News

• World of Warcraft Patch 3.3 PTR patch notes
  Here's what Blizzard has put in the new patch so far.
• Blizzard releases details on Icecrown Citadel
  Official details on what the new raids and instances will be like.
• Cataclysm starting zone lore and other new details revealed
  Hints on what we'll find in the starting zones of the new races. And boy do they sound fun.
• Patch 3.3 PTR: New Tauren skins found
  A new look for the cow people in patch 3.3.
• Patch 3.3 PTR: New weekly quests to do while raiding
  The new patch will bring with it more rewards for raiders who go after certain bosses.

Features

• Patch 3.3 PTR: Pit of Saron first impressions
  Our bloggers headed into the new instance, and survived long enough to come back with these impressions.
• Patch 3.3 PTR: Undocumented paladin changes
  Pally changes on the PTR so far.
• Scattered Shots: Patch 3.3, what's on the horizon for hunters
  Looking ahead to what's in store for ranged DPS.
• Arcane Brilliance: Patch 3.3 PTR changes for mages
  Blink is fixed? Go figure!
• Patch 3.3 PTR: Undocumented druid changes
  Updates for shapeshifters from the latest public test realm.

It's a special time of year in the World of Warcraft -- the leaves are a'changing and the brews are a'flowing. Brewfest is upon us! Time to go imbibing the finest in Dwarven ales (and deliver some, too, on those crazy rams). If you need a guide to all of the festivities, you know Joystiq's WoW-obssessed sister site WoW.com has you covered -- here's our top ten posts from the past week.

• Brewfest 2009: Coren Direbrew's new level 80 loot revealed
  Same boss for the Brewfest ingame holiday, but there is some new loot.
• Blizzard is tracking 180,000 bugs in WoW
  That includes fixed bugs, but still -- that's a lot of edited code.
• WoW.com's guide to Patch 3.2.2
  A brand new patch in the game, with some special anniversary fun included.
• High-rated PvPers do the robot
  A little bit of sneakiness on the part of PvPers.
• Tips for taking down Coren Direbrew
  Want to bring down the Brewfest boss? We've got you covered.

• The Overachiever: Guide to Brewfest 2009 achievements
  Get all the points you can during the holiday celebration.
• Insider Trader: Patch 3.2.2 madness
  How to make some money in the newest patch.
• Raid Rx: 14 Patch 3.2 trinkets to check out
  Get some of the best raid healing trinkets around.
• Ask a Faction Leader: Garrosh Hellscream
  Everyone's least favorite Horde fanatic answers our readers' questions.
• AGDC09: Blizzard talks about the world behind Warcraft
  Interesting info from Blizzard's presentation at this years Austin Game Developers' Conference.

News

• Faction change service now available
  For the first time in the game's history, players can switch from Horde to Alliance or vice versa.
• Patch 3.2.2: 5-man Coliseum jousting woes addressed
  The next patch will smooth out some issues folks have been having with the new 5-man instance.
• Play safe, because a trojan can get you banned
  Blizzard's Warden isn't just working for you: if it finds some malware, you might be asked to leave the game for good.
• Garrosh is not well-liked
  There are rumors going around (spoiler) about Garrosh Hellscream, and players aren't real happy about it.
• Yogg-Saron in blues
  Think you need epic gear to be great? Think again.

Features

• Spiritual Guidance: 12 reasons you don't want to play a Priest
  Our Priest columnist looks at the bad side of the clothy healing class.
• Officers' Quarters: Loot rage
  And how to deal with it.
• WoW Rookie: How not to be a noob
  Just imagine if this was required reading when you first started playing games. No more noobs!
• Ask a Faction Leader: Genn Greymane
  It's an advice column and a lore story all in one!
• Survey: Figuring out the faction transfer numbers
  Breaking down who's transferring where.

We're still reeling from everything we saw at BlizzCon a few weeks ago over at WoW.com, from all the news we heard about the next expansion, Cataclysm, to everything else about Icecrown and the anniversary celebration in the upcoming patch 3.2.2. There's a ton of big news lately over on the site, but here's our most popular posts for you to browse through. Don't forget to hit the costume galleries -- we've got tons more pictures like the gem above.

