2009: May | April | March | February | January
2008 || 2007 || 2006 || 2005 || 2004

The 2009 Warcraft Regional Finals have come to an end! We shared exciting moments and thrilling matches with our visitors and viewers here at the venue in Cologne, Germany. Fast matches, breathtaking scenes and top performances shown by the participants of this tournament heated up the air in the halls of the KOMED venue during all three days.

The last day finished with the North American finals for both Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne and World of Warcraft. In the final rounds of Warcraft III, LongWalk defeated SonKiE a second and final time with 2:1, taking back home $5000.00 and a spot at the Grand Finals in Anaheim for his impressive performance during this event.

Set to fight it out in the Lower Bracket finals for World of Warcraft were TSG and EG. The match was played out relatively quickly as each team won every second round, making good use of all five potential rounds. In the fifth round, we found TSG playing very aggressively and cooldowns such as BladeStorm were used straight off the bat in order to put that extra little bit of pressure on EG. The tactic proved successful as they managed to drop Azael after a well-coordinated target-swap, securing their spot in the Grand Finals.

Waiting for TSG in the Grand Finals was SK Gaming US who considered themselves very well-prepared for TSG despite having never faced them in a tournament before. The rounds went by quickly as SK Gaming justified their high level of confidence by winning the match 3-1 in some very fast-paced rounds. Their use of Mass Dispel against Zilea's bubble won them the round as they proved to the world that they are currently the best American team in the world , receiving a reward of $15.000.00 for their title.

Finally we would like to thank all players, visitors, and spectators for their dedication and commitment. We hope that everybody had as much fun as we did on this great event here in Cologne. Make sure to check out our Regional Finals page here. Don’t miss the latest live coverage for this last tournament day on our forum thread for today. Additionally we have updated our gallery with more pictures showing impressions and emotions we were able to catch here for you.

The second day of the Regional Finals in Cologne, Germany is over with plenty of fast-paced and thrilling games and matches. During the first half of the day, the last four games of the EU Regional Finals took place and we were able to see the champions for both Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne – LucifroN -- as well as for World of Warcraft -- team x6tence from Spain -- who managed to come back from the lower brackets and take the title once again.

The second half of the day, the 2009 US Regional Finals started, bringing us a lot of exciting and fast-paced matches. For Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne SonKiE and LongWalk reached the semi-final of the upper bracket while ShrieK and CrunCher are fighting their way through the lower bracket. The upper bracket of World of Warcraft was dominated by the teams EG and the tournament veterans SK Gaming US while in the lower bracket the teams TSG and eMg managed to beat their opponents.

We also saw several contests down in the free gaming area and signing sessions with Tom Chilton. The venue was crowded with spectators cheering for their favorite players while following the breathtaking fights which took place live on stage.

Today, however, we will be watching the last set of US matches. Expectations are high as we are left with the above-mentioned players and teams to duke it out not only for the title of North American regional champions, but for a chance to visit BlizzCon and participate in the Grand Finals of 2009 in Anaheim, California.

Be sure to check out our Regional Finals page here. Don't miss the live coverage for this last tournament day on our forum thread for today and stay tuned for more exciting coverage and additional images in our Regional Finals gallery.

The second day of the 2009 Warcraft Regional Finals here in Cologne has already started and we already know the teams and players who won a safe place for the Grand Finals this year in Anaheim, California.

For WarCraft III: The Frozen Throne LucifroN, Nicker, and Grubby won their spots for the Grand Finals, while for World of Warcraft team Woah and x6tence, who just defeated eDawgs in the lower bracket semi-final, earned their tickets to BlizzCon in Anaheim where the Grand Finals will be held.

Today Grubby showed his strength in the EU Warcraft Regional Finals, defeating Nicker, a night elf player, quite quickly in the first game. After a fight between two huge armies in the second game as well, Grubby emerged victorious as well. Later on team x6tence, the winners of last year’s EU Regional Finals, crushed the eDawgs RMP team in three very fast and exiting matches in the lower bracket World of Warcraft Semi-Finals with 3:0, leaving eDawgs in the dust.

The Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne was staged between the two famous players LucifroN, winner of yesterday’s upper bracket, and Grubby, who got his chance for revenge after losing against LucifroN yesterday morning in the first Warcraft III game of the day. Grubby started strong and was able to beat LucifroN on the first map. LucifroN recovered quickly and showed his superior skills, defeating Grubby with 2:1 on the last two maps to become the winner of the Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne 2009 Regional Finals, taking home $5000.00 as a prize.

Spanish domination kept on going when team x6tence was able to defeat team Woah -- led by the famous Inflame -- in two breathtaking rounds, winning both times 3:2. A thrilling moment was the match where Woah lost their druid but still kept on going, finally resulting in the defeat of team x6tence in that round. After two rounds, x6tence won the World of Warcraft Regional Finals and received a $15,000 check from Tom Chilton.

Stay tuned and continue watching the beginning of the 2009 North American Regional Finals which will start in a few minutes with more exciting matches on our website for the Regional Finals and make sure to check out the live coverage on our forum thread.

The first day of the 2009 Regional Finals has seen plenty of action loaded matches for Warcraft III and World of Warcraft. European players Grubby and LucifroN and teams Woah and eDawgs have fought and won their first round matches in this amazing tournament here in Cologne, Germany.

One of the most energetic matches in WCIII’s first round was shown to us by Grubby, losing the first game against Happy (download the replay), struggling in the second, but recovering amazingly to eventually defeat Happy 2:1 thus keeping his title "King of the Orcs".

On the World of Warcraft Arena side, “Rest in many pieces” lost against eDawgs in an awesome second round battle featuring two RMP (Rogue Mage Priest) teams, a popular class composition for the European competitors. In the second game, both spectators and Blizzard staff watched breathlessly while the two surviving mages hunted each other with DaisyD from “Rest in many pieces” finally triumphing over his counterpart, Saori of eDawgs.

Players including Happy, SaSe, VortiX and Nicker as well as teams Rest in many pieces, SK Gaming EU, x6tence and aAa will continue battling each other in the Lower Bracket of this tournament, fighting for a chance to reach the finals.

We’ve updated our photo gallery for the Regional Finals with many awesome pictures. Check out our gallery to get an impression of the tournament location, visitors, shoutcasters and of course the players on stage. Be sure to continue following the exciting action in real-time from our Regional Finals live Internet stream. You can also check out the live coverage on our Forum thread for Day 1.

Stay tuned for further exciting coverage from the 2009 Regional Finals!

Today, Friday the 26th of June, the 2009 Regional Finals for World of Warcraft Arena and Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne will open its gates to both pro-gamers and visitors looking forward to the start of the competition. The expectations are high, plenty of well-known players and teams have gathered in Cologne to fight for the European and North American Regional Finals title for 2009.

The first matches are slated to start at 14:00 PM CEST. Be sure to check out our information page for a detailed schedule and also our live updated brackets page for both World of Warcraft and Warcraft III.

Additionally we will provide you with live, up-to-date coverage on the Community Forums. Each day, we will be creating one forum thread and providing coverage, commentary, and perhaps a few responses to questions that come up over the days. See the Day One thread where we’re gathering some initial impressions from our pre-event coverage for your reading pleasure.

This year, for the first time, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy a live Internet stream of BlizzCon coverage from the comfort of your own home. The production consists of over 16 hours of video, including interviews and commentary, main stage presentations, and tournament coverage. It’s now available to order for $39.95 (29,95 €), and purchasers will also receive the BlizzCon 2009-exclusive in-game pet, Grunty the Murloc Marine (not available in all regions). Head over to the BlizzCon 2009 Live Stream website to get more information, to test video playback on your system, or to place an order.

