Leaked BlizzCon VGL sheet music points North

by Mike Schramm Jul 29th 2007 at 11:00AM

This might be the closest thing we've heard to news about the next expansion yet-- an anonymous tipster sent us a note that the Video Games Live orchestra, scheduled to play in the final concert at BlizzCon, has received their sheet music for the show, and hidden within the pages is three pieces called "Northrend 1, 2, and 3."

That track doesn't appear in the Warcraft III, World of Warcraft, or Burning Crusade soundtrack lists at all. Warcraft 2's soundtrack was released as mp3 tracks by Blizzard, and Northrend doesn't appear there, either. So unless this is an old midi track from Warcraft or Warcraft II, odds are that we're looking at a brand new piece of music, and that players will be headed to Northrend very soon.

Now, of course when you think Northrend, you have to think Arthas. Blizzard has said in the past that a full raid of level 80 players would be needed to beat him (at least), so if we are going to Northrend in the next expansion, we may be looking at yet another 10 level cap raise. Then again, just because Northrend opens doesn't mean the cap is going up yet. And of course, even if we do go to Northrend, there's no guarantee that it will be the only new land in the expansion, so you Emerald Dream dreamers can still hold out hope.

But I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that at some point during BlizzCon (my guess is still during the opening ceremony), we're going to hear more about the big continent to the north.

Tags: anonymoustip, arthas, blizzcon, expansion, leaked, lichking, northrend, orchestra, sheetmusic, videogameslive

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, News items, Expansions, BlizzCon

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

honkhonk Jul 29th 2007 11:24AM

oh whatever. It's not as if they are going to change the game so that more than a fraction of all players will ever be able to fight Arthas.

Krishan Jul 29th 2007 11:30AM

I would hate a level cap so much I would probably just quit wow to save all the repetetive levelling, and if this is said at Blizzcon then I will be pissed as to why I even bother getting the best gear I can when as soon as I hit 71 the greens will be better >.>

If the level was to 75 I wouldn't mind, but then rolling alts would get even more annoying!

I'm loving the game how it is, now just throw in some more dungeons e.t.c until another year and a half then we can talk level caps :D

Bachus Jul 29th 2007 11:36AM

to anyone who thinks a level cap will not be raised: that is how MMOs work. it is constantly evolving. you get fight for epics, get said epics, then get new content that makes you work all over again for new epics. however, just because they give us INFO about this new xpac doesn't mean it will come out within the next 1-4 months. they could release it alongside the oh-so-very-hyped WAR in early spring of 08 and i'd still have time to lvl up and epic out another character.

and i too remember a quote that said it was a full raid of 90s for arthas. either way, i doubt we're killing him just yet. northrend, yes, but arthas will find a way to escape.

darkicon Jul 29th 2007 11:49AM

bleh... if they raise the cap.. and they will... they need to do something so releveling isnt so hard. Many suggested putting in a code or somethign that lets us skip to lev 30+ or something.

IKT Jul 29th 2007 11:52AM

http://www.wowwiki.com/Northrend

Blizzard officially confirmed that players will still be too low-level to fight Arthas at level 70, the new level cap in The Burning Crusade. It has since been mentioned by Drysc on the Official Forums that "Player must be at least level 80 before they can face Arthas". This leads one to presume Northrend is upcoming.

that is all :)

malystrian Jul 29th 2007 12:28PM

What the game DOES NOT need is more raiding content. I tell you, if all of the non-l70 non-raiders quit, wow would about be screwed. I've said it before and I'll say it again: WoW needs more mid-level content. MMO's always make some fatal mistake that drives them from their high horse, this kind of repeated behavior could be WoW's.

Einbroch Jul 29th 2007 12:34PM

Guys, just because Northrend comes out, it doesn't mean we'll be facing Arthas. ZG was "released" with the original WoW, but we didn't get it 'till later. Caverns of Time? Black Temple?

What I'm getting at is that Northrend doesn't mean a new level cap. Don't get ahead of yourselves. Arthas could be in ