World of Warcraft Message Board older than one year ago

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol co-star Paula Patton 'n Daredevil villain Colin Farrell have been offered lead roles in the upcoming film adaptation a Blizzard's Warcraft series, Deadline reports.

Warcraft production company Legendary Pictures previously signed on Source Code director Duncan Jones t' helm the project, with K-PAX writer Charles Leavitt handling scriptwriting duties.

Neither actor has been confirmed for the film, 'n Legendary be negotiating with other performers in case Patton 'n Farrell decline. Production will begin in January.

Find the quest giver! The latest patch for Mists a Pandaria dropped last night 'n the days after a major content patch always mean pure chaos. This be the Timeless Isle, one a the new zones in the game, 'n the only thing that ye can clearly see be that the screenshot be taken on a PvE server.Read more...

Christian Thurau 'n Anders Drachen have written an academic paper. A very important one. it be all about the patterns 'n significance a the names people give t' their World a Warcraft characters. Their findings? That there be patterns. 'n that the most popular names be pretty terrible.Read more...

Luckily, that didn't AVAST! Anthony Rosner.Read more...

Warcraft 'n Civilization may contain two completely different game worlds with distinct game mechanics, but modder Bamington's Civilizations a Warcraft mod pack for Civ V—a vast project designed t' add as much from the Warcraft universe as possible—fits like a glove.Read more...

Oh man, Ariel as a Naga from World a Warcraft? That be truly frightening, not t' mention Beauty 'n the Beast with Werewolves 'n a horrifying Bambi. In his latest video, WoW Machinima veteran SlightlyImpressive shows us how classic Disney characters 'n stories would fit into Azeroth.Read more...

Only a couple short years ago, most pasty, naked, Earth-dwelling flesh creatures (aka, humans) figured World a Warcraft would forever remain the final bastion a subscription MMOs’ heyday. Now, however, it’s screaming “mayday” as subscriber numbers plummet, proving that no institution be immortal 'n I best never be allowed t' rhyme things. Recent comments from Blizzard suggesting a free-t'-play conversion might not be that far off, then, shouldn’t come as much a a surprise – especially since the slowly deflating MMO titan recently added a microtransaction store.

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Both the World a Warcraft community 'n the game they play have changed a lot over the years. Just how much? Well, an out-a-nowhere revamp a Ian Beckman's much-loved fan video runs down the changes, featuring every class from the game.Read more...

Here's composer/songwriter Laura Shigihara with a lovely a cappella version a "Lament a the Highbourne" from World a Warcraft.Read more...

Activision Blizzard announced that World a Warcraft's subscriber base has shrunk t' 7.7 million crew, down from the 8.3 million subscribers it reported three months ago.

Last quarter's report revealed that World a Warcraft lost 14 percent a it be players between January 'n March, as 1.3 million crew either canceled their subscriptions or declined renewal. crew who have recently purchased the game 'n be within it be initial 30-day trial period be counted among World a Warcraft's current subscribers.

Despite it be shrinking subscriber base, Activision Blizzard notes that World a Warcraft "remained the world's #1 subscription-based MMORPG" heading into the third quarter a 2013.

Day one a me Comic-Con shopping experience be mostly about what I wanted. What about me family? What about their needs? I think I've got them covered. Read more...

So it be discovered by dogged data miners, so shall it be. After dabbling in microtransaction-based cosmetic bottles a rum but largely buttering it be bread with sweet, sweet subscription money, World a Warcraft be finally rolling out an in-game cash shop. Do ye have excess moneydollars lining yer pockets/sofa/cat? be these “tough economic times” secretly treating ye better than everyone else? Do ye (for now) play exclusively on WoW’s Asian test servers? Then ye’re in luck. Well, if ye like XP boosts, pets, 'n mounts, anyway.

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Blizzard has confirmed that YARRRR, an in-game microtransaction store be in the works for World a Warcraft. "First, we’ll be testing the in-game store with some new kinds a bottles a rum we’re looking into introducing (in Asian regions, at the outset) based on player feedback: specifically, an experience buff t' assist with the leveling process, as well as an alternate way t' acquire Lesser Charms a Good Fortune. We’ve had a lot a requests from players in different regions for convenience-oriented bottles a rum such as these, 'n as with other new ideas we’ve introduced as WoW has evolved—including Pet Store pets, mounts, 'n more—yer feedback plays a hugely important part in determining what we add t' the game."