Starting this Friday, the 2009 Regional Finals featuring World of Warcraft Arena and Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, will take place in Cologne, Germany. The best players and teams from the US and the EU will compete to determine which of them will win a much sought-after spot at the Grand Finals at BlizzCon in Anaheim, California.

Watch the action in-person by joining us at the KOMED Meeting Centre in Cologne's MediaPark or follow the action from wherever you are through our official Regional Finals website. Additionally, we've prepared for you a brackets page with all participants, which will be updated throughout the event. The newly added tournament schedule available from the Information Page will help you follow the action and our Community team will keep you updated during the entire event from our Forums.

Stay tuned for more information about this exciting event and we hope to see you there!

Today we continue our class Q&A series with Greg "Ghostcrawler" Street and the development team, in which we’re taking a look at each class and answering some of the top questions brought forward by their communities. Next up, we take a look at the most asked questions from the death knight class and find out more about the design philosophy behind the first Hero class, the expectations for the class, and what may lie in store for it in the future.

Be sure to read the new Q&A.

As of today, FigurePrints is expanding their services to offer limited-edition pets to go along with their custom character statues, and manufactured using the same high-tech 3D printing process. To begin with, three pets are available: Clockwork Rocket Bot, Speedy the turtle, and Stinky the skunk. These pets are only available until July 31, after which they will not be produced again. You can purchase them individually for €27.95 or get the whole set for €68.85, and with any FigurePets order, you’ll also earn a 10% discount on a FigurePrints character statue.

For more information or to place an order, head over to www.figureprints.com.

We’ve added Killaone’s latest creation, Death Knight's Awakening. This once-brave and noble warrior awakens from the sleep of death as a servant of the Scourge!

We're always looking for new fan art and if you're an artist, you can submit your work to us here. We update the Gallery regularly and encourage you to check regularly to see what new and talented submissions are on display.

In the past few weeks, we’ve made several announcements concerning the changes coming up in the next major content patch, Call of the Crusade. In case you’ve missed any, here’s what we have in store for you:

• Crusaders’ Coliseum
• Isle of Conquest
• Argent Tournament Updates
• New druid cat and bear skins
• Mage and Shaman Class Q&As
• Battlegrounds Q&A with Cory Stockton

Check out the Forum Watch below for more information!

We have just added a new wallpaper to our World of Warcraft Wallpaper Gallery featuring River's Heart in Sholazar Basin. Take a moment to check it out!

The time to strike at the heart of the Scourge is drawing close. Clouds blanket the skies of Azeroth and heroes gather beneath battle-worn banners in preparation for the coming storm. They say even the darkest cloud has a silver lining. It is this hope that drives the men and women of the Argent Crusade: hope that the Light will see them through these trying times, hope that good will triumph over evil, hope that a hero blessed by the Light will come forth to put an end to the Lich King's dark reign.

So the Argent Crusade has sent out the call, a call to arms for all heroes far and wide, to meet at the very doorstep of the Lich King's domain and to prove their might in a tournament the likes of which Azeroth has never seen...

Each summer, the arrival of the Midsummer Fire Festival signals a time of merriment and a chance to revel in the hottest season of the year by lighting celebratory bonfires across the land and sharing in what the elemental spirits have to offer. This year (beginning June 21 and continuing until July 5), the festival features some fun and exciting events, quests, and prizes, including a special summoned boss for groups of high-level players. Learn more about the new Midsummer Fire Festival content in our Midsummer Fire Festival page!

Today we continue our class Q&A series with Greg “Ghostcrawler” Street and the development team, where we’re taking a look at each class and answering some of the top questions brought forward by their communities. Next up, we take a look at the most asked questions from the mage class and find out more about the design philosophy behind the class, the expectations for the class, and what may lie in store for it in the future.

Be sure to read the new Q&A.

We have just posted a Q&A with World of Warcraft developer Cory Stockton concerning the future of the Battlegrounds in World of Warcraft and some behind-the-scenes information on the upcoming battleground, the Isle of Conquest! Take a moment to check it out.

Within the Crusader’s Coliseum only the greatest champions of the Argent Tournament are given entrance. Here they will face new challenges, new foes, and achieve new glory. The coliseum includes new gameplay options for the most hardened of veterans in ten and 25-player Heroic modes as well as a five-player dungeon. Read more about this new addition here.

The Argent Crusade continues to call forth the bold and brave to take up arms against their enemies and overcome the threat of the Lich King. In the upcoming content patch, Call of the Crusade, the Argent Tournament expands into two new points of interest, adding new dailies, new rewards, and new challenges for the heroes of Azeroth. Read more about these new additions.

If you use the Battle.net Mobile Authenticator and intend to update your iPhone or iPod touch to iPhone OS 3.0, we would like to highly recommend that you first back up your iPhone or iPod touch to your computer using iTunes prior to performing the update. By taking this important precaution, you will be able to quickly restore your previous install of the Battle.net Mobile Authenticator if you encounter any issues during the update process.

For more information, refer to the Battle.net Mobile Authenticator FAQ.

We’ve added Blinck’s latest creation, Tree of Life. This compelling guardian of nature stands ready to lend his healing skills to those in need.

We're always looking for new fan art and if you're an artist, you can submit your work to us here. We update the Gallery regularly and encourage you to check regularly to see what new and talented submissions are on display.

Located north of Icecrown, the Isle of Conquest bristles with activity as the Horde and Alliance go head-to-head in a bid to control the resources that could mean their victory against the forces of the Lich King and his Scourge.The upcoming content patch, Call of the Crusade, will introduce the new Isle of Conquest Battleground, where players will be able to battle forty-versus-forty to control this critical location.

To read more about the new Battleground, please visit our preview page.

Although the war against the Burning Legion continues to rage on Outland, the latest front has emerged on Azeroth itself. The Isle of Quel'Danas, located in the Eastern Kingdoms, has become the Legion's most recent target in its ongoing mission of destruction. Kael'thas Sunstrider, former leader of the blood elves, has revealed himself as the Legion's formidable new ally...

Learn more about the events surrounding the Isle of Quel'Danas on our new page!

We have just added dungeon pages with information about Magisters’ Terrace, and the Sunwell Plateau to the Game Guide. Take a moment to check them out!

This week we’re starting our class Q&A series with Greg “Ghostcrawler” Street and the development team. We’ll be taking a look at each class and answering some of the top questions brought forward by their communities. First up, we take a look at the most asked questions from the shaman class and find out more about the design philosophy behind the class, the expectations for the class, and what may lie in store for it in the future.

Be sure to read the new Q&A.

This year’s Warcraft regional finals are approaching fast, with the event set to take place on June 26th-28th in Cologne, Germany. Seeing the best players from Europe and North America battling it out on stage is definitely something you do not want to miss, and if you stop by, not only will you bear witness to the climactic finals, you’ll also be able to attend organised signings with World of Warcraft Game Director Tom "Kalgan" Chilton.

We look forward to seeing you there!

We’ve added Bambr’s latest creation, Shaman called Shusha. This mighty orc shaman stands before a blazing bonfire in Orgrimmar as he contemplates the next stage of his journey for the glory of the Horde!

We're always looking for new fan art and if you're an artist, you can submit your work to us here. We update the Gallery regularly and encourage you to check regularly to see what new and talented submissions are on display.

In just two short weeks, the Regional Finals will take place in Cologne! Attendees will be able to see the best teams from around the world compete in the World of Warcraft Arena and the Warcraft III:Frozen Throne tournaments. To help you find your way to this free-to-all event, we have provided travel information over on our new Tournament Information page. We look forward to seeing you there!

There are only thirteen days left until the end of the Blizzard Costume Contest. Snap a photo of yourself wearing your best Blizzard-inspired costume and you could win a grand prize package filled with great loot from our partners Panini, SteelSeries, and Upper Deck as well as an a trip for two to BlizzCon 2009! Check out our contest information page for details. Also, be sure to check the Terms and Conditions for entering.

