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It's that time of the year again! All across Azeroth and Outland, festive decorations adorn towns and cities as the Horde and the Alliance begin their annual celebration of the Feast of Winter Veil. Join in the festivities and experience some brand-new Winter Veil content this year!

To learn more about this event, check out the updated Feast of Winter Veil game guide page. And to get into the holiday spirit, make sure to check out The Night Before Winter Veil, the Blizzard holiday skit.

Every year, the world of Azeroth celebrates the Feast of Winter Veil and Greatfather Winter makes an appearance in the cities -- courtesy of Smokeywood Pastures. He spreads cheer and good will to all the orcs, humans, and other denizens of Azeroth (including gnomes).

But will you get that one thing you’ve always wanted? Will Smokeywood Pastures give you delicious treats? Will Greatfather Winter give you that Hogger action toy with kung fu grip, or will you get a snowball instead? Write your letter to Greatfather Winter now and let your wishes be known!

Ready for a new look in World of Warcraft, but the barbershop's just not cutting it? You can now change a character’s gender, face, skin color, and other cosmetic features (such as tauren horn styles or a night elf's facial markings) using the brand-new Character Re-Customization service.
Available at the Account Management page for a flat fee of 15€/£12, Character Re-Customization covers all available cosmetic options for a single character and includes an optional name change to go with your new look.

For more information, see the FAQ -- or log in to the Character Re-Customization page now to begin the process of reinventing the new you!

North, in the snowy plains of Dragonblight, within sight of the Temple the dragonflights have made their own, lies the black gate of Angrathar, the Wrath Gate. Its saronite teeth grin darkly upon the pure white snow just as the skeletal faces of the Scourge grin with a mockery of life upon the living. Beyond, Icecrown, and the Lich King, await.

Faced with the threat of the annhilation of all life, the Alliance forces under Highlord Bolvar and the Horde forces under Saurfang the Younger have set aside their differences in Dragonblight. Working together, each faction taking on its own assignment, they have contained the threats of Azjol-Nerub and Naxxramas, preventing either from taking them from behind as they confront the source of the Scourge: the Lich King himself, at the Wrath Gate.

How will the battle fare? Will the temporary cease-fire between blood enemies hold? Will the Lich King be brought, at long last, to justice? Learn more by visiting our new page dedicated to one of Wrath of the Lich King's most enthralling quests: The Wrath Gate.

*Please note that this cinematic contains story spoilers.

We've added Marea's latest creation, The Rise of the Undead to the Blizzard Fan Art gallery. Prepare to flee in fear as this draenei death knight unleashes his ghoulish minions upon you!

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.

Wrath of the Lich King has been on shelves for close to a month now, and the reviews from most major gaming media outlets are in. Check them out to see what people are saying about the newest addition to World of Warcraft:

• Eurogamer (10/10)
• GameTrailers (9.2/10)
• GameSpot (9.0/10)
• IGN (9.0/10)
• Slashdot (9/10)
• GameSpy (4.5/5)
• Variety
• YouGamers (96/100)
• GamePlanet (9.5/10)
• GameZone (9.5/10)
• Atomic Gamer (93%)
• ActionTrip (9.1/10)
• Videogamer (9/10)
• Giant Bomb (5/5)
• Wired (9/10)
• Yahoo! (4.5/5)
• The Escapist ("Bottom Line: WoW has never been better.")
• Gameplayer (9.5/10)
• Play.tm (92%)
• Nothing But Software (A+)

Our latest addition to our World of Warcraft wallpapers section is another offering taken from the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game. You can adorn your desktop with this feral tauren druid, calling upon the power of nature to strike her enemies down!

Head over to the Upper Deck Entertainment website now to learn more about the game, see more art, or even download some demo decks.

With Christmas just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to shop for exclusive gifts at our Blizzard Store. The home for Blizzard-themed merchandise of all kinds, from t-shirts, caps and novels through to action figures and board games. The Blizzard Store also stocks the Blizzard Authenticator, providing even more security to keep your characters and items safe.

Digital downloads are available for Diablo II, StarCraft, and Warcraft III along with their expansion sets and linking these to your Blizzard Account means that you can download them anywhere, with the CD keys conveniently attached to your Blizzard Account. You can also buy boxed copies of World of Warcraft, The Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King and – as with the many other collectibles, books and games you can buy- they’ll be delivered straight to your door!