News

• Patch 3.2.2 Onyxia achievements
  Achievements from the second go-round of the big bad dragon fight for the game's 5th anniversary.
• BlizzCon 2009: First impressions of Cataclysm races
  Our staff breaks down their first impressions of the new races announced in the next expansion.
• BlizzCon 2009: The Guild's Michele Boyd and Jeff Lewis hands-on with the Worgen
  Two stars of The Guild webseries take on the playable Worgen demo available at BlizzCon.
• BlizzCon 2009: The Cataclysm trailer
  This is where it all began -- the expansion trailer revealed at BlizzCon's opening ceremony.
• Battle.net conversion to become mandatory soon
  With the onset of the new Battle.net, everyone's going to have to move over eventually.

Features

• BlizzCon 2009 Insider Trader: Cataclysmic professions
  This big feature (here's part two and part three) takes a look at what's new with professions in Cataclysm.
• BlizzCon 2009: Bingo fail
  Our bingo card for BlizzCon fails again. We need to stop making these so hard.
• BlizzCon 2009: Costumes, part two
  Here's a roundup of all the costumes we saw on the show floor.
• What does Blizzard have planned for an ingame launch event?
  We know there's going to be a launch event for the new expansion, but what will it look like?
• Guildwatch: "ur name is remembered"
  Here's our weekly look at guild drama, downed, and recruiting news from around the realms.

News

• World of Warcraft: Cataclysm leaked
  Spoilers aplenty in this roundup of leaks about the expected new expansion.
• Onyxia returns in patch 3.2.2
  The big black dragon is back for another go-round.
• Possible new race/class combinations datamined
  A new PTR hints that certain races might be able to take on new classes soon.
• Patch 3.2.2 PTR: New Onyxia loot revealed
  What'll she drop? Find out here.
• Felicia Day unleashes geeky pop single
  The Guild folks release a pop song that's as geeky as it gets.

Features

• Raid Rx: Raid bosses that brought healers to their knees
  Our raid healing series looks at bosses that give healers an extra challenge.
• Breakfast Topic: What if you knew the day WoW would go offline?
  Would you play differently? Or not at all?
• PTR Patch 3.2.2: First impressions of Onyxia
  First look at the big 5th anniversary boss fight.
• All the World's a Stage: Reflections on the passing of a roleplayer's mom
  Very sad but poignant column -- a must read this week, whether you're an RPer or not.
• Totem Talk: Starting a Shaman
  How to begin being a totem-dropper.

Exciting times in the World of Warcraft lately -- patch 3.2 is out, and with it comes brand new instances, new items to find, and a multitude of changes to make the game more fun. Oh, and don't forget about BlizzCon -- speculation is at a fever pitch with the event just 10 days away, and as you can see from the first post below, the leaks are starting to come already. Here's a sampling of the news you'll find on Joystiq's WoW.com.

• Cataclysm races leaked
  WoW.com reveals the new playable races in the Cataclysm expansion, to be announced at BlizzCon next week.
• Player reaction to the 5-man Trial
  What did players think of the brand new 5-man instance?
• Patch 3.2 Known Issues
  Here's what's still broken in the newest patch.
• BigRedKitty gets his own gun in Azeroth
  Our friend and former coworker BRK gets honored with his own piece of ingame gear.
• 53 Emblems per day
  Want to take advantage of the Emblem changes in the new Heroics? Run this route and farm as many emblems as you can.

• Every kind of player's guide to patch 3.2
  Not sure what to do in patch 3.2? Let us help.
• Arcane Brilliance: Good and bad in patch 3.2
  The Mage column examines the pros and cons of what's happening to them in the recent patch.
• Insider Trader: Progressive professions
  How to move professions forward in the future of the game.
• Time is Money: On patrol
  Have only a little time but want to make a lot of gold? Join the Troll Patrol!
• World of Warcraft Patch 3.2 Mounts guide
  The mount changes have affected the game a lot -- here's the rundown of everything that's new.

It's Patch Day in the World of Warcraft, and if you've never actually played the game, then we'll tell you: it's a lot like Christmas, except it comes a few times a year. A huge patch of free content has been added into the game, and WoW.com is your HQ for all the information you need about all the new instances, items, and features. Check out our most popular posts below, and if you are a WoW player... then what are you doing here? Go see the Argent Tournament! It's out!

