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Features


Release/Availability


Features

What are the features of the new expansion?

World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King builds on the rich foundation established in World of Warcraft and its first expansion, The Burning Crusade, by providing a wealth of new content for players to explore in the harsh, forbidding continent of Northrend, home of the Lich King and his undead minions. To contend with the new challenges found there, players will be able to advance to level 80, acquiring potent new abilities and talents along the way.

Wrath of the Lich King will introduce the death knight Hero class to World of Warcraft. Furthermore, player-vs.-player battles will reach a new level of intensity with the addition of siege vehicles and destructible buildings, along with a new Battleground, Strand of the Ancients.

The expansion will also introduce an abundance of new quests, dungeons, monsters, items, and recipes, as well as a new profession, Inscription. Additional character-customization options will be introduced, such as new hair styles, available in the new barbershops.

In addition, World of Warcraft now has an Achievement system. Achievements are self-contained goals and challenges designed to satisfy goal-oriented players. There are more than 700 individual Achievements covering every aspect of gameplay, including world exploration, PvE, PvP, professions, and character development. Some Achievements come with in-game rewards such as tabards, mounts, vanity pets, and titles, and other players will be able to see your Achievements. All of these rewards are purely cosmetic and just for fun.

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Why did you choose a death knight as the game’s first Hero class?

One of the things we knew very early on during development of Wrath of the Lich King was that we wanted to add an entirely new class. We actually considered several other class candidates before we decided on the death knight, but we felt that this was the perfect fit for the theme of Wrath of the Lich King. Since the expansion is set in Northrend and focuses on the war against the Lich King, it made sense to add a class directly connected to that conflict.

The death knights that players will be able to play begin allied with the Lich King but later break free from his grasp and join forces with the Horde or the Alliance to fight against Arthas. Players who choose to be a death knight will be engaged in the story of Wrath of the Lich King right from the start.

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How do you unlock or create a death knight?

Players who have a character of at least level 55 on the World of Warcraft realm they play will be able to create a new level-55 death knight of any race. If on a PvP realm, the death knight must be the same faction as existing characters. PvE realms have no race restrictions. Upon entering the world, a neophyte death knight will undertake a series of quests designed to introduce players to the class’s new abilities. Players will be able to create one death knight per realm.

It's important to keep in mind that even though the death knight is a Hero class, that doesn't mean it is more powerful than the other classes. It will, however, offer a very different playing experience.

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What role will the death knight play in groups and raids? How is the death knight Hero class different from other tanking classes?

We're designing the death knight to be able to fill either a tanking or DPS role in groups. When deciding which type of class we would add to World of Warcraft, we took a very careful look at the current state of the game. Tanks play a critical role in any group, and adding another class capable of filling that role makes it easier for players to form viable groups for dungeons and raids.

Our goal is to make the death knight a viable, fun tank that coexists with the current tanking classes without replacing them. One interesting difference between the death knight and other tanks is that death knights don't use shields. We're aiming to make all tank classes equally good at tanking in general so that players can use whatever tank they wish for dungeon and raid encounters.

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Will there be additional hero classes in the future?

Yes, we do intend to add more hero classes in the future, but right now our focus is on the current expansion.

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What is the story background of the expansion?

Players last visited Northrend in Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, in which Arthas Menethil fused with the spirit of Ner’zhul to become the Lich King, one of the most powerful entities in the Warcraft universe. He now sits atop the Frozen Throne deep within Icecrown Citadel, clutching the rune blade Frostmourne and marshaling the undead armies of the Scourge.

Players will skirmish with the minions of Arthas from the moment they set foot on the continent of Northrend. Arthas will be a constant presence as players progress through the expansion content, which will culminate in a showdown with the dread Lich King himself.

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Will players actually get to encounter Arthas himself?

Players will be skirmishing with the minions of Arthas from the moment they set foot on Northrend. He will be a constant presence as players progress through the expansion content -- which will culminate in a showdown with the dread Lich King himself.