It's not just Ozzy Osbourne and Steve van Zandt who are asking ‘What’s your game?’ France’s favourite knight, Alexandre Astier, and German hiphop stars Thomas D. and Smudo are also checking out your World of Warcraft credentials in the latest series of television commercials to be shown across Europe this winter. In addition we have an exclusive insight from Alexandre Astier, available only on the Web. Take a look at how these icons play the game… it’s not exactly how you might have imagined.

The Armory, our online database of the characters, guilds, and items of World of Warcraft, has received upgrades to its design and functionality with the release of Wrath of the Lich King.

• Achievements and Statistics: Player achievements and statistics are now viewable on Armory character profiles. These new pages are designed to appear and function much like their corresponding interface in-game, with additional functionality such as being able to compare up to four characters across all realms.
• Armory Design Changes: The Armory has been updated with a sleek new look, logins that persist for two weeks, the ability to bookmark multiple character profiles, a news feed on the front page, and more.

Read more about these updates on the Armory's Updates page.

Blizzard and Steelseries have teamed up for a contest which is sure to make your seasonal festivities just a little more … Warcraft. Make an original World of Warcraft-themed Christmas decoration, send us a photo of it, and you could win cool gaming gear from Steelseries. Check out our Steelseries Contest page to get all the details.

DreamHack Winter is back, and Blizzard Entertainment will be there! We've partnered with TeliaSonera to give this year's attendees a chance to play Blizzard's upcoming StarCraft II and the recently released World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King.

You'll find us next to the DreamArena, where Blizzard representatives will be on hand to answer questions, chat with players, and demonstrate the games. We'll also be running several contests featuring great prizes, including the Lich King's legendary sword Frostmourne -- though don't be surprised if Arthas himself shows up to try to stop you from winning.

This year's DreamHack Winter takes place from 27 to 30 November at Elmia in Jönköping, Sweden. For more information on the event, visit the DreamHack website. We look forward to seeing you there!

We've added Ozric's latest creation, Where Did He Go? to the Blizzard Fan Art gallery. Help this mighty tauren brave find his missing captive! After all, gnomes are so hard to spot.

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.

Our latest addition to our World of Warcraft wallpapers section is another offering taken from the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game. You can adorn your desktop with this mighty troll warrior, her axe raised and ready to strike!

Head over to the Upper Deck Entertainment website now to learn more about the game, see more art, or even download some demo decks.

From November 21st to 23rd the American Continental Finals of the Intel Extreme Masters took place. The tour stop took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where three spots for the Global Finals and $30,000 in prize money were up for grabs. Trade Chat All Stars took 1st place and the $15,000 prize followed by GotGame East with $6,000 and Evil Geniuses on 3rd place with $3,600. All three teams qualified for the Global finals.

The Extreme Masters will now hold a winter break until February 2009 when the European Continental Finals will be held in Hamburg, Germany.

Blizzard Entertainment today announced that World of Warcraft's second expansion, Wrath of the Lich King, has sold more than 2.8 million copies in its first 24 hours of availability, making it the fastest-selling PC game of all time. This eclipses the previous record of nearly 2.4 million copies sold in 24 hours, set in January 2007 by Blizzard's first World of Warcraft expansion, The Burning Crusade. To learn more, click here.

Ozzy Osbourne's been the Prince of Darkness since 1979 -- too bad Arthas is poised to steal the throne. In a series of ads televised across North America (some of which are soon to arrive in Europe), Ozzy and Steve van Zandt want to know: 'What's your #!@? Game?' Check the spots out here before they hit the airwaves and be sure to press the "Watch in High Quality" option (bottom right of the picture) for the best results:
Ozzy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT8maUTzE48
Steve Van Zandt: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXeyYdGoLCU

Stay tuned here as we will be revealing more ads specially made for Europe in the coming days!

The Asian Continental Finals in Seoul last weekend saw the defeat of Korean team 'kill e A' by local rivals 'H O N'. The next round of the Intel Extreme Masters Global Challenge will be located in Philadelphia, USA from the 21st to the 23rd of November for the American Continental Finals. The best American 3v3 arena teams will be battling it out for a share in a $30,000 prize pool.