News

• WoW.com's Guide to Patch 3.2
  Everything you need to know (and then some) about the game's newest patch of content.
• World of Warcraft 3.2 release patch notes
  The official word on all of the changes going into the game today.
• WoW China hit with more censorship on relaunch
  China has made some more changes to the game overseas.
• Priest Q&A released
  Blizzard answers some questions about the game's biggest healing class.
• Class Q&A: Rogue
  More class Q&A, this time about the Rogue class.

Features

• Arcane Brilliance: Six essential Mage addons for PvE
  Here's a real treat for raiding Mages: six addons you probably should be using.
• Which class gets invited as what?
  This number cruncher examines the different roles that classes play in groups.
• World of Warcrafts: Baby Hordie shirt
  Wait, the Horde gets to be evil and look this cute? Unfair!
• Drama Mamas: Loot and leaving early
  Our new column about drama and how to prevent it examines what to do with that loot your raid is earning.
• Friday Night Gin: Your weekly blue roundup
  Have a glass of gin with Ghostcrawler and the other forum blues on Friday night.

Yes, Virginia, there's going to be a WoW movie. And no one's more excited than the folks over at WoW.com, Joystiq's sister site and your home for all things found in Azeroth. Here's our 10 most popular post from the past week, including some news from both Sam Raimi and the awesome Bruce Campbell about the movie we now can't wait to see.

News

• Sam Raimi to direct the WoW movie
  Yup, the man who directed Evil Dead and Spiderman will be taking us on a cinematic tour of Azeroth.
• Bruce Campbell and Metzen on the movie at Comic-Con
  And if Sam Raimi is there, then you know Bruce Campbell can't be far behind. Gimme some sugar, baby.
• Hunter Q&A released
  Blizzard talks about all things Hunters, including a few hints at what we'll hear from BlizzCon.
• Dwarf levels solely by exploring, gains World Explorer at level 17
  This guy conquered the world before he could even get a mount to ride.
• WoW.com's Guide to patch 3.2
  The next patch is right around the corner -- here's your review on what's in it.

Features

• World of WarCrafts: My Lich King Pony
  Our weekly column spotlighting crafts from around the community shows off a kids toy that's been... Scourged.
• The Light and How to Swing It: Five things every Paladin must do.
  Got a Plate-wearing healer? Here's what you've got to do with them.
• Insider Trader: Woodworking in the expansion?
  "Woodworking" has long been rumored as a new profession in the game, and IT examines how it might be implemented.
• What do you expect from a WoW movie?
  We ask our readers just want they want to see in a movie about the World of Warcraft.
• More ideas for player housing
  Custom places for players in-game is an idea that's been around for a while, but here's a few new takes on it.

News

• New Halloween masks point to a playable race?
  Do new masks found in the game files point to Worgen and Goblin as the two new playable races?
• Blizzard warns against Three Wolf Moon at BlizzCon
  A hint at a wolf-like race for the new expansion? Or just a joke about the most awesome t-shirt ever?
• WoW Armory for the iPhone released
  Blizzard releases a free Armory app for the iPhone and iPod touch.
• Mining the Armory for Hunter pet statistics
  A study of Hunter stats shows some interesting facts about the pets they're choosing.
• Is WoW being run by the B-team?
  Has Blizzard moved on from its biggest cash cow?

Features

• Breakfast Topic: Would you play a Worgen or a Goblin?
  With the recent speculation about races, we want to know: would you play one?
• Time is Money: Capitalizing on Patch 3.2
  How to make some moolah with the brand new patch.
• Why leveling will always be important to WoW
  The leveling grind is an important part of any MMO, and our game is no different.
• TurpsterVision: Multiboxing, recruit-a-friend style
  Everyone's favorite T shows you how to multibox like a madman.
• Drama Mamas: Of phone calls and slanderers
  Have some drama? Let the mamas help.

A cataclysmic week over at Joystiq's sister site WoW.com -- Blizzard has trademarked the "Cataclysm" name, but for what, we're not quite sure yet. The next expansion seems likely, though the next-gen MMO needs a name as well, or maybe it's a brand new project. Whatever it is, we'll likely find out at BlizzCon this year -- there's a cataclysm a'comin'.