They say that curiosity killed the cat, but sometimes curiosity can pay off in gold and loot. Countless adventurers have given their lives to seek out more information on the dangers that lurk within the treacherous dungeons of Azeroth. They have set their sights on Ulduar, and have not only provided a map of this titan stronghold, but have also delved into the history of each of the bosses within, producing a quick and easy reference for each.

If you’ve ever been curious as to the lore behind the faces that thwart your dreams of fame and fortune, look no further than our newest site addition, the Bosstiary. Search the map and simply mouse over the boss icons to learn more about each one. Satisfy your curiosity here.

Now that you can merge your World of Warcraft accounts into your Battle.net Account, you can also join in the StarCraft II Beta Opt-In Program! To do so, log into Battle.net using your email address, click on the Beta Profile Settings and create a beta profile. Doing so will give you a chance to participate in the StarCraft II beta when it begins so get your name in now! Don’t forget to head over to the StarCraft II website for the latest news about the game, new units, wallpapers, Battle Reports and videos.

The first Blizzard Entertainment global creative writing contest has been judged and the winning entries chosen. After poring over nearly 17 million words, our judges have decided on one grand prize winner and seven runners-up. Take a moment to enjoy the ideas and creative stories of all the winning entries.

The grand prize winner will visit the company headquarters to meet and eat with the Blizzard Entertainment creative writing staff, and will receive a Frostmourne sword. The seven runners-up will be sent signed copies of the Diablo Archive, Warcraft Archive, StarCraft Archive, and Warcraft War of the Ancients Archive.

The second and final allotment of tickets for BlizzCon 2009 has now been sold out. We look forward to seeing all attendees in Anaheim, California! For those unable to attend in-person, online coverage of BlizzCon will also be offered via a DIRECTV Pay Per View event as an Internet video stream.

This new feature combines Battlegroups from different languages into one, expanding the pool of players looking for PvP action in both Arenas and Battlegrounds. The first Cross-Language Battlegroups were created last Wednesday and more will be added on June 3rd. Players from realms of different languages will only ever face each other as opponents in battle and will not be playing on the same faction in Battlegrounds. Find out more about Cross-Language Battlegroups on our Forums.

During the 2009 Warcraft Regional Finals, the best European and North American players will battle each other on stage in Cologne, Germany. Event attendees will also discover our dedicated gaming area, try our latest games, take part in contests, and much more. At the event, you’ll have the opportunity to challenge your friends in StarCraft II, the long-awaited sequel to StarCraft, and game stations will also be set up for Wrath of the Lich King. If you haven’t yet had the chance to step into Northrend or are wondering what’s new for your favorite StarCraft race, you can find out in Cologne June 26 - 28th.

If you were unable to purchase BlizzCon tickets during the first round of ticket sales, we just wanted to remind you that our second batch of BlizzCon 2009 tickets will be going on sale Saturday, May 30. Ticket sales are again scheduled to begin on Saturday at 19:00 CEST, so be sure to visit the ticket sales page then for a chance to get yours.

BlizzCon 2009 will take place August 21 and 22 at the Anaheim Convention Center, and tickets cost $125 each. For those unable to attend the show, in-depth coverage of BlizzCon will also be available as a Pay Per View Internet stream. For more information about the convention and the Internet stream, check out the official BlizzCon site.

Yesterday we kicked off our preview of the new druid art by featuring bear form for tauren. We’re continuing this preview today with a look at the new textures for night elf bear form. Check them out.

The Battle.net Account features are now completely live in Europe! Starting today, World of Warcraft players in Europe can merge their World of Warcraft accounts into their Battle.net Account, enabling them to log into the forums, the Armory, and the game with their Battle.net account! The Battle.net Account also allows quick and easy access to all World of Warcraft accounts merged with it as well as providing access to StarCraft, Warcraft, and Diablo accounts associated with it.

Additionally, by merging their World of Warcraft Account into their Battle.net account, European World of Warcraft players may now participate in the Beta Opt-in, giving them the chance to join in the StarCraft II Beta test if their account is selected!

Head over to Battle.net and create your account or merge your World of Warcraft account in now.

New art for two druid forms, cat and bear, are coming in the next major content patch. As this has been a much-anticipated update for druids, we’d like to give you a first look at the fresh designs. We’ll be offering up the new art for night elf and tauren druid forms in four installments. To kick things off today, let’s start with a preview of the new textures available for tauren bear form. Take a glimpse at the new feature and art.

Our latest addition to the Blizzard Fan Art Gallery comes from kornkob, entitled: Rastlin – Frost Mage. This Forsaken frost mage is chilled to the bone.

We're always looking for new fan art and if you're an artist, you can submit your work to us here. We update the Gallery regularly and encourage you to check regularly to see what new and talented submissions are on display.

In this edition of Upcoming Features, we’d like to offer a peek at the new information found on our Under Development page for those who may not have seen it yet. The upcoming major content patch, Call of the Crusade, will bring a host of new features for World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King:

• The Argent Tournament Expands
• Crusaders' Coliseum
• New Battleground: Isle of Conquest
• New Arena Season: Season 7 will officially start!

Since its release, Echoes of War: The Music of Blizzard Entertainment has proven very popular, and the Eminence Symphony Orchestra has announced that a new re-issue of the 2-disc standard edition will be made available this spring. The album features 15 unique arrangements, with several pieces coming from the yet-to-be-released StarCraft II and Diablo III. Ninety minutes of music are featured in all, with bonus tracks arranged by special guests including the critically-acclaimed composer Kow Otani. The new standard edition package, showcasing a redesigned cover art piece, will be available in retail outlets on June 16 for $24.95, but players can pre-order it for $19.95 plus shipping. The Legendary Edition is also available for $49.95, and comes with a bonus documentary DVD, nine art cards, and a bonus 32-page booklet. Visit the official Echoes of War website to hear samples, learn more, and order your copy today.

Warm up your sewing machines and start selecting the best fabrics you can; the Blizzard Costume Contest has arrived! The best costume-maker will receive a grand prize package filled with great loot from our partners Panini, SteelSeries, and Upper Deck as well as an a trip for two to BlizzCon 2009! Check out our contest information page for details. Also, be sure to check the Terms and Conditions for entering.

We’ve added GAVade’s latest creation, Lich King, to the Blizzard Fan Art Gallery. The Lich King is waiting, watching for his time to strike!

We're always looking for new fan art and if you're an artist, you can submit your work to us here. We update the Gallery regularly and encourage you to check regularly to see what new and talented submissions are on display.

On patch day everyone wants to get the new content as soon as possible, and our Technical Support team is here to help you with a special FAQ designed to address any issues which might arise while patching.
They are there for you by phone and email, and you can access the full support site here – which also includes general assistance on in-game topics and new content.

For the past several months, players have been climbing their respective qualifying ladders, battling each other for a spot at the Regional Finals of the 2009 World of Warcraft Arena Tournament and the 2009 Warcraft III Tournament. On June 26 to 28 you can witness them clash for the top spots and a trip to the Global Finals at BlizzCon. To watch the excitement of the 2009 Regional Finals in person and witness the fast-paced action live on stage, you can join us at the MediaPark in Cologne, Germany. Experience the fascination of eSports at a top level and join other spectators to cheer for your favorite players.

For more information and all updates, check out the Regional Finals mini-site.

The initial allotment of tickets for BlizzCon 2009 has now been sold out. If you weren’t able to get tickets this time, you’ll have a second chance on Saturday, May 30, as another batch will go on sale then. Coverage of the gaming festival will also be offered by DIRECTV as a Pay Per View event, available both via satellite and Internet stream.