The Electronic Sports League's official coverage page contains all the details on team profiles, rules and a free non-stop video stream of the matches as they're played with live commentary in English.

Chilled from your adventures through the ice and snow of Northrend? Looking for the perfect way to keep yourself warm as you rush to stop the Lich King's mad designs? Then you'll be happy to hear about our new World of Warcraft-themed Epic Collection oversized mugs from 3 Point Entertainment! With these in your inventory, you'll never feel cold again. Fill them up with your favorite beverage and carry them with you as you make your way to Icecrown and the final confrontation!

Click here to learn more!

In the sixth epic episode of BlizzCast, we spend a day with a developer and find out what life is like for World of Warcraft Lead Tools Programmer Monte Krol. Next, we take a look at StarCraft II unit design from concept to creation with Senior Art Director Samwise Didier and Lead Game Designer Dustin Browder. In our third segment, Bashiok spends some time with Anthony Rivero, senior artist for Diablo III, and discusses “bridging the gap” in the series' character design. Bornakk wraps the episode up by answering some questions from the community.

Listen to the show now or check out the transcript to see all the featured artwork.

We've added D. Oyebo's latest creation, A Minute's Rest to the Blizzard Fan Art gallery. While you catch your breath between quests in Northrend, know that you're in good company with this tauren warrior!

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 iTunes page has been updated to include the official World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Soundtrack. The iTunes edition of the soundtrack contains a total of 21 tracks, including three exclusives -- "Path of the Lifewarden," "Shadow Web Caverns," and "Obsidian Sanctum" -- different from the three exclusive tracks found on the Collector's Edition soundtrack CD. Individual tracks are available on iTunes for 0.99 € each, or you can buy the entire album at once for 9.99 €.

Click here to check out the soundtrack on iTunes, or head to the Blizzard iTunes page for more information -- and while you're there, check out the other Blizzard musical offerings, including soundtracks to Diablo II, StarCraft, and World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade.

We are aware that many of our Russian speaking players, European account owners, upgrading to World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King have purchased the retail boxes that only work with Russian accounts. Therefore, we have decided to make the European to Russian account conversion process available again until 16 December (inclusive). However players that would like to keep their European accounts will be able to contact our Billing team to arrange this. For all the details, please refer to the forums.

You should transfer your characters before converting your account. Thus, the free character migration from European to Russian realms has also been extended until 16 December. Please check our character migration FAQ for further information.

Ready to venture forth into the frozen north and explore the vast new continent of Northrend? Buy and download the Wrath of the Lich King directly through our Electronic Upgrade and in just a few, simple steps, you can be on your way!

All you need to do is:

1. Login to the Wrath of the Lich King Electronic Upgrade page.
2. Select your payment method and enter your billing details.
3. Follow the link to download the Wrath of the Lich King game client.

You can learn more about what challenges await adventurers in the frozen wastes of the north on our Wrath of the Lich King features page. If you've already bought a retail box of Wrath of the Lich King, you can directly access our upgrade account page and enter your Authentication Key. We look forward to seeing you in Northrend!

We are happy to announce that we have begun offering the latest expansion to World of Warcraft, Wrath of the Lich King, in our Blizzard Online Store! If you've been waiting for the chance to have Northrend shipped directly to your home, now's your chance to achieve your goal.

Also, while you wait for the expansion to arrive at your door, you can check out the new features which await you in Wrath of the Lich King!

November 13 marked the release of Wrath of the Lich King, the second expansion of World of Warcraft, and, in true Blizzard style, it was a night to remember. Players gathered at various locations around the world to enjoy the special midnight openings held for the release, and, thanks to them, it was a wonderful success!

If you weren't able to make it to the midnight openings, check out our photo gallery to have a little taste of what it was like!

The Intel Extreme Masters Global Challenge tour is taking place at Seoul in Korea this weekend, November 14-16. Many of the Asia's top Arena teams will be competing in this event for a piece of the $30,000 prize pool. During the competition, the Electronic Sports League will provide a non-stop free video stream, so everyone worldwide will be able to watch all of the matches live with English commentary. For more details, including team profiles, rules, and the video stream, head on over to ESL's official Seoul Coverage page.