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Are flying mounts allowed in Northrend?

Yes, although a character will need to reach level 77 and purchase an ability called "Cold Weather Flying" to be able to use flying mounts in Northrend. Some high-level zones such as Storm Peaks and Icecrown Glacier are designed with flying mounts in mind.

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Can you discuss some of the new talents and abilities that will be available from level 70 to level 80?

As with character advancement up to level 70, players will gain access to an array of potent and exciting new abilities and talents as they make their way from level 70 to level 80. However, it's still too early to get into specifics on these.

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How long will it take to advance from level 70 to level 80?

We were pleased with the pacing from level 60 to level 70 in The Burning Crusade, and we intend to take a similar approach to pacing character advancement in Wrath of the Lich King. However, the specific amount of time that it will take players to reach level 80 will vary widely based on play style.

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What can you reveal about Northrend?

The first area of Northrend we're showcasing is the Howling Fjord, a region of grasslands overlooking massive cliffs at the southeastern edge of the continent. This, along with the Borean Tundra, is the front line of the war against Arthas, and players will come face to face with his minions as soon as they set foot on Northrend. Eventually, as players progress further, they will explore the Grizzly Hills, Dragonblight, and more. We'll be showing off some of these new areas in the months ahead.

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What's the level requirement to enter Northrend?

Players of any level who have purchased the expansion can visit Northrend. However, all of the content is designed for players level 68 and up.

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How many new dungeons will be in the expansion?

The first dungeon players will enter is Utgarde Keep, which is intended for five players around level 70. Utgarde is inhabited by the Vrykul, a Viking-like race bent on proving their strength to the Lich King, who will raise the most worthy of their warriors to serve him beyond the grave. We intend to provide a variety of dungeons comparable to that in The Burning Crusade and will be revealing more details about some of these in the months ahead.

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Do you plan to continue with the 25-player model for raids?

Yes. We've been pleased with the tactics, intensity, and variety of the 25-player raid model, and plan to continue with it.

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Please explain the new raiding and dungeon design philosophy. Are Heroic dungeons returning?

One exciting new feature in Wrath of the Lich King is that all raid content will be available in both 10- and 25-person versions with completely independent progressions paths. The look and layout of each version will remain the same, but each will be adjusted, tuned, and balanced for their respective player size.

In addition, Heroic versions of the 5-person dungeons are returning. Heroic dungeons proved to be very popular in The Burning Crusade, and they are a great way to add another level of challenge and reward for experienced players.

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In what ways will players be able to further customize their characters in the expansion?

In addition to the numerous new character-customization options that will be available with all of the new weapons and armor added by the expansion, we'll be offering some fun ways to alter both existing and new characters with regard to dances and hairstyles, but we're not ready to go into more detail just yet.

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What can you reveal about the new profession, Inscription?

The Inscription profession allows players to create glyphs and scrolls for themselves and others. Glyphs permanently enhance a character’s spells and abilities. Scrolls allow you to cast temporary buffs.

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What can players expect with regard to player-vs.-player combat in the expansion?

Players can battle each other in Wintergrasp, a new outdoor zone completely designed for world PvP. Players will be able to take control of siege vehicles in Wintergrasp and the new Battleground, Strand of the Ancients, and use them to destroy opposing buildings, adding a new layer of complexity to PvP battles. Players will also be able to battle each other in two new Arenas.

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Can you give a sneak peek at the new recipes and items in the expansion?

There will be hundreds of new recipes and thousands of new items available, but we're not ready to discuss specific examples just yet.

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Will there be any graphical enhancements?

Yes. We're currently working on some technical enhancements to the game's graphics, and we'll be discussing these further in the months ahead.

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How many zones will be in the expansion?

Northrend will be roughly equivalent to Outland in terms of size and scope.

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Will there be any new cinematic scenes?

Yes, our cinematics department is hard at work preparing a new intro movie for the expansion.