Just in case Saturday, May 16 isn’t circled on your calendar, here’s a quick reminder that BlizzCon tickets will be going on sale tomorrow. After our gnomish engineers in Southern California get to work and finish making the final preparations late Saturday morning, they’ll activate the ticket-purchase process and BlizzCon tickets will officially go on sale. If you are unable to purchase tickets tomorrow, a second batch of tickets will go on sale May 30. And for those unable to attend the show, in-depth coverage of BlizzCon will also be offered by DIRECTV as a Pay Per View event, available both via satellite and Internet stream.

BlizzCon 2009 will take place August 21 and 22 at the Anaheim Convention Center, and tickets cost $125 each. For further information about the convention, check out the official BlizzCon site, and keep an eye on the ticket sales page tomorrow for the chance to get yours.

Want to do your part to protect Azeroth from interstellar invasion? Everyone who attends BlizzCon 2009 or purchases the BlizzCon Pay Per View event via DIRECTV will be joined by a new World of Warcraft in-game companion, Grunty the murloc marine. This tiny terror is fully armored and comes equipped with a gauss rifle, which he’ll occasionally fire into the air to make sure no invisible spacecraft are swooping in to attack.

BlizzCon 2009 takes place on August 21-22 in the Anaheim Convention Center. Tickets go on sale on Saturday, May 16, with a second allotment to be released on May 30. For further details, check out the recent press release.

Warm up your sewing machines and start selecting the best fabrics you can; the Blizzard Costume Contest is coming soon! The best costume-maker will receive a grand prize package filled with great loot from our partners Panini, SteelSeries, and Upper Deck as well as an a trip for two to BlizzCon 2009! Check out our contest information page for details.

This contest will launch on May 20 so get your costumes ready!

We have just added a new wallpaper to our Official World of Warcraft Wallpaper Gallery depicting scenes from the World of Warcraft comic series!

This wallpaper features artwork from Wildstorm's monthly comic series. If you like what you see, you can visit Wildstorm on the web for more information or to subscribe to the series directly.

Children's Week is celebrated once a year in Orgrimmar, Stormwind, and Shattrath City. The week-long celebration is a time to give back to the innocents of war: the orphans! This year's occurrence of the holiday is accompanied by new achievements, which can be found in the World Events tab of the Achievements menu. Learn more about this special in-game event on our Children's Week information page.

You’ve already read about the updated Argent Tournaments mounts coming in the next minor content patch -- now you can get a glimpse at what these new mounts look like. Check out our Under Development page to see how they reflect the colors and symbols of their factions.

With the recent release of content patch 3.1, Secrets of Ulduar, we would like to take an opportunity to highlight some helpful class discussions occurring on our forums. Many classes have undergone considerable talent tree revisions, so here’s your chance to explore some of the specialization options and tips of the trade as written and examined by your peers in the community. If your preferred specialization or class role isn’t covered in these threads, don’t be shy! Feel free to ask your fellow players on the Class or Class Role forums for advice.

Death Knight, Druid, Hunter, Mage, Paladin, Priest, Rogue, Shaman, Warlock, Warrior

We have just added a new wallpaper to our Official World of Warcraft Wallpaper Gallery featuring Kael’thas and Tempest Keep.

We’ve added Kirpluk’s latest creation, Troll Shaman, to the Blizzard Fan Art Gallery. This troll is fuming with nature magic.

We're always looking for new fan art and if you're an artist, you can submit your work to us here. We update the Gallery regularly and encourage you to check regularly to see what new and talented submissions are on display.

The Noblegarden event is returning to Azeroth with some new additions. Players can take part in the druidic festivities spreading ‘round all corners of the map all week beginning Sunday, April 26, and ending Sunday, May 3.

Features include:

• Noblegarden egg hunt and daily quests located in starting towns such as Goldshire, Razor Hill, Kharanos, and Brill.
• All-new Noblegarden treats and prizes found rarely in eggs.
• Chocolate as a currency! (Or just indulge your sweet tooth).
• All new achievements found in the World Events tab.

Please join us in celebrating this annual event like never before. Whether you celebrate Noblegarden in a traditional manner or you have a longing for sweet chocolates and festive garments, we hope you’re able to come together and give yourself a break from competing in cutthroat Arena battles or laying siege to Ulduar.

What are the best tactics to defeat a paper emerald drake? Should one choose basis weight over embossing or does one simply need to own a legendary cardboard sword? There is nothing wrong with your monitor, you are still in the World of Warcraft universe, but there is one slight difference: you are facing Papercrafts!

Read our interview with Pascal about this community of enthusiasts in our new Spotlight!

During patch days, everyone wants to get updates as soon as possible, and our Technical Support team is here to help you with a special FAQ designed to address any issues which might arise while patching.
They are there for you by phone and email, and you can access the full support site here – which also includes general assistance on in-game topics and new content.

The Blizzard Authenticator is back with a new look, still providing the same security boost to your World of Warcraft account as before. This small, portable key fob generates random single-use passwords for use along with your regular WoW password, greatly increasing the security of your account. Read more about how the Blizzard Authenticator can help keep your account secure at the Blizzard Online Store.

Do you know World of Warcraft's lore inside and out? If yes, here is the contest for you! Test your knowledge and get a chance to win a signed World of Warcraft action figure.

For more information about the contest, see the Comic Quiz page. Don’t forget to check out the official rules before submitting your entry.

Good luck !

The first-ever World of Warcraft Arena Shoutcasting Contest has officially ended -- we'd like to thank everyone who participated! We're now in the process of judging the entries to select the best and most exciting Arena commentary. The winner will receive a Dell UltraSharp 3007WFP-HC monitor and a code for the BlizzCon 2008 polar bear mount, and three runners-up will each receive a BlizzCon T-shirt along with the BlizzCon 2008 mount. We’ll be showcasing the winners soon, so stay tuned!

Phase 4 of the 2009 Arena Tournament will be ending next Tuesday, April 21, at 21:00 CEST. Please keep in mind that this is the final phase of the tournament; the top eight teams from this phase will be invited to the 2009 Arena Tournament Regional Finals. Participants must remain on their team for the duration of the tournament to ensure prize eligibility. For more information on the tournament, please visit our Arena Tournament information page; to discuss the tournament with your fellow players, please visit the Arena Tournament Forum. Thank you to all of the participants, and good luck to everyone!

Siege weapons, portable explosives, and destructible gates are some of the unique and exciting features of this battleground where Horde and Alliance take turns defending and capturing the relic protected by formidable fortress walls. Learn all about this challenging 15-man battleground at our new Strand of the Ancients page.

Secrets of Ulduar, the new World of Warcraft content update, is now live! The gates of the mysterious titan stronghold of Ulduar have swung open, granting players access to an all-new level-80 raid dungeon with normal (10-person) and heroic (25-person) versions and optional hard-mode encounters for those seeking an additional challenge. Secrets of Ulduar also includes the new Argent Tournament in Icecrown Citadel, cross-language battlegrounds, the dual-talent-specialization feature, multiple user-interface upgrades, and some significant changes to class talents and abilities. Be sure to visit your class trainer, as all talent points have been reset.

Watch the Secrets of Ulduar trailer now, or read the patch notes.

As players begin to discover the many Secrets of Ulduar in patch 3.1, the Argent Crusade invites Azeroth's bravest heroes to prove their worth in the Argent Tournament. In preparation for a fatal blow against the Lich King and his Scourge, the Argent Crusade will be hosting competitive games, giving players another chance to build reputation with the capital cities of the Horde and Alliance. The most battle-hardened contestants will have access to a host of enticing items as the Argent Crusade begins construction on the Coliseum, where valorous battles testing the might of all challengers are to come. Let the games begin!