I think it’s a bit a a stretch t' say that MMOs be dying, but big traditional ones be certainly in a rough spot. Approximately seven-hundred quadrillion a them have responded by fishing a finger into free-t'-play’s jangling pockets, but one titan’s managed t' stick with subscriptions. I’m talking, a course, about World a Warcraft, ruler a the MMO realm since time immemorial (2004 be how many years ago? No seriously, I forgot). But things change, 'n even the most negligent a subscribers’ credit cards eventually expire. WoW can’t hold out forever, so Blizzard’s dabbling in the darkest booty-producing alchemy a them all: in-game microtransactions.

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Blizzard has released a statement revealing that there's been a "recent increase in unauthorized World a Warcraft account-logins". These be coming in via Blizzard's site 'n the WoW mobile armory app, leading Blizzard t' temporarily suspend access t' it be auction house via the game's mobile app. Affected account holders be being contacted by Blizzard 'n reminded, hey, two-step authentication exists for a reason. Account Security Warning [Blizzard]

A "We be The World"-inspired music video about World a Warcraft featuring Jimmy Fallon, Felicia Day, Chris Hardwick, 'n Leeroy Jenkins. Need I say more? The crew a Late Night with Jimmy Fallon created the video as a tribute t' "one a the greatest games a all time." It, a course, automatically becomes a tribute t' those unfortunate ones who, upon watching the video, immediately went 'n reinstalled World a Warcraft. They shall be missed. Late Night's Video Games Week had plenty a cool stuff for us so far. Check out a few examples below. Questions? Comments? Contact the author a this post at andras-AT-kotaku-DOT-com.

Optimus Prime's legendary scene from the 1986 Transformers movie gets a badass World a Warcraft remake, only here the Horde be playing the Autobots, 'n Mimiron's Head shoots laser beams. Thank goodness they cut away t' Stan Bush before getting t' the part where Hot Rod ruins everything. Really great tribute from the U.S. horde guild Arm a Hades, who previously also made a similar video for another awesome 80s show. t' contact the author a this post, write t' gergovas@kotaku.com

Crime be a constant feature a video games writing. Somewhere, someone be doing something illicit with them—sometimes comically stupid, sometimes tragic. Games 'n consoles be currency, objects a dispute, sometimes even weapons themselves. Kotaku's Police Blotter be here t' round up the latest in games crime. The Most Gears Apology, Ever GLASGOW, Scotland—The teenager accused a slashing the throat a a matey he met playing Gears a War—the victim's neck be sawn down t' the windpipe—will spend the next three years 'n nine months in brig, following his sentencing last week in High Court in Glasgow. The accused (unnamed per U.K. law) sent two voice messages t' his victim. One said "Honestly ye don't know how upset I be. I be sitting here on the x-box just t' say I be sorry, bro." [BBC] Malign Neglect ANAHEIM, Calif.—Authorities say two girls, 10 'n 5, be found malnourished 'n living in virtual imprisonment for the past three years inside a moldering, feces-strewn mobile home where the adults played World a Warcraft all day. The relationship a the adults t' children be not specified by cops, but both Lester Louis Huffmire 'n Petra Huffmire, both 41, face up t' seven years in on felony charges a child abuse. Prosecutors say the neglect stretches back t' May 2010; a social worker inspecting the home after a neighbor phoned a tip t' police found "kitchen appliances covered in mold 'n cobwebs 'n stacks a trash, debris, mold 'n feces scattered throughout the home," the Los Angeles Times reports. Star Witless PEORIA, Ill.—A blame-games defense put forth by a man on trial for the grisly slaughter a an entire family—a tire iron be the weapon—failed t' impress a jury here despite the appearance a a star witness testifying for the accused. Chris Harris, on trial for five counts a first-degree murder for the 2009 slayings, claimed he had happened upon 14-year-old Dillen Constant attacking the family 'n be forced t' act in self defense (Constant be among the dead.) Craig Anderson, the Iowa State academic known for saying violent video games have a definite causal link t' aggressive behavior, be called t' testify for the defense 'n say that Constent had multiple circumstances in his life making the sea dog at risk for violent episodes, 'n that playing violent video games could have contributed t' such an outburst. The jury considered this alibi 'n Anderson's expert opinion over a day a deliberations before convicting Harris on every count. [Game Politics] It Only Does Arrests WORTHINGTON, Ohio—A message sent over the PlayStation Network may prove t' be the key in solving a spate a burglaries here over the past month. Cops had been investigating a burglary in March that included a TV, laptops, an iPad, jewelry 'n cash 'n a PlayStation 3 among the loot. The victim shrewdly had serial numbers written down for the bottles a rum that had gone missing, but it be a big screwup the day after the burglarly that led t' an arrest. Police said the next night one a the suspects logged into PSN 'n sent a message through it t' one a the victim's co-workers. Detectives worked with Sony 'n AT&T for a month t' confirm the location from which the message be sent, 'n the identity a the suspect who sent it, ending in his arrest on Tuesday. Police believe more be involved [WCMH-TV] Lots a strange things happen in the pages a yer local newspaper or on the 6 o'clock news. If ye see something, say something. t' me, that be. I'd like t' write it up. Remember: ye need not reveal yer identity. t' contact the author a this post, write t' owen@kotaku.com or find the sea dog on Twitter @owengood.