For years, the heroes of the Alliance and Horde have fought against the evils in Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms, against the demons of the Burning Legion in Outland, and against each other -- all the while unaware that a threat more dangerous than any they had yet encountered was preparing to make its move in the icy continent of Northrend. Now the Lich King, Arthas Menethil, has emerged from Icecrown Citadel to claim the world as his own. Heroes of the Alliance and Horde gather in Northrend to make a stand against the malevolent being that dares to declare himself Azeroth's one true king... and seeks to scour all life from the world.

World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King is now live and available at a store near you. Featuring a massive new continent, the brand-new death knight Hero class, unique dungeons, an open-world PvP zone with siege vehicles and destructible buildings, and hundreds of brand-new quests, Wrath of the Lich King provides a huge variety of content for solo and group players. The expansion is available in both a standard and Collector's Edition; find out more about the latter in our Wrath of the Lich King Collector's Edition Preview. To learn more about what awaits you in Northrend, visit our Wrath of the Lich King Features Page and check out the primer to get you started.

During installation of the expansion, you'll be able to upgrade the World of Warcraft account you play to allow access to Wrath of the Lich King. You can click here to upgrade as well.

In order to provide the best support possible for adventurers as they make their way through the frozen north, we will be extending our Technical and Billing Support hours. Technical Support will be available from midnight Wednesday, November 12 to midnight Thursday, November 13. After that, they will be available from 9 am until midnight every day except Sunday until the night of Friday, November 21. Billing Support will be available from 9 am Thursday, November 13 to midnight every day except Sunday until the night of Friday, November 21.

Are you an avid reader of Titan's World of Warcraft comic? If so, then here's a contest for you! Simply select the correct answers to these nine questions and you could get the chance to win a hardcover edition of the World of Warcraft Comic Book signed by Jim Lee! Check out the Terms and Conditions before entering.

Good luck to all our participants!

If you have finished packing and that you are ready to be part of the official launch of Wrath of the Lich King that will take place in Paris, Rotterdam, Madrid, London, Berlin and Stockholm on the night between November, 12th and 13th, make sure you do not forget to bring your camera! The Baby Murloc Adoption Committee has decided to reward the players who capture the best pictures during this fabulous evening. The winners of this contest will get the opportunity to look after the famous Gurky. Do not miss the chance to make friends with this rare game mascot.

Submit your photographs of the Midnight Opening Events here! You can also read the Terms and Conditions of this contest here.

Saturday and Sunday passed quickly for those who had braved the long queues to become among the first Russian-speaking players to feel the frozen breath of Northrend on their skin. The beta portal to the Lich King's domain was wide open at Blizzard's booth at the IgroMir game convention in Moscow from 7 to 9 November. Due to huge popularity the Death Knight leveling contest was held three times on Saturday and the winners were rewarded with various World of Warcraft products, from mouse pads to hardware.

Those that attended were enthusiastic both about the upcoming releases of Starcraft II and Diablo III, and about the imminent release of Wrath of the Lich King. Those experiencing their first hands-on look at this second expansion for World of Warcraft said that they were now even more eager to adventure further in the worlds of Azeroth and Outland.

The Blizzard Jobs booth was also very busy with people bringing their CVs along in order to apply for the many Russian-speaking positions advertised at Blizzard.

Many thanks to everyone who was able to join us at the booth!

We have just published a page covering some of the many events that will be available to those who attend the Midnight Openings across Europe! Beyond just getting your copy of Wrath of the Lich King, you can:

• Get your game box signed by Blizzard producers and executives
• Win a prize for the best costume
• Get special goodies for being among the first in line
• Participate in on-the-spot contests for cool prizes
• And much, much more...

Check out our Midnight Openings page for more details! You can also find a full list of stores in Europe who will be opening at midnight here.

Today the Blizzard booth opened for public at the IgroMir convention - a major event for all the Russian lovers of interactive entertainment. Many visitors came to us to check out the latest expansion of World of Warcraft - Wrath of the Lich King, which launches across Europe on November 13. Visitors were impressed by the new hero class, the Death Knight, and with all the inhabitants of Azeroth and Outland now speaking Russian.

