and lower your expectations below their bar and accept what they gave you. Giving you less and less each year but trying to squeeze out more microtransactions, and you keep paying for extra while accepting less for the same price you've been paying.

    It's absurd. And stupid.

    Content? It's not content. It's laughing at you and you're apologizing for it.
    Drug dealers are doing pretty much the same, Blizzard just does it in a socialy accepted way.

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