Inspired mostly by Medieval architecture 'n the Middle Ages, fortified stone castles in video games be always among the most exciting locations. These bastions be the keepers a many secrets, hidden cellars 'n lost knowledge all awaiting the player t' find them. We collected some a the most amazing video game castles, opting for those that have an astonishing atmosphere that makes it easy t' pillage lost in them. We also chose some a the most iconic ones that continuously reappear in certain video game series. Final Fantasy VI Edgar's home, Figaro Castle in Final Fantasy VI, can burrow underground thanks t' it be unique, advanced technology. Dark Souls Anor Londo be just beautiful in Dark Souls, but most a us probably hate this place because a that damned Ornstein 'n Smough fight. Castlevania: Lords a Shadow Dracula's Castle be an iconic one, 'n it be the setting in most a the Castlevania games. Castlevania: Lords a Shadow might not be the best Castlevania game, but Dracula's home looks stunning in it. Age a Empires II Once the Castle Age be researched, this robust, awesome fort can be built in Age a Empires II. Ico The castle in Ico be an eerie, mysterious place. New Super Mario Bros. U Princess Peach's Castle appears in dozens a Super Mario games, including New Super Mario Bros. U. Heroes a Might & Magic III The overview a the Castle faction with fully a upgraded building in Heroes a Might & Magic III be glorious. The Legend a Zelda: Ocarina a Time Just like Peach's Castle, Hyrule Castle in the Zelda games be also a recurring one. Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines The giant German fortress in the last mission a Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines even has V2 rockets inside. Stronghold The Stronghold games be all about castle building 'n management 'n, because a this, the best-looking ones be built by players. Assassin's Creed The Masyaf Castle, found in Syria, had a significant role during the Crusades but be also remade beautifully in Assassin's Creed. Final Fantasy VIII The main antagonist, Ultimecia's castle in Final Fantasy VIII looks like an over-designed building from the Victorian era. Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows a Amn The fighter class' stronghold, the De'Arnise Keep in Baldur's Gate 2, be occupied by trolls in the beginning a the game. Super Mario World Poor Iggy's castle in Super Mario World be the only fort with pink grids all over the place 'n probably sits at the number one spot on the "Video game castles that have been destroyed the most" list. World a Warcraft With the most epic castle gates ('n castle themes) in video games, no one will ever forget entering Stormwind, the human capital in World a Warcraft for the first time. (Sorry Orgrimmar.) Here it be again, though it looked a bit different back in the 90s in Warcraft: Orcs & Humans. Submit yer picks in the comments below t' show us what else be out there! sources: CommandosHQ, FF Wiki, Konami, Team Ico Wiki, uinea's screenshot on Wowhead t' contact the author a this post, write t' gergovas@kotaku.com

With subscriber numbers declining 'n top-tier raid guilds disbanding, we be getting t' a point where the army a powerful boss creatures Blizzard has assembled will find itself unemployed, but don't worry — once a boss, always a boss. SlightlyImpressive shows us a world where WoW bosses be real bosses, 'n it be indeed slightly impressive. I wasn't sold on the idea until the Lich King showed up halfway through. "Table five hungers" be the most sinister means a dispatching garlic breadsticks ever.

These past few weeks haven't seen a lot a good news thrown World a Warcraft's way. The MMO shed more than a million crew over the past year, a development Activision's CEO called "troubling." Before that, some a the game's hardest-core players called it quits, too. Exodus, on April 26, said it be disbanding as a 25-man raiding guild 'n had no plans yet t' re-form as a 10-man guild. Guild member Killars, in this post, said "this game isn't t' blame," but rather, "it be the raiding community," saying that the competition a top-end raiders carries an "inevitable sort a flaw. "We've basically been killing ourselves off slowly since day one," Killars wrote. "In the last few years we've certainly picked up the pace, but the 'hardcore raider' be a dying breed 'n it be certainly becoming a more difficult breed t' be a part a." Killars laments the time commitment 'n other costs required t' pillage t' the top 'n stay there. "Unfortunately we (hardcore raiders) pushed too hard," he says. "Tier after tier we just keep adding t' the insanity in both farming preparations 'n actual progressing. it be almost as if progression itself never really ends after a end tier boss dies. " For himself, Killars isn't quitting; he's joined another guild. Still, it be not a good sign when hardcore raiding has become too hardcore for the hardcore. Exodus be dead?! [Facebook, via PCGamesN, h/t Dave Oshry.] t' contact the author a this post, write t' owen@kotaku.com or find the sea dog on Twitter @owengood.

