http://punchdrunkgamer.com/blizzcon-201 ... ow-review/
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The heroes of Azeroth are on the verge of a war that will reforge the fate of two worlds. Announced today at BlizzCon 2013, World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor, the fifth expansion to Blizzard Entertainment’s acclaimed massively multiplayer online role-playing game, sends players to the world of Draenor at a pivotal moment in history to fight against and alongside legends from Warcraft’s brutal past.
Across Draenor's savage jungles and battle-scarred plains, Azeroth's heroes will engage in a mythic conflict involving mystical draenei champions and mighty orc clans, and cross axes with the likes of Grommash Hellscream, Blackhand, and Ner’zhul at the height of their primal power. Players will need to scour this unwelcoming land in search of allies to help build a desperate defense against the old Horde’s formidable engine of conquest—or else watch their own world’s bloody, war-torn history repeat itself.
“Warlords of Draenor gives players a chance to take a commanding role in one of the Warcraft series’ most crucial conflicts,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “This expansion also includes features that make it easy for anyone to jump right into the action, whether they’ve played WoW at some point in the past or are just setting foot in Azeroth for the first time.”
To help new and returning players answer the call to arms on Draenor, the expansion will enable anyone to instantly boost one character to level 90, including a newly created character, quickly getting them up to speed and ready to enjoy the latest content with their friends.
To establish a foothold on Draenor once they’ve arrived, the displaced champions of the Horde and Alliance will be able to construct their own Garrison, an expandable, customizable stronghold that will serve as each player’s personal base of operations throughout the course of the expansion. As the Garrison grows, players will be able to recruit NPC allies and followers to take up residence, gathering resources and embarking on missions on the player’s orders.
Warlords of Draenor will also introduce fully revamped player character models and animations for many of World of Warcraft’s existing playable races, bringing the orcs, humans, and several other longtime residents of Azeroth up to the visual standards of newer races while still maintaining their iconic style and identity.
Along with these new features, World of Warcraft players will enjoy a wide array of new content on their way to the new level cap of 100, including new Zones, Dungeons, Raids, Scenarios, Battlegrounds, and more. Warlords of Draenor will also introduce questing improvements designed to encourage exploration and add unpredictability to players’ ongoing adventures.
BlizzCon 2013 attendees are able to play World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor on the show floor, and BlizzCon Virtual Ticket buyers can learn more about the expansion online by watching panels taking place during the event. Further details about Warlords of Draenor will be announced as development continues. For more information, visit the expansion’s official website at www.worldofwarcraft.com/warlords.
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BlizzCon 2013, Blizzard Entertainment’s two-day gaming festival, makes a long-awaited return on Friday, November 8, at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA. The sold-out show celebrates all things geek, featuring sneak peeks at what’s going on behind the scenes at Blizzard Entertainment.
This year’s BlizzCon includes discussion panels with Blizzard developers; community cosplayers; and Duncan Jones, director of the upcoming Warcraft® film. Also taking place are the StarCraft II World Championship Series Global Final and World of Warcraft Arena Invitational, in which top pro gamers from around the world will be competing for cash prizes and ultimate glory. Jay Mohr is back this year to host the ever-popular community contests, and SoCal punk legends Blink-182 will be performing an epic rock concert to wrap up the show on Saturday night.
BlizzCon tickets once again sold out in seconds, but anyone can still attend the event from the comfort of their home with the BlizzCon Virtual Ticket. Viewers will receive over 60 hours of live HD coverage of the event (including Blink’s sure-to-be-wild performance) across five channels over the Internet.
Virtual Ticket holders will also receive all the BlizzCon-exclusive in-game goodies:
· World of Warcraft in-game pet—the valiant Murkalot
· To-be-revealed Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft card
· BlizzCon-themed “Mark of Death” Diablo III banner
· “Tearin’ Stitches” StarCraft II portrait and Stitches’ Hook decal
In addition, the BlizzCon opening ceremony and eSports tournaments will be streamed free online at www.blizzcon.com. More info on the Virtual Ticket can be found at www.blizzcon.com/virtual-ticket.
“We can’t wait to get back to BlizzCon and share details about our latest games with our most passionate players,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “It’s going to be a truly unforgettable weekend.”
BlizzCons of years past have featured an array of exciting panels, unveilings, and entertainment, including the world debuts of the latest World of Warcraft content, the first-ever public hands-on with StarCraft II and Diablo III, and epic rock performances by Foo Fighters and Tenacious D.
BlizzCon would not be possible without the enthusiasm of Blizzard Entertainment gamers around the world and the generous support of the event’s partners, who provide demo-station hardware, peripherals, and more. This year's sponsors are Intel, NVIDIA, Sony Computer Entertainment, DIRECTV, SteelSeries, GIGABYTE, Rosewill, and EVGA.
Anyone attending BlizzCon who’s looking to join the ranks at Blizzard should bring their resumes, portfolios, or business cards. The Blizzard recruiting team will be on hand to review materials and discuss any job-related questions. More information on available Blizzard career opportunities can be found at http://jobs.blizzard.com, LinkedIn Blizzard Careers, and http://twitter.com/@blizzardcareers.
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Are you joining us at BlizzCon 2013 or watching from home? Download the free mobile BlizzCon 2013 app, available now for Android, iPhone, and iPod touch! It's part calendar, part event planner, part social media assistant, part live stream player, and part fortune teller. (OK, so the last part is totally made up . . . just making sure you're paying attention.)
This convenient app is designed to help you make the most of your BlizzCon experience, and this year we've added even more functionality, including the ability to watch this year's free live BlizzCon streams. (Unfortunately, Bubble-Hearthing didn't make the cut.)
With the app, you can:
*Plan your day—Review the details of the official events taking place at BlizzCon, and add them to your calendar. You can sort your events by day, time, game series, and more.
*Chart a path—Zoom in on the exhibit hall floor with the BlizzCon map. Use it to quickly find a panel, meet up with friends, or just figure out where you’d like to go next.
*Watch Free Live Video—Access the free BlizzCon video streams via the app, including the opening ceremony and eSports tournaments for StarCraft II, World of Warcraft, and Hearthstone. *New for 2013*
*Catch your favorite events—Set alerts for any event on your calendar to make sure you get to it on time.
*Stay updated—Receive instant updates and the latest news from the official BlizzCon news feed.
*Social Networking—The mobile app now includes Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram integration. Share your BlizzCon experience with the world! *New for 2013*
Click here for more information - http://us.battle.net//blizzcon/en/blog/11451561
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