Our Community Team also had prepared many fun events for the visitors. Apart from playing the Russian Wrath of the Lich King beta, attendees had an opportunity to take part in contests: a quiz contest based on the Warcraft universe and a Death Knight power-leveling contest. Players could chill their ardor by taking pictures of themselves sitting on the Frozen Throne.

Don´t forget that the show is also open on Saturday and Sunday! Intriguing adventures in Northrend and more surprises await you. Lastly, remember to take your CV with you; there may be a place for you in the Blizzard family!

In preparation for Wrath of the Lich King, we will be performing an 8 hour Armory maintenance beginning on November 10, at 3 PM, Paris time (CET). The extensive changes and feature additions in Wrath of the Lich King mean that we also have to update the Armory to reflect those changes. As part of the maintenance, all character data will be reset, and character profiles will be repopulated as players log into World of Warcraft. We thank you for your patience during the maintenance.

Further information will be posted in this thread.

If you're interested in high-level competitive Arena play, then check out The Named Arena tournament, which is taking place now in Korea, with the finals scheduled for this weekend on November 8 (KST). English broadcasts of this final will be available on the GOMTV website November 23 at noon (KST). Be sure to check both the live stream and videos on demand to catch all of the action as the season concludes.

The Russian gaming convention, IgroMir, began today in Moscow! We would be happy to welcome our Russian players to our booth on the convention floor. Representatives from Blizzard will be on hand there to answer questions, chat, and help with demonstrations from November 7-9. We look forward to seeing you!

Stay tuned for more details in the coming days!

During the tour stop in Montreal, players from SK Gaming EU defeated the US team Gravitas Gaming in what turned out to be very intense finals. The Intel Extreme Masters Global Challenge is now crossing the ocean and will be located in Seoul, Korea from the 13th to the 16th of November!

This time, the best Asian arena teams of World of Warcraft will compete during the continental finals and trying to get a share of the $30,000 prize pool.

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

An arctic chill will soon reach Azeroth and all worthy adventurers will have the opportunity to journey to Northrend to challenge the Lich King! Already, these brave souls have had several months to prepare for the expedition. Their talbuk boots, reinforced armor, rabbit fur-lined gloves should be ready… Still, one major issue remains: have you decided what you would do first when Wrath of the Lich King is out?

Tell us all in this survey and see you soon in Northrend!

We've added Svartberg's latest creation, Priestess to the Blizzard Fan Art gallery. Take a moment to gaze over this mysterious, alluring devotée of the Light!

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.

If you want your journey into Northrend to get a truly epic start, why not head to one of the many stores holding midnight openings to celebrate the launch of the latest expansion of World of Warcraft, Wrath of the Lich King? Not only can you obtain a copy of the game on the stroke of midnight, you can also mix with other World of Warcraft fans and many stores are holding special events prior to the midnight release. This list of stores should provide you with the starting point for an extra dash of icy coolness, and we'll be adding more locations as they become available.

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.

All of Azeroth will feel the Wrath of the Lich King in just a couple of weeks, when the second World of Warcraft expansion officially launches. If you want to be among the first to get your hands on the game, thousands of retailers around the world are hosting special midnight store openings to celebrate the release, and will start selling the game at 12:00 a.m. (local time) on November 13. In addition, Blizzard Entertainment developers and executives will be on hand to sign copies and meet players at several locations throughout Europe: Paris, London, Stockholm, Berlin, Madrid and Rotterdam. A full list of stores will be available in the coming days, so check back for updates regularly.

The Drums of War can be heard in the distance, ushering in the third year of the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game on October 28. This latest set shows off the brand new Location card type, three new Loot items, and a Black Warbear mount. Head over to WoWTCG.com to find out more about Drums of War and other World of Warcraft Trading Card Game products.

The highly anticipated World of Warcraft Miniatures Game will be available in Europe beginning on November 11. Check with your local World of Warcraft Trading Card Game retailer for more information about when they will be available in your area. For those interested in learning more, head over to WoWMinis.com. You can sign up to receive updates, including sneak preview pictures of the minis, details about gameplay, and downloadable demos.

We've added Michael's latest creation, Moonkin to the Blizzard Fan Art gallery. Take a moment to gaze over this proud defender of Nature!