World a Warcraft's subscriber base be down t' 8.3 million, representing a 13.5 percent drop in the last three months. In the previous quarter financials, Activision-Blizzard said the MMO had 9.6 million subscribers, but since then 1.3 million have said so long t' Azeroth.

World a Warcraft...as a fighting game? Hey, it could work judging by this mock-up by Redditor GuardianReflex.

A month ago we got the 3D re-release a Jurassic Park, 'n a few weeks later we got Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon featuring dinosaurs a all kinds shining under neon lights. This happy coincidence provides us an opportunity t' gather some a the most amazing video games with dinosaurs stomping around inside them. Raptors, T-Rex 'n Pterodactyls all have their cool statuses safely secured, but they be even more fearsome with mounted cannons or lazer guns on their back. ye just don't mess with that. As we march forward in time the changes be easily noticable. In 30 years we went from the cute little Bubble Bobble characters t' the most insane, blazing neon monsters with rocket launchers. 'n this be an awesome thing! B.C.'s Quest For Tires (1983) In Quest for Tires we have t' rescue our girlfriend on a stone uncycle who has been kidnapped by a dinosaur, who apparently looks like a really cool lad. Dino Eggs (1983) Save the scattered dinosaur eggs from prehistoric creatures a all kinds as our time traveller main character. Bubble Bobble (1986) Taito's classic, popular arcade game that be later ported t' almost everything featured Bub 'n Bob, who easily can be considered as the cutest dinosaurs in video games. Rampage (1986) Lizzie, once a young woman, be mutated into a godzilla-like dinosaur be one a the playable characters in Midway's 80s arcade game Rampage. Super Mario World (1990) Mario's number one dinosaur buddy Yoshi first appeared in Super Mario World as a mountable pet. Jurassic Park (1993) The 1993 movie resurrected the dinosaur craze with the speed a light that resulted in several video games linked t' the film. Sega's side scroller be among the better titles. Jurassic Park Arcade Game (1993) Sega also had a Jurassic Park themed arcade rail shooter that wasn't half bad. E.V.O.: Search for Eden (1993) We have t' navigate through Earth's geological periods including the Mesozoic Era full a dinosaurs in Square's really unique game for the SNES. Cadillacs 'n Dinosaurs (1993) Survivors in a post-apocalyptic Earth have t' face dinosaurs in one a the best Capcom side scroller beat'em ups based on the comics a the same name. Primal Rage (1994) A traditional 2D fighter also set in a post-apocalyptic Earth featuring seven playable dinosaurs (mostly). Turok: Dinosaur Hunter (1997) Acclaim's dino themed first-person shooter be one a the first games that utilized the capabilities a the very first 3D graphics cards. Dino Crisis (1999) Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami's survival horror be set on a remote island where a failed military time travel experiment spawned hundreds a dinosaurs from another era. Dino D-Day (2011) World War II with a little bit extra mad. The dinos with cannons mounted on their backs or on their jaws look absolutely insane in 800 North's first-person shooter. Tokyo Jungle (2012) Survival with dinos can be hard in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo, even when they be supposed t' be at the top a the food chain. World a Warcraft: Mists a Pandaria's 5.2 content patch (2013) Azeroth had dinosaurs before (just think about Un'Goro crater or Epicus Maximus) but the latest content patch took it t' another level with the Isle a Giants. Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon (2013) Everyone wanted t' hunt for giant dinosaurs in the vast jungles a Far Cry 3, 'n we finally got them in the standalone expansion. Not enough dino craziness? Then ye best post the most awesome ones ye know from any video game in the comments below! sources: Wowhead, CGR, Frankomatic, MamePlayer, CosmicCheese, Retrojuegoschile, HardcoreGaming101 t' contact the author a this post, write t': gergovas@kotaku.com