News

• Hunters discover "new" Worgen pet
  A glitch in the game lets you "tame" a humanoid Wolfman to attack and fight for you. Good times!
• Blizzard files trademark for "Cataclysm"
  A series of trademarks hints that the next WoW expansion might be named Cataclysm.
• Faction changes coming to the World of Warcraft
  Blizzard announces that, sometime in the future, you'll be able to change from Horde to Alliance and vice versa.
• Faction changes Q&A
  A short series of questions and answers about the upcoming faction change mechanic.
• China's gold farming ban not really a ban
  A followup to the "ban on gold farming" in China shows that the legislation isn't quite what we thought it was.

Features

• Guildwatch: Paydirt in the drama mine
  Our weekly column of guild hijinx and achievements has all the drama, downed, and recruiting news you'd ever want.
• The Queue: You are slightly more prepared than you were
  You ask us some questions, and we deliver you some answers.
• Arcane Brilliance: Living Bomb on the patch 3.2 PTR is awesome
  Our Mage blogger is a little excited about upcoming changes to his talents.
• Why won't Blizzard let me change my race?
  You'll be able to change your faction soon, but you still won't be able to change your ingame race.
• Blizzard's Tier 9 preview
  Get a pictoral look at the next series of Tier armor going into the game.

See that shocked look on Thrall's face above? That guy's the leader of the Horde, and he just read (on WoW.com, of course) that for the first time, players of World of Warcraft will be able to switch their factions -- players will be able to leave his Horde, and those dirty Alliance might come to his side. No wonder he's so shocked. That story and more in this week's most popular posts from Joystiq's Azeroth-obsessed sister site.

News

• Faction changes coming to World of Warcraft
  Horde can be Alliance, Alliance can be Horde, cats and dogs sleeping together! It's lunacy!
• Patch 3.2 PTR unveils Tier 9 sets
  The next level of epic armor is coming to the game in the latest content patch...
• Patch 3.2 PTR Tier 9 set names
  ...And it's got a great set of lore names to go with along with it.
• Patch 3.2 upcoming Engineering changes
  Big changes for one of the game's most popular professions.
• Exodus punished for exploiting Yogg-Saron encounter
  After a guild accomplishes a world-first achievement kill, Blizzard determines they didn't quite follow the rules.
  

Features

• Patch 3.2 PTR: Tauren Druid conversation may reveal lore and expansion secrets
  A pair of Druids chatting in the new content patch might hint at the future of the game.
• The OverAchiever: Guide to Midsummer Fire Festival achievements
  Azeroth is heating up with the Fire Festival -- here's how to get everything done this week.
• Arcane Brilliance: More questions than answers
  Our Mage columnist didn't get all his questions answered in Blizzard's recent Q&A article about the class.
• Patch 3.2 PTR: New heirloom items gallery
  A pictoral look at some new heirloom items headed to the game.
• WoW Casually: What Patch 3.2 means for casuals
  Oh, you don't raid five times a week? Patch 3.2 has something for you as well.

News

• Patch 3.2 PTR patch notes
  Here's the breakdown on what'll be in the Public Test Realm very soon.
• Crusaders' Coliseum details released
  Blizzard gives out deets on what we'll see in the next big instance added to the game.
• Patch 3.2 changes to the tiered Emblem system
  3.2 will bring both new sets of gear tokens to collect, as well as some tweaks and updates to old ones.
• New Shaman totem interface revealed
  Shamans will have new ways to both watch and lay down their totems.
• Class Q&A: Mage
  Blizzard answers questions on "the iconic caster" class.

Features

• WoW.com's Guide to Patch 3.2
  Everything you need to know about the upcoming content patch, and then some.
• The OverAchiever: Guide to Midsummer Fire Festival Achievements
  The Fire Festival is back, and so's our guide to get the most out of it.
• Insider Trader: Patch 3.2 profession change analysis
  What's new with professions? Read this column and find out.
• The Queue: Patch 3.2 and beyond the infinite
  Our readers ask questions every day, and we offer up answers just as often.
• Guildwatch: We're not even in his guild
  Another week brings another look at all of the guild drama, downed, and recruiting news from around the realms.