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Release/Availability

Do you need to own the expansion to play with friends who have it?

There will be many aspects of the expansion that will be available to all players. However, in order to experience certain content, such as Northrend, or be able to play as a death knight, players must purchase the expansion.

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Will there be an open beta test of the expansion?

We have not yet determined whether the expansion will require an open beta test. If we do decide to conduct a beta test, details will be posted on the official World of Warcraft website once we've gotten further along in the development process.

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What are the details of the expansion’s release? How much will it cost?

Wrath of the Lich King arrived in stores on November 13th in North America, Europe, Latin America, and Russia, and November 14th in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. The expansion was released in Korea and the regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau on November 18th, 2008. Details about the release in mainland China will be announced at a later date. Please visit www.worldofwarcraft.com for more information.

Wrath of the Lich King is available on DVD-ROM for Windows XP/Windows Vista and Macintosh in two packages: a standard edition, which sells for a suggested retail price of $39.99 USD, and a special Collector’s Edition (in select regions) priced at $69.99 USD.

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Will there be a collector's edition?

We have not yet made any determination about whether there will be a collector's edition of Wrath of the Lich King. We'll be announcing details such as this closer to release.

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Will a Mac version be available simultaneously with the PC version?

Yes. As with all of our games, Wrath of the Lich King will be compatible with and optimized for both the Windows and Macintosh platforms.

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Will the expansion be released globally at the same time?

We recognize that players throughout the world will be eager to experience all of the new content being added with Wrath of the Lich King, and we will make every effort to release the expansion simultaneously worldwide. However, there's always the possibility that unforeseen circumstances could delay the launch in any given region. We'll share the launch timing with players in each region as soon as the plans have been finalized.

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What is the ESRB rating for the expansion?

The expansion has been rated Teen by the ESRB.

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What are the system requirements?

We have updated computer system specifications required to run World of Warcraft in preparation for our next expansion, Wrath of the Lich King. Please also note the recommended specifications, which, while certainly not required, generally provide a more optimal gaming experience.

PC System Requirements

OS: Windows XP / Windows Vista (with latest Service Packs)

Processor:

Minimum: Intel Pentium 4 1.3 GHz or AMD Athlon XP 1500+
Recommended: Dual-core processor, such as the Intel Pentium D or AMD Athlon 64 X2

Memory:
Minimum: 512 MB RAM (1GB for Vista users)
Recommended: 1 GB RAM (2 GB for Vista users)
Video:
Minimum: 3D graphics processor with Hardware Transform and Lighting with 32 MB VRAM Such as an ATI Radeon 7200 or NVIDIA GeForce 2 class card or better
Recommended: 3D graphics processor with Vertex and Pixel Shader capability with 128 MB VRAM Such as an ATI Radeon X1600 or NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT class card or better

Sound: DirectX-compatible sound card or motherboard sound capability

Mac System Requirements

OS: Mac OS X 10.4.11 or newer

Processor:
Minimum: PowerPC G5 1.6 GHz or Intel Core Duo processor
Recommended: Intel 1.8GHz processor or better

Memory:
Minimum: 1 GB RAM
Recommended: 2 GB RAM

Video:
Minimum: 3D graphics processor with Hardware Transform and Lighting with 64 MB VRAM Such as an ATI Radeon 9600 or NVIDIA GeForce Ti 4600 class card or better
Recommended: 3D graphics processor with Vertex and Pixel Shader capability with 128 MB VRAM Such as an ATI Radeon X1600 or NVIDIA 7600 class card or better

All Platforms

Controls: A keyboard and mouse are required. Input devices other than a mouse and keyboard are not supported.
Connectivity: You must have an active broadband Internet connection to play.
Mouse: Multi-button mouse with scroll wheel recommended.
Hard Drive Space: 15 GB free hard drive space

For a complete list of supported 3D cards, visit www.worldofwarcraft.com/supportedvideo
Note that due to the evolving nature of the game, the minimum system requirements for World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King may change over time.

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