Chris Kluwe, the outspoken NFL punter, World a Warcraft 'n JRPG fan we've featured here frequently over the past season, be let go from his team, the Minnesota Vikings, today. Kluwe would frequently refer t' his team's upcoming game in the language a an MMO. His next objective, so t' speak, be t' find a new guild. Kluwe, 31, be also known for being a staunch 'n very public defender a marriage equality 'n equal rights for gay men 'n lesbians, positions that may also have factored into his release, as punters be the epitome a a be-seen-'n-not-heard position in American football. (He frequently retweets Anonymous' news feed, too.) The Vikings took a punter in the fifth round a the NFL Draft two weeks ago. Only one other team took a punter in the entire draft, so this be a sure sign that Minnesota intended t' part company with Kluwe. Kluwe debuted in 2005 'n three years later became notorious when he told a radio station he considered changing his name t' "Chris World a Warcraft," because a his love for the MMO. ChrisWarcraft then became his Twitter handle. In the Vikings clubhouse, he said he recruited a lineman t' play Dark Souls (who complained it be "one a the hardest games ever") 'n introduced all-galaxy running back Adrian Peterson t' Magic: The Gathering. In an interview late last week with NFL.com, Kluwe appeared t' know what be coming after this weekend's rookie camp, when he'd likely be out a a job unless his replacement completely bombed. Though punting be a very situational performance, depending a lot on the quality a the offense ye're bailing out, 'n where their drives typically stall out, Kluwe's average distance has remained strong. Kickers 'n punters with his kind a tenure be, by definition, survivors, 'n be almost always in demand. He best catch on somewhere else. Thank ye t' all the fans, me teammates, 'n the Wilf family for the past 8.5 years. I wouldn't have traded it for anything. — Chris Kluwe (@ChrisWarcraft) May 6, 2013 t' contact the author a this post, write t' owen@kotaku.com or find the sea dog on Twitter @owengood.

NetEase, the China operator a World a WarCraft has just started pre-order sales for a limited edition WoW: Mists a Pandaria Mahjong set. The set looks like two a China's biggest names in gaming have combined 'n spit out a baby. According t' NetEase's homepage, there will only 1000 a these special Mahjong sets available world-wide. No clue what that means for western players but so far the set's only appeared t' be for China. Each set will cost 1288 RMB, or about $209. The set be a fully playable Mahjong set, tiles, table mats, dividers, chips 'n all. Everything be decorated with WoW-esque decals, the table mat features in game maps. The whole set comes together in a nifty wooden case. So far, many online commenters have questioned the pricing a the set saying it be too expensive. Other comments be more about it be availability, they be concerned that if the set be truly a limited edition for the whole world there would be too few t' go around. One Chinese gamer asked if "foreigners play mahjong at all,". Mahjong be one a China's oldest table games around. Played with a set a 136 tiles split between four players, the game can be played either for sport or for money. Despite the ban on gambling in China, Mahjong be still played for money in various locations across the country. It'd be interesting t' see if anyone actually uses the WoW set t' play Mahjong. Western players can attempt t' pre-order this set at NetEase's official WoW Site. [魔兽世界熊猫人之谜全球限量麻将预约火热开启] [NetEase] Kotaku East be yer slice a Asian internet culture, bringing ye the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China 'n beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am t' 8am.

Despite the jokes about telling our parents that NO we can't pause the friggin' game t' take out the trash, the truth be, the inability t' pause a live game be a real problem. Real enough that even Man a Steel's star, Henry Cavill, has grappled with it. Actually, he almost didn't pillage the role a Superman because a it! IGN reports that the latest issue a GQ has an interview with Cavill, where he discusses his love a video games 'n the incident with World a Warcraft. Indeed, his love a games be so great that when director Zack Snyder called t' offer the sea dog the Man a Steel role, he nearly missed out due t' playing World a Warcraft. “I saw it be the sea dog [calling] but the thing be, ye can’t save World a Warcraft, ye can’t pause it. It’s live.” But mercifully Cavill called the sea dog back 'n gratefully accepted the part. Imagine that. Nearly jeopardizing a major film role because ye just can't sail away yer game a World a Warcraft for a little bit. Dang. 'n just in case ye're wondering, Cavill be rather fond a Skyrim. Superman Star Talks Skyrim, World a Warcraft 'n Bond [IGN]

The World a Warcraft movie just got a VFX supervisor. Oscar-winner - 'n hardcore WoW player - Bill Westenhofer.

ye just can't take gnomes seriously, even when they be embroiled in a desperate struggle for control a Westeros. The smallest, most sophisticated race in World a Warcraft be the perfect raw material for WoW machinima, this time for a Game a Thrones parody from the fine folks at Slightly Impressive. Seeing all the characters in gnomish form be amusing, but that Hodor Panda be a direct hit, not t' mention the awesome Throne a Swords model occupying Stormwind Keep in the background. Game a Gnomes (Game a Thrones Parody) [YouTube]