Patch 5.4: Siege of Orgrimmar is now live but I got the chance to speak with Ion Hazzikostas, Lead Encounter Designer for World of Warcraft, the day before. I questioned him on the patch and Mists of Pandaria in general, as well as what the future may hold. His answers were very forthcoming...
Mike B. is back again with another fully featured BFF Report! In this week’s edition (Episode #104), Mike B aka fony takes an extended look at the beta for Mists of Pandaria, the next expansion for World of Warcraft. Highlights include an overview of the new Pandaren starting zone and the early parts of Pandaria itself.
Go watch the video now and find out what Mike B thinks of Blizzard’s latest creation, as well as a roundup of the most amusing bugs found in beta so far!
By now you’ve probably seen the deluge of information emerging about Mists of Pandaria (MoP), the next expansion to World of Warcraft. If you’re still in the dark about the latest episode in Blizzard’s magnum opus then head over to Wowhead, where you’ll find detail on almost every known element. We’ve also managed to grab some exclusive video interviews to extract even more information from the development team!
Since the initial flurry, we’ve had a chance to go through all the juicy morsels of information and work out what the expansion actually means to the players on the ground. Are we looking at a brief burst of activity followed by months of inactivity, or will this be a content update that’ll have us deeply engrossed for months if not years? Will Mists of Pandaria be met with acclaim from all corners of the player base, or will there be groups feeling neglected by Blizzard? Can the veteran game still be fresh and innovative, or is this an expansion of borrowed ideas?
Blizzard’s also going into what could be its most challenging year so far. Star Wars: The Old Republic emerged late last year swinging lightsabers in both hands and aiming for the MMO Story crown. Guild Wars 2 is looking to revamp many of the MMO staples we currently take for granted. The Secret World looks to tempt us from the shadows with a new and interesting setting, and WildStar remains the punk-kid with attitude. A poor expansion at this point in Warcraft’s life and the challengers would pounce on it like wolves on a sickly gazelle.
Last week, members of the press were invited to attend a huge Mists of Pandaria information session, and with the NDA dropping today, you'll probably be spending most of your day reading up on all of the previously unrevealed changes coming. The biggest topics covered include the reveal of Female Pandarens, the fact that Garrosh Hellscream will be the final boss of the expansion, players will be able to have their own in-game farms, and much more.
All of the above and more can be read in Wowhead's extensive coverage piece! Not only do they have pages and pages of new information for you to devour in point format, but there are also exclusive videos detailing the new MoP zones, dozens of screenshots to see, and four exclusive interviews with Blizzard devs Cory Stockton, Tom Chilton, J Allen Brack, and Greg Street.