Phase 4 of the 2009 World of Warcraft Arena tournament has begun. Tournament participants have battled fiercely for weeks in hopes of making it to the invitational ladder. Competitors now have one week to prove their worth as this final phase of the online qualification will last until April 21 at 21:00 CEST. For a list of the invited teams and to track their progress, please visit the World of Warcraft Armory. Top teams will earn a chance to participate in live events, including the global finals being held at BlizzCon. For more information on the tournament, please visit our Arena Tournament information page; to discuss the tournament with your fellow players, please visit the Arena Tournament Forum. Good luck and good fight!

On patch day everyone wants to get the new content as soon as possible, and our Technical Support team is here to help you with a special FAQ designed to address any issues which might arise while patching.
They are there for you by phone and email, and you can access the full support site here – which also includes general assistance on in-game topics and new content.

With the upcoming release of Secrets of Ulduar, the next major content update for World of Warcraft, Ulduar's gates will swing open, allowing heroes of the Horde and Alliance to venture into the titan Pantheon's ancient halls.

In addition to an all-new raid dungeon, Secrets of Ulduar will introduce the dual talent specialization system, new quests at the Argent Tournament, and the epic tier-8 armor sets.

Watch the trailer now and read more about the new features on our brand-new Secrets of Ulduar preview page.

A little more than a year ago, we bid farewell to Dungeons & Dragons co-creator Gary Gygax. This year, we pay homage to the other half of that incredible creative duo, Dave Arneson. On Tuesday, April 7, Dave passed away and left behind a rich gaming legacy. We want to take a moment to recognize Dave, his work, and his contribution to the creation of the role-playing genre of gaming. Dave’s great passion, creativity, and vision have inspired us all; he will be remembered and greatly missed.

Looking for tips on becoming Ambassador of the Alliance? Want to earn the title of City Defender? The Achievement Tips page is for you! With the introduction of the Achievements System in the previous Wrath of the Lich King update patch, players are able to accomplish over 500 new in-game achievements with exciting rewards and spectacular titles. Find out more about these helpful hints at the Achievement Tips page.

The novel Arthas: Rise of the Lich King will debut on store bookshelves on April 21, but you can get a sneak peek today by participating in our Arthas Novel Quiz Contest. Simply read an excerpt from chapter six of the book and answer three questions based on what you’ve read. If you answer all of the questions correctly, you’ll be entered into a drawing to win one of 20 Arthas: Rise of the Lich King leather collector’s gift boxes, which includes a numbered and signed copy of the book. Enter today at our contest page.

Please note that this contest is available only in English and the prize, a copy of Arthas: Rise of the Lich King, is also available only in English.

If you’ve been thinking about getting some custom World of Warcraft apparel, now is the perfect time. SwagDog is currently offering free shipping for all US orders and for international orders of three items or more, while international orders of two items or less ship for only $9.99 worldwide. International shipping includes all taxes, duties, and fees. With the recent release of the custom guild hat, there’s never been a better time to stock up and save on all your guild gear.

This limited-time offer is only available through http://Warcraft.SwagDog.com and ends April 30; head over and take advantage of the offer today.

We have just added a new wallpaper to our Official World of Warcraft Wallpaper Gallery. Warmly greeting you in the frozen north, these tauren druids will make even the bitterest, darkest cold seem a little warmer and brighter.

Phase 3 of the 2009 Arena Tournament will be ending next Tuesday, April 7, at 21.00 CEST. Please keep in mind that you have until the end of this phase to complete the 200 rated 3v3 games required to qualify for prizes. Participants must also remain on their team for the duration of the tournament to ensure prize eligibility. The Arena Tournament realms will be shut down for a week in preparation for Phase 4 of the tournament (the invitational ladder), which will determine who advances to the regional finals. Phase 4 will begin on Wednesday, April 15, after maintenance. For more information on the tournament, please visit our Arena Tournament information page; to discuss the tournament with your fellow players, please visit the Arena Tournament Forum. Thank you to all of the participants, and good luck to everyone who qualified for the invitational ladder!

Our first World of Warcraft Arena Shoutcasting Contest will end in just two short weeks. So, if you want to join in for the chance to win a Dell Ultrasharp 2007WFP-HC monitor and a BlizzCon 2008 polar bear mount, there's still time left!

Take a look at our Arena Shoutcasting Contest page for details on how to enter and win. You can also check out the Terms and Conditions for entering.

We are pleased to announce the winners of our Four Year Anniversary T-Shirt Design Contest. Congratulations to A. Ibaceta, the grand prize winner, and to D. Reeckmann, K. Khokhlov, E. Baumgarten, and A. Pages, our second place winners! You can check out the winning designs on our Four Year Anniversary Contest Winners page!

Congratulations once more!

We have just added a new wallpaper to our Official World of Warcraft Wallpaper Gallery. Hovering high in the night sky, the guardian spirit offers rest and redemption to all weary souls making their way through the world.

Continuing our behind-the-scenes look at Blizzard Entertainment games and developers, BlizzCast #8 features Q&A sessions about World of Warcraft, StarCraft II, and Diablo III and finishes with an in-depth Diablo III interview discussing the special effects that create the world of Sanctuary, as well as the latest changes to the game's UI.

Our complete transcript includes exclusive new screenshots of Diablo III and StarCraft II, as well as a short example movie from Diablo III.

Listen to BlizzCast #8!

Pre-order a numbered and signed copy of Arthas: Rise of the Lich King with a leather collectors gift set which includes a first edition hardcover copy of Arthas signed by Christie Golden, Numbered 1 out of 10,000, complete with certificate of authenticity and collectors Leather Gift Box.

Following the launch of custom World of Warcraft guild shirts, SwagDog is now also offering custom guild hats. With them, players can display their guild tabard emblem across the front and have the option to display their guild name, name of the character they play, and faction icon on the back. The ordering interface also now interfaces directly with the Armory, making it even easier to retrieve your guild tabard design. Visit Warcraft.Swagdog.com today to show your guild pride with a custom guild shirt or hat.

We are pleased to welcome you on the official StarCraft II website in Russian! Discover the forthcoming sequel to the legendary Blizzard best-seller, StarCraft. Get familiar with the new units and gameplay mechanics, read behind-the-scene interviews, learn the full story and understand the reasons behind the merciless war between three powerful races: Protoss, Terran and Zerg.

Feel free to explore our Movies and Downloads pages, to be regularly updated with Russian content. News and Q&A archives will be kept in English, while new materials will be published directly in Russian.

This year, World of Warcraft players in China celebrated the Lunar New Year with a photo event called, "I Love World of Warcraft, I Love Spring Festival." Players from all over China sent in photos of their family, friends, and guildmates combining the Lunar New Year celebration with their enthusiasm for World of Warcraft. Visit the gallery to see the some of the best pictures we received.

Registration for the 2009 World of Warcraft Arena Tournament is now closed and Phase 3 of the tournament has begun. Participants have been battling it out on the tournament realms for the past two weeks while fine-tuning their team composition and strategies. Phase 3 of the tournament includes a lockdown of the teams that will be jockeying for position to compete in the regional finals. Please remember that participants must remain on their team for the duration of the tournament to ensure prize eligibility, and only games played in the 3v3 bracket count towards this goal. To track the progress of your team and the competition as a whole, please visit the World of Warcraft Armory. For more information on the tournament, please visit our Arena Tournament information page; to discuss the tournament with your fellow players, please visit the Arena Tournament Forum. Good luck to all competitors!

We've added Corbella's latest creation, Orc Patrol to the Blizzard Fan Art gallery. This mighty orc warrior will tear apart anyone who threatens his people's new homeland!

We're always looking for new fan art and if you're an artist, you can submit your work to us here. We update the Gallery regularly and encourage you to check regularly to see what new and talented submissions are on display.

