178 – The Instance: The Carpet Does Match The Drakes

This Is A World Of Warcraft Show, Right?
It was just last week that we speculated on the coming of the Starcraft 2 beta, and sure enough, it showed up in all its glory! It’s hard to think of anything that is going to affect WoW more – before Cataclysm comes along – than Starcraft 2. At least, that’s what we think.

Cataclysm Is Coming Before Cataclysm
We talked last episode about signs that Cataclysm isn’t coming as hot on the heals of 3.3 as previously expected when Blizzard announced that there would be no further major content patches. This week, Game Informer increased the volume of that talk with an interview with Tom Chilton, in which he proposed that Blizzard has a pocket-full of new content to deliver before Cataclysm. Mr. Chilton said We are looking into the possibility of having a boss in the Ruby Sanctum, which is another part of Wyrmrest Temple. It’s a little too early to have a lot of details on that, but I wouldn’t characterize it as a huge chunk of content. On the forums, Blizzard CM Zarhym wasn’t so coy: We’d like to tell you about an exciting new raid dungeon we are working on for content patch 3.3.5. The Ruby Sanctum A powerful war party of the Black Dragonflight, led by the fearsome Twilight dragon, Halion, have launched an assault upon the Ruby Sanctum beneath Wyrmrest Temple. By destroying the sanctum, the Black Dragonflight look to crush those that would stand in the way of their master’s reemergence into Azeroth and to ultimately shatter the Wyrmrest Accord – the sacred bond that unites the dragonflights. The battle that is to come will surely deal a crippling blow to the Red Dragonflight, however, it is up to you to stop this unprecedented offensive and defend the Ruby Sanctum. First you must face the assault of Halion’s servants, Saviana Ragefire, Baltharus the Warborn, and General Zarithrian, before squaring off against Halion the Twilight Destroyer, a new and deadly force in this realm. The Ruby Sanctum will feature 10- and 25-player content, Heroic difficulties and all-new rewards! Stay tuned for more information as we get closer to its release. “ And then, Blizzard posted an early version of patch 3.3.3 to the PTR this week.

Say Goodbye To Upper Deck
Zarhym said As some of you may already be aware, we will not be renewing the World of Warcraft: The Trading Card Game license with Upper Deck. We want to assure you that we are committed to supporting the TCG, and players can look forward to new content and strong organized play support in the near future. We will share additional details about the game’s transition to a new partner as soon as possible. For those awaiting tournament prizes, we will ensure you receive them. UpperDeck had a slightly different spin on it, in this press release: After long and careful deliberation, Upper Deck International (UDI) will not be renewing its World of Warcraft license agreements with Blizzard Entertainment… Due to gradually declining sales over the past few years and the overall downturn in the economic climate, we have had to make the tough decision to discontinue our World of Warcraft product lines.

UDI World of Warcraft products will be available until the end of March. Upcoming products such as the Class Starter Deck, Wrathgate Booster, Souls of Vengeance Starter, Deluxe Starter and Booster will not go into production.

Look out for special events at your local gaming store with some of the greatest prize support ever and a final opportunity to complete your collection.”

Town Cryer
Delmombo from Undermine writes: Much like Scott, I’ve never really enjoyed professions but Blizzard has implemented something into the game to actually make me want to fish: The Dread Pirate Ring. Being the heirloom fanatic that I am, I must have this ring. I have done some research & understand the basics of how to obtain it. My question to Randy is: Are there any tricks of the trade that can give me an edge on the competition to winning? e.g. A certain fishing pole or bait? Any tips would greatly be appreciated.

I Love The Whole World…. Of Warcraft!
Have you seen the Discovery Channel commercial with the catchy Boom-Dee-Yada song? Yeah, that was SO January 2010. It got WoWized, and it’s funny.