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 community of World of Warcraft players around the world continues to grow, recently hitting a new high of 11 million subscribers. We just wanted to take a moment to share the news and say thank you to all the current, new, and returning players around the world whose enthusiasm and support have made this milestone possible.

We’ve recently added 10 new Blizzard Entertainment-themed mobile-phone downloads to the Mobile Ringtones and Wallpapers store, including a variety of new unit sounds from StarCraft; new wallpapers of the terran, protoss, and zerg from StarCraft II; and a chilling portrait of the Lich King Arthas Menethil from the upcoming World of Warcraft expansion. You can purchase these and more than 50 other Diablo, StarCraft, and Warcraft wallpapers and ringtones here.

Our latest addition to our World of Warcraft wallpapers section is another offering taken from the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game. You can adorn your desktop with this Blood Elf Shadow Priestess frozen in the middle of her dark incantation, pierced by a deadly arrow.

Head over to the Upper Deck Entertainment website now to learn more about the game, see more art, or even download some demo decks.

We are delighted to invite everybody to the Blizzard booth at Igromir (site in Russian only), the major gaming event which will be taking place in Moscow on November 6-9 (open to the public on 7-9 November). You will be able to play the beta of the forthcoming World of Warcraft expansion, Wrath of the Lich King, and take part in competitions. Don’t forget to check our Jobs page for information on a career with Blizzard, and bring your CV with you to the event as we could be looking for someone just like you!

Two new realms will be opened today for the English Community in the Ruin battlegroup. The Terokkar and Azuremyst realms are brand new realms and are not open to migration for 90 days. The Ahn'Qiraj gates will be closed on these realms and the opening event can be started by players. If you're looking for a place to reroll before Wrath of the Lich King, one of these two could be your new home.

We have just updated the Wrath of the Lich King official website with an update about the frozen battleground of Lake Wintergrasp.

Overlooking the frozen plains of the Great Dragonblight and the inhospitable wastes of Borean Tundra lies a region known to the denizens of Northrend as Wintergrasp. Seated atop a high plateau, Wintergrasp has remained undisturbed for ages, its icy winds howling unheard amongst the ancient titan fortifications that dot the landscape…

Visit our Wrath of the Lich King site to read more about this new region of Northrend, bringing a whole new kind of open-world PvP to World of Warcraft

If you’re looking for a way to stand out from the crowd and show your guild spirit in the real world, then take a look at the just-released World of Warcraft custom apparel program. Several varieties of shirt designs and colors are available, and each is custom-printed with character information and a guild tabard emblem. Head over to Warcraft.SwagDog.com now to see some examples and get more information on the available options.

Following the vast majority of their population having moved to the Russian language realms, the realms Molten Core, Shadowmoon, Stonemaul and Warsong will be closed on Wednesday 29 October. The Free Character Migration to allow players on these realms to join larger realm communities will remain open until 11 November, after which remaining characters will be moved automatically.

For more information about this migration, please read this thread.

A strange letter was found in Eric Farrington's decaying diary. This foreboding omen was found in the dead and tainted city of Andorhal. Here is an excerpt from what we believe to be Eric's final words:

Help me, I've been bitten!
I can already feel the disease taking me. May the light bless me as I go to be with my family and friends once again. I'm not sure how much longer I can keep my sanity. I am weak. I hunger, and must eat...
Eat...
Brains...

Adventurers of Azeroth, if you want to survive the deadly return of the Scourge, we encourage you to read the safety precautions provided by your local Argent Dawn agent. The Scourge must not be allowed to advance again!

We've added some improvements to the Armory, including support for the player calendar feature introduced in the recent Echoes of Doom patch. The Armory version of the calendar lets players browse events the same way that they can in the game. It also lets players respond to events and invitations from other players, which then become effective in-game. To access the Armory calendar, click the new "Calendar" tab in the profile of one of the characters you play. If you're not already logged in, you will be prompted for the World of Warcraft account name and password associated with the character. You might notice that we've made some changes and improvements to the Armory login process and interface, too, including the ability to bookmark multiple character profiles for easy access. For more information, refer to our Armory calendar features list, Armory calendar FAQ, or updated Armory login FAQ.

We've added Topsytwinkle's latest creation, Bubladin to the Blizzard Fan Art gallery. Check out this charming and whimsical piece now!

