Blizzard just posted a preview of the Void Storage system that's coming in World of Warcraft patch 4.3. Since the Transmogrification armor and weapon customization system will require you to hold onto your favorite items, the Void Storage ethereals in Stormwind and Orgrimmar will give you 80 slots of long-term storage space.

Since this is long-term storage that's targeted toward sentimental and aesthetic reasons, "any item placed in Void Storage will be stripped of all its enhancements, including enchants, gems, sockets, and reforged stats, and some items will simply not be eligible for Void Storage at all." It will cost gold to unlock Void Storage; a screenshot in the preview says 1,000 gold, but that's not final. A small fee will be required for each item deposited into or withdrawn from Void Storage.

In addition to Void Storage, Blizzard is also adding a bag search feature in 4.3 that will allow players to search for items within their bags and bank space using small search box located near the top of your main backpack.

For more details, read the full Void Storage preview after the jump.

4.3 Preview - Void Storage

For quite some time now, players have been asking for a location in which to store important keepsakes including treasured armor sets, unique quest rewards, and gifts from friends, as well as other valuable items they've collected on their journeys throughout Azeroth.

This is a feature we've wanted to add to the game for a while, so we're excited to announce that, thanks to the ingenuity and entrepreneurship of the Ethereals, a new long-term storage option will soon be available to completionists and collectors alike.

Void Storage

In patch 4.3, characters of all levels will be able to take advantage of a new technology known as "Void Storage," which will open up 80 slots of long-term storage space. Void Storage vaults will be available in both Stormwind and Orgrimmar and can be accessed simply by speaking with your local Vaultkeeper.

A variety of items can be placed into Void Storage -- including soulbound items and Battle.net Account Bound items -- making it the perfect location to store trophies from past conquests, as well as armor you may want to hold onto for Transmogrification.  So, if you've been looking for a good home for those old tier sets or your vanity holiday items, Void Storage is it! And it's as easy to use as dragging and dropping.

In return for this unique service, the Ethereals will require a small fee for each item deposited into or withdrawn from their Void Storage apparatus. Multiple items can be added and removed at once, and the cost of each transaction will be display at the bottom of the screen, updating dynamically as you select additional items to deposit or withdraw. Once an item is placed into Void Storage, it can remain there indefinitely for no additional cost. 

It's important to note that the goal of Void Storage isn't to be a second bank, but rather a place where players can safely store items they wish to keep for the life of the game, either for sentimental or aesthetic reasons. Since this particular storage option isn't really intended for belongings that you'd use on a regular basis (like your current set of raiding gear, for example), any item placed in Void Storage will be stripped of all its enhancements, including enchants, gems, sockets, and reforged stats, and some items will simply not be eligible for Void Storage at all. This will help us reduce the impact such storage can have on the game servers, and ultimately allows us to provide a lot of long-term storage space with minimal impact on everyone's play experience.

Bag Search: Find What You Need, When You Need It

Now, you might be thinking, "Alright, those Ethereals are pretty nifty, and having more storage is great! But what about actually being able to find what I own? Do you know how long I looked for that one stack of Papa Hummel's Pet Biscuits? Like, a year. Okay, maybe 15 minutes. Either way, not even a tiny, delicious fat baby raptor is worth that kind of effort, and I love fat baby raptors."

Never fear, fellow tiny-limbed-corpulent-dinosaur enthusiast! We've got you covered. In addition to Void Storage, we're also adding a bag search feature in 4.3 that will allow players to search for items within their bags and bank space, all with just a few keystrokes.

Integrated directly into the bag and bank UI, this new search feature will be incredibly quick and easy to use. To find an item in one of your bags, in your character's personal bank, guild bank, or Void Storage vault, you'll simply type the name of the item -- or a word in the item's name -- into a small search box located near the top of your main backpack, and your open inventory will be filtered accordingly. Only the items that match the word or name you've entered will display, making it easier than ever to find exactly what you need, exactly when you need it.

Please keep in mind that both Void Storage and the upcoming bag search features are still in development, so their functionality may change before release. We’re very excited to be offering both of these inventory management features and will be providing more information as the development of patch 4.3 continues.