The Blizzard Theme Park Contest ends in just four short days! There is still time to get your submission in and win. The grand prize, a Wacom Cintiq 12WX Digitizing Tablet, could still be yours! So hurry up and submit now!

We have just added a new wallpaper to our Official World of Warcraft Wallpaper Gallery. The ground shaking beneath your feet is the first, and probably only, warning you'll receive when this dinosaur is coming for you!

Phase 3 of the 2009 Arena Tournament is starting next Wednesday and this will be your last chance to register. Teams will be locked down during this phase, so please finalize your team rosters for the home stretch. Participants must remain on their team for the duration of the tournament to ensure prize eligibility. Please keep in mind that changes made to our live realms will also be reflected on our tournament realms, so adjust your teams accordingly. For more information on the tournament, please visit our Arena Tournament information page; to discuss the tournament with your fellow players, please visit the Arena Tournament Forum. Good luck to all competitors!

We’re pleased to introduce the Battle.net account -- a brand-new way for players to manage their Blizzard Entertainment games, make online Blizzard store purchases, and more using just one set of login information.

In the near future, World of Warcraft players will be able to merge a World of Warcraft account (or multiple accounts) with a Battle.net account, and begin logging in to the game, the Armory, and the forums using their new Battle.net account login information.

Some of the other benefits of the Battle.net account include:

• Fewer passwords to remember. One single login lets you access World of Warcraft (coming soon), the online Blizzard store, and more -- including upcoming games such as StarCraft II and Diablo III.
• Opt in to upcoming Blizzard Entertainment beta tests. Put yourself in the running to be invited to test upcoming games.
• Easy access to your classic games. Store your CD keys for classic Blizzard Entertainment titles, and then download the games whenever you wish.
• And more to come… We’re planning to add more features in the future, including tools to help friends communicate between games and bring players closer together.

At this time, signing up is completely optional -- but if you’re interested in taking advantage of the benefits of the Battle.net account today, check out the FAQ for more information, or create an account now.

The first competitors have signed up and are now fighting their way to the qualifiers, which is the second phase of the 2009 Arena Tournament. If you take a look at the current standings, you'll see that some of the best players from the 2008 Arena Tournament are fighting against a range of new teams. It's not too late to sign up and join them in the fight for the 2009 Arena Tournament!

To help you get in the mood for this competition, don't miss the opportunity to watch some of the best matches from the Arena Tournament 2008:

Regional finals: x6tence vs. Nihilum Plasma
Blizzcon 2008, Round 2: x6tence vs Nihilum Plasma
Global finals at Blizzcon 2008: Nihilum Plasma vs selective queuers

If you have only just joined the fray, make sure you read the information below and watch the matches from 2008. Only then can you be sure you know the strategies and tactics of the best teams from 2008 that may prove to be your next opponents!

• aAa nawak finished third at the Intel Extreme Master Season 3 global finals. This team is well known for playing a huge amount of matches and their typical setup is Rogue, Mage and Priest.
• Carekoala used to play with Nihilum Plasma (the winners of the 2008 Arena Tournament,) but he is now playing as a mage with "we r randoms".
• Improved clicks is better known as the Spanish team x6tence.
• x6tence were 4th at the Intel Extreme Masters Global Challenge in Montreal, Canada.
• x6tence won the European Regionals for the 2008 Arena Tournament.
• Nihilum Plasma captured 2nd place at the European Regionals and won the 2008 Arena.
• 2009 Tournament: Tera gaming played the first offline tournament at the Intel Extreme Masters Season 3 European Finals at CeBIT in Hannover, Germany.
• 2009 Tournament: eStars is playing on the German battlegroup Blutdurst and are currently placed 2nd in this Battlegroup!

The ranked matches are already being fought, but you can still register until March, 25th 2009. Here is your chance to shine! Show others your fighting skills while using epic geared level 80 characters. Moreover, you could bring back an armored murloc pet and the Vanquisher title to Azeroth!

We are pleased to announce the winners of our Four Year Anniversary Fan Art and Lore Contests. Congratulations to S. Caces Gorbe, the grand prize winner of our Fan Art contest and to P. Frisch Aragonés, S. Pedersen, S. Krebs, and P. Mafayon, our second place winners! Also, congratulations to A. Stuhlmiller, the grand prize winner of our Lore contest and to F. Dolze, C. Chamakh, S. Couaillier, and A. Laurent, our second place winners!

We will be announcing the winning entries for the T-Shirt Design contest soon. Congratulations once more!

We have just updated our Armor Sets page with the new sets added in Wrath of the Lich King. These sets are available to adventurers who have taken the fight to Naxxramas in both normal and heroic mode. Also, the new Arena Gladiator sets that came with Wrath of the Lich King have been added. Take a moment to check it out!

We have just added a new wallpaper to our Official World of Warcraft Wallpaper Gallery. Tremble in awe at the sight of this mighty warlock commanding his voidwalker.

There are many new additions and changes coming in the near future for World of Warcraft. Along with the highly anticipated raid dungeon Ulduar, several new user interface features will be released, and we’ve created a preview of them to let you know what to expect when the patch arrives.

If you enjoy the Blizzard Entertainment universes and have the drive to pen fantasy fiction in them, here’s your chance to shine. Whether you conjure stories in your free time or write for a living, you’re encouraged to enter and have the chance to win a free trip to Blizzard Entertainment headquarters in Southern California. This contest is open to entrants from around the world, though all submissions must be in English. For more information, head to the contest page or read the official rules.

Every Arena team profile on the Armory now includes Arena Records, new tools that track and measure the performance of every Arena team in World of Warcraft. These tools comprise the Match History tab, the Opponent History tab, and Match Reports.

• The Match History tab displays every Arena match that a team has played during the season in an interactive graph showing the date, opposing team, and result of each match.
• The Opponent History tab displays a team's Arena matches in relation to the opposing teams faced, which helps track performance against particular team compositions.
• The Match Reports display the same end-of-match results and statistics that appeared in-game.

For more details, visit the FAQs for these new tools: Match History, Opponent History, and Match Reports.

Phase 2 of the 2009 World of Warcraft Arena Tournament has begun. Tournament participants have had ample time during the practice phase to hone their strategies, try various team compositions, and get familiar with playing with their team. It's now time to play for keeps. To track the progress of your team and competition, please visit the World of Warcraft Armory and select the Coliseum 1 battlegroup. Top teams will earn a chance to participate in live events, including the global finals being held at the recently announced BlizzCon.

If you have not yet registered for the tournament, you can still do so until March, 25 when Phase 3 begins. For more information on the tournament please visit our Arena Tournament information page; to discuss the tournament with your fellow players, please visit the Arena Tournament Forum. Good luck and may the best teams be left standing!

FigurePrints's popular custom 3D figures of World of Warcraft® characters are now available for the first time to players throughout Europe. By visiting www.figureprints.com, players can design statues of the characters they play, posed the way they like, with all their favorite armor and weapons. The custom statues are manufactured using a high-tech 3D color printing technology and then hand-finished to produce one-of-a-kind works of art. For most of the last year, World of Warcraft players in North America have had to enter a lottery to win the chance to order one of these sought after works of art, but due to increased production capacity, FigurePrints is now able to offer instant ordering to all World of Warcraft players in Europe and North America. To learn more about FigurePrints or to place an order, please visit www.figureprints.com.

Season 3 of the Intel Extreme Masters has concluded with the Global Finals at CeBit in Hannover, Germany. Teams from all over the world were competing to become Global Champion with $75,000 in prize money.