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.

This Hallow's End, adventurers will face the return of the Headless Horseman! This fearsome creature will unleash destruction upon towns across Azeroth and create opportunities for adventure and a little fire fighting. The stout of heart should rush out to meet him! To learn more about this event, which will run from 18 to 31 October, please check our Hallow's End page.

The Public Test Realms are now open! Check out the patch notes for more information. If you have any questions or concerns, please post in our Public Test Realm forum.

The Intel Extreme Masters Global Challenge tour is taking place at the Montreal Olympic Stadium in Canada this weekend, October 17-19. Many of the world's top Arena teams will be competing in this event and representing their respective countries for a piece of the $30,000 prize pool. During the competition, the Electronic Sports League will provide a non-stop free video stream, so everyone worldwide will be able to watch all of the matches live with English commentary. For more details, including team profiles, rules, and the video stream, head on over to the official Montreal coverage page.

The Named Arena tournament invites the most famous World of Warcraft players in Korea to compete in a series of PvP competitions to determine the best players in the country. They recently started their second season, and their English broadcasts will start on October 19 at noon (KST). Two types of broadcasts will be available on the GOMTV website for your viewing pleasure. Be sure to check both the live stream and videos on demand to catch all of the action.

The thundering Echoes of Doom content patch has arrived in Azeroth, howling down from the far north, bringing with it the new Inscription profession, barbershops, two new arenas, a new achievements system, player calendars, and much, much more! Check out our Echoes of Doom page or the patchnotes for more information!

Also, our dedicated technical support team is on hand to help with any difficulties encountered with patching. Check out their FAQ on patching if you need help!

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.

BlizzCon has come to a close! We'd like to thank everyone who helped make BlizzCon 2008 such a success! And, while the convention may be over, there's still more to come at BlizzCon.com!

BlizzCon is officially underway! Gamers from around the world have come to Anaheim to join us for this two-day celebration of Blizzard Entertainment games and the passionate communities of players surrounding them. We'll be updating BlizzCon.com regularly throughout the show with news and photos from the floor, as well as from the various contests, developer panels, and other events we've planned. We'll also be broadcasting streaming video of the 2008 StarCraft Invitational and other tournaments -- so be sure to check back often over the next couple of days.

Over the past two weeks, we have interviewed the runners-up and the winners of the European Regional Finals, Nihilum Plasma and x6tence, respectively. Today, you can read our overview of the teams from around the world which Nihilum Plasma and x6tence will be facing in their journey to the top spot of the BlizzCon World of Warcraft Arena Tournament. To learn more, check out our tournament page.

Blizzard Entertainment is pleased to present the brand new Oswald statue, to be presented to the best-in-category machinima submissions at BlizzCon 2008. The winners will be showered in prestige, and will write the first chapter in the history of our annual Oswald award.

Oswald recipients will be selected based on three categories for outstanding machinima production:

• Action/Adventure
• Comedy
• Drama/Romance

We look forward to awarding the talents of our finest machinima contestants this week at BlizzCon 2008!

Due to the enthusiasm of the Russian players in converting to the localized Russian World of Warcraft, we have decided to make the European to Russian account conversion process available again from 8 to 28 October (inclusive).

You should transfer your characters before converting your account. Thus, the free character migration from European to Russian realms has also been extended until 28 October. Please check our character migration FAQ for further information.

We've added Soilworker's latest creation, Blood Elf Portrait to the Blizzard Fan Art gallery. Gaze upon the haunting, dark beauty of one of the sin'dorei!

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.

Our latest addition to our World of Warcraft wallpapers section is another offering taken from the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game. You can adorn your desktop with the dark power surrounding Kael'thas, lord of the sin'dorei, and Al'ar, his phoenix.

Head over to the Upper Deck Entertainment website now to learn more about the game, see more art, or even download some demo decks.

Last week we interviewed the runners-up of the European Regional Finals, Nihilum Plasma, about their journey on the road to BlizzCon. Today, you can read our interviews with the winners of the European Regional Finals, x6tence. X6stence will be joining Nihilum Plasma at BlizzCon in the battle for supremacy against the best teams from the U.S. and Korea. For more details about this team, check out our tournament page.

The upcomin