Coming from the lower bracket and thus needing to win two best-of-five matches, the Korean team H O N, was able to beat SK Gaming 3:2 in a nail biting Grand Final. If you missed the Grand Final you can watch it as Video on Demand on the ESL TV website (registration required). While H O N receives $30,000 prize money the 2nd placed team takes home $15,000. The French team aAa nawaK placed 3rd and won $9,000 in prize money. Congratulations to all teams.

The Intel Extreme Masters World of Warcraft 3v3 Arena Tournament Continental Finals have come to an end. In the grand finals the Bulgarian team from iNNERFiRE won over Nihilum Plasma with a score 3:2. While iNNERFiRE takes home $15,000 Nihilum Plasma still gets $6,000. Check out the full results at the events page.

You can view the Tournament Tree here. If you missed the action you can use the Video on Demand service located here.

The Global Finals of the Intel Extreme Masters World of Warcraft 3v3 Arena Tournament will commence on Saturday morning. Seven European teams are qualified and you can take a look at the groups here.

With 15 programmable buttons, 130 preset game commands and customizable in-game macros, the World of Warcraft MMO Gaming Mouse from SteelSeries is the latest in gaming mouse technology. This mouse is built with an ergonomic design and also features a lighting option capable of 16 million colors. For additional game control, SteelSeries also offers the Zboard keyset, a keyboard add-on designed specifically for customizable one-touch macros. For full details, please visit www.steelseries.com; the mouse is now available at the Blizzard Online Store, and also in major gaming and electronics stores everywhere.

In the upcoming week, Season 3 of the Intel Extreme Masters (Electronic Sports League) is climaxing at CeBit in Hanover, Germany. From March 3rd to 8th, the Continental Finals Europe followed by the Global Finals of the Extreme Masters, will take place to determine the winner of the 3v3 Arena Tournament.

During the competition, the Electronic Sports League will provide a free non-stop video stream, allowing everyone worldwide to watch all of the matches live with commentary in English. For more details, including team profiles, rules, and the video stream, see the official coverage page.

In addition to this tournament, you will also be able to play World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King in the Free Gaming Area.

We’ve just released a video preview for Ulduar, the new raid dungeon being introduced in the upcoming content patch for World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King. Check out the video now to see some of the environments and creatures that wait within this ancient Titan structure.

What would you do if you could design the Blizzard Entertainment theme park of your dreams? Here's your chance to show us! Blizzard Entertainment is challenging you to design a theme park, complete with rides and attractions based on the universes of Starcraft, Warcraft, and Diablo. Submissions will be judged on design creativity, artistry, and imaginative use of the lore and spirit of Blizzard games.

Winning entries will receive prizes including StarCraft II beta keys, a chance to have their entry displayed at BlizzCon 2009, and more.

The contest closes on March 30, 2009 so don’t delay! Learn more about the fabulous prizes and the contest details at the official contest page or read the official rules.

The 2009 World of Warcraft Arena Tournament has now officially started!

Players from around the world can compete on our special tournament realms for cash prizes totaling over $200,000 USD. These realms have been outfitted with level 80 character templates and the latest epic gear from Wrath of the Lich King. As an added bonus, we have included exclusive rewards that players can earn by participating in the tournament, including an Armored Murloc in-game pet. The best teams will also compete for a chance to achieve the title of "Vanquisher" for their live characters.

For more information on the tournament, including how to register and participate, please visit our Arena Tournament information page. Good luck!

Our Ulduar preview gave you a chance to see what was planned for the next World of Warcraft high level raid dungeon. The Public Test Realms have now been updated (see the patch notes) and Ulduar is ready for testing.

Come and read what new exciting features our developers have been working on and join in the discussion on Ulduar’s continuing development and testing.

We've updated the World of Warcraft Guide with two more dungeons introduced in World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King. This update includes Drak'Tharon Keep and Gun'Drak. Each page includes pertinent information on the dungeon or raid such as its location, final boss, and background lore, and contains a link to its loot table on the Armory.

We've added UnidColor's latest creation, Ragnaros to the Blizzard Fan Art gallery. The fiery lord Ragnaros awaits any who would challenge him!

We're always looking for new fan art and if you're an artist, you can submit your work to us here. We update the Gallery regularly and encourage you to check regularly to see what new and talented submissions are on display.

For countless millennia, Ulduar has remained undisturbed by mortals, far away from their concerns and their struggles. But since its recent discovery, many have wondered what the structure's original purpose may have been. Some thought it a city, built to herald the glory of its makers; some thought it a vault containing innumerable treasures, perhaps even relics of the mighty Titans themselves. They were wrong. Beyond its gates lies no city, no treasure vault, no final answer to the Titan's mysteries. All that awaits those who dare set foot in Ulduar is a horror even the Titans could not, would not destroy, an evil they merely... contained.

Beneath ancient Ulduar, the Old God of death lies, whispering.... Tread carefully, or his prison will become your tomb.

Blizzard Entertainment today announced plans for its fourth BlizzCon gaming convention, to be held at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California on Friday, August 21 and Saturday, August 22. BlizzCon is a celebration of the global player communities surrounding Blizzard Entertainment’s Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo universes. To learn more, please read our press release.

We’re pleased to announce that the 2009 World of Warcraft Arena Tournament Registration is now open!

Remember, this year all participants in the tournament have a chance to earn the exclusive Armored Murloc in-game pet as well as the exclusive "Vanquisher" title, so get your team together and be ready for fierce competition.

For more information on the 2009 World of Warcraft Arena Tournament, take a look at our FAQ and remember to check back on the News Section for updates.

Sign up now!

We received many creative, funny, and thoughtful entries this year for our Valentine Card Contest. We are happy to unveil the winners of this contest! Congratulations to N. Kelso, I. Schandel, M. Bertilsson, K. Lambrechts, and K. Ratcliffe!

Take a moment to check out the winning entries, as well as some of the runners-up at our Valentine Contest Winners page.

With the next content patch, we will be introducing a number of additions and changes to the game. One new feature in the works is the ability to set up two separate sets of talents, or "dual spec". While the complete feature may not be immediately available in the Public Test Realms (PTR) and specifics are still liable to change, we wanted to go over some questions with Senior Game Designer Greg "Ghostcrawler" Street to find out more.

Four years ago today, World of Warcraft was released in Europe. To celebrate all we have accomplished together over the past four years, we invite you to participate in one of our Four Year Anniversary Contests!

Join in our first ever World of Warcraft T-Shirt Design Contest, where the grand prize winner's design will be printed on a limited edition run of t-shirts and sold in our Blizzard Store! Additionally, you can participate in the Four Years of World of Warcraft Fan Art Contest and you could win an XPS 1730 laptop from Dell, $65 (USD) worth of free shipping on items of your choice from SwagDog, a murloc plushy, six months of World of Warcraft game time, and a Gurky, the baby murloc key! Also, for our lore buffs out there, we have a Lore Contest where, by showing off your knowledge of World of Warcraft, you can win an XPS 1730 laptop from Dell, a murloc plushy, six months of World of Warcraft game time, and a Gurky, the baby murloc key! Check out the Terms and Conditions to enter! Special thanks to Dell and SwagDog for some of the epic prizes!

Something is in the air in the major cities of Azeroth. Some call it love, and some just call it friendship and admiration. Whichever it is, many guards and townsfolks now spend their days giving and receiving tokens and gifts to other amorous citizens. The more skeptical, however, are suspicious of the strange "love sickness" clouding the hearts of so many...

Don't miss the exciting gift exchange and worldwide popularity contest to hit Azeroth when love is in the air!

We’re pleased to announce that the 2009 World of Warcraft Arena Tournament is nearly here. Starting next week (February 17, 2009), players will be able to sign up to compete in this year’s exciting competition. The tournament will feature an online qualifier played on our special tournament realms. Top teams will proceed to their respective regional finals and compete for a chance to reach the global world championship – with cash prizes totaling over $200,000.

These realms have been outfitted with level 80 character templates and the latest epic gear from Wrath of the Lich King. As an added bonus, we have included exclusive rewards that players can earn by participating in the tournament, including an Armored Murloc in-game pet. Top teams will also contend for a chance to achieve the “Vanquisher” title for their live characters.

If you would like to demonstrate your arena prowess, or simply want a chance to earn the exclusive loot, please check back next week for more details – including eligible countries – and register!

On patch day everyone wants to get the new content as soon as possible, and our Technical Support team is here to help you with a special FAQ designed to address any issues which might arise while patching.
They are there for you by phone and email, and you can access the full support site here – which also includes general assistance on in-game topics and new content.

We have just added a new wallpaper to our Official World of Warcraft Wallpaper Gallery depicting scenes from the World of Warcraft Ashbringer comic series!

This wallpaper features artwork from Wildstorm's monthly comic series. If you like what you see, you can visit Wildstorm on the web for more information or to subscribe to the series directly.

The next major content patch for World of Warcraft will bring many changes: a new epic raid dungeon, Ulduar; a plethora of new items, and many updates to the classes! Yesterday we unveiled the changes awaiting several of the classes. Today, we finish the discussion with the planned changes for the mage, hunter, paladin, and death knight classes. Head on over and check it out!

As many of you know the next major content patch will include some very exciting things, such as Ulduar, a new epic raid dungeon, a wealth of new items, and much more. We thought players would especially enjoy reading just a few of the class changes we're currently planning. Please keep in mind, that this list is not at all comprehensive, and more importantly subject to change.

The class changes revealed thus far involve the priest, rogue, shaman, warlock, druid, and warrior classes. If you're interested in learning more about what awaits these classes, head over to the forums now!

We've added D. Gullick's latest creation, Sentry to the Blizzard Fan Art gallery. Stand firm in your resolve to repel any invaders, just like the brave soul featured in this work!

We're always looking for new fan art and if you're an artist, you can submit your work to us here. We update the Gallery regularly and encourage you to check regularly to see what new and talented submissions are on display.

We have just updated our Technical Support page with a new number for our Russian customers. Starting Monday, customers calling from Russia for technical support will be able to call this new number! Check out our Technical Support page for more information.

We have just opened a new realm for our English-speaking community, Saurfang. This realm is a fresh realm and will not be open for migration for 90 days. If you've been wanting to experience some of the great events in World of Warcraft history, such as the opening of the Gates of Ahn'Qiraj or the Sunwell, now's your chance!

In the seventh BlizzCast, we take time to wrap up the second World of Warcraft expansion with Production Director J. Allen Brack and Lead Game Designer Jeffrey Kaplan. Also in this episode, Crygil sits down with Senior Vice President of Creative Development Chris Metzen to discuss the lore of Wrath of the Lich King.

Listen to the show now or check out the transcript!

We have just added a new wallpaper to our Official World of Warcraft Wallpaper Gallery depicting scenes from the World of Warcraft comic series!

This wallpaper features artwork from Wildstorm's World of Warcraft monthly comic series. If you like what you see, you can visit Wildstorm on the web for more information or to subscribe to the series directly.

Winter Veil has come and gone but we can remember the season by celebrating the winners of the Blizzard Steelseries Christmas Contest! Take a moment to check out their very creative entries!

• English-speaking Winners: J. Slater, L. Cowie, S. Kari
• German-speaking Winners: S. Wulf, A. Dedenbach, P. Herrmann
• Spanish-speaking Winners: N. Rubio Blazquez, F. Cid Caballero
• French-speaking Winners: A. Bétaz, V. Garnier, S. Hardy
• Russian-speaking Winners: A. Готлиб, Д. Потресова, К. Сущевских

Within the sylvan shadows of Moonglade, an ancient menace arises. Adventurers are encouraged to journey, by whatever means necessary, to the druids' stronghold in order to battle against the demi-god Omen! In addition to battling against this maddened monstrosity, adventurers may spend the festival honoring their elders, shooting off fireworks, and much more. Check out our Lunar Festival event page for more information!

On patch day everyone wants to get the new content as soon as possible, and our Technical Support team is here to help you with a special FAQ designed to address any issues which might arise while patching.
They are there for you by phone and email, and you can access the full support site here – which also includes general assistance on in-game topics and new content.

We have just added a new wallpaper to our Official World of Warcraft Wallpaper Gallery depicting scenes from the World of Warcraft Ashbringer comic series!

This wallpaper features artwork from Wildstorm's monthly comic series. If you like what you see, you can visit Wildstorm on the web for more information or to subscribe to the series directly.

We have just updated the World of Warcraft Game Guide with some of the new dungeons and raids from Wrath of the Lich King. Take a moment to learn more about Utgarde Keep, Ulduar, the Nexus, Violet Hold, and Naxxramas! You can also read a bit more about the other dungeons and raids in Wrath of the Lich King.

We are happy to announce the winners of our World of Warcraft Comic Quiz Contest! Congratulations to S. Reinsh, B. Spanner, D. Aulich, S. Preuße, and S. Daly all of whom have won hardcover editions of the World of Warcraft comic autographed by Jim Lee!

Straight from the fiery pit come the all new Diablo III T-shirts! Delivered straight from Sanctuary, these shirts will provide (some minimal) protection against the heat and the cold as you journey through the realm, defeating the denizens of darkness. Get yours while you can!

After months in the cold north, perhaps you may be looking for some warmth as you continue your onslaught towards the evil Lich King. With countless battles with the evil armies of the Scourge under your belt, the World of Warcraft-themed oversized mugs from 3 Point Entertainment may very well give you the warmth you need to continue. Fill them with your favourite beverage and bring them along on your journey to Icecrown Citadel where you will face off against the Lich King himself!

We've added UnidColor's latest creation, Tree of Life to the Blizzard Fan Art gallery. Your spirit will be soothed and your wounds healed by this guardian of nature's balance!

We're always looking for new fan art and if you're an artist, you can submit your work to us here. We update the Gallery regularly and encourage you to check regularly to see what new and talented submissions are on display.

DC Unlimited and Blizzard Entertainment are proud to announce that the next round of World of Warcraft action figures have secured passage with their local gryphon/bat/manticore handlers and are on shelves now at a store near you, and also at the Blizzard Store.

Series 3 includes:

• Quin’thalan Sunfire– blood elf paladin
• Tamuura – draenei mage
• Sister Benedron – human priest
• Skeeve Sorrowblade – undead rogue
• Brave Highmountain – tauren hunter

Visit the DC Unlimited page for more details on these impressive collectibles. They’re available at retailers on the web, and at comic specialty stores.

Love is in the air and the sighs of lovers creates a mist of romance all over Azeroth. That can only mean one thing: Valentine's Day is near! To get into the spirit of the occasion, we are hosting a Valentine Card Contest. To participate in the Valentine Card Contest, simply design a Valentine Card showing your love for World of Warcraft and you could win a Gurky key!

You can learn more about this contest at our Valentine Contest page. You should also read the Terms and Conditions for this contest.

If you've considered ordering custom guild apparel such as t-shirts, hoodies, etc. for your guild or group of friends, now is the perfect time. "Raid packs" are now available, meaning that if you order six or more items from Warcraft.SwagDog.
com, the entire order ships for free. Yes, free! Even for Europe! You can mix and match any of the items they have available, so head over to check out the full selection!

As the clocked ticked over from November 12 to November 13, players gathered throughout Europe to participate in the many midnight openings we had to celebrate the launch of Wrath of the Lich King. It was truly a night to remember and, in order to share these memories with all of you, we have just published our Wrath of the Lich King European Launch video! Take a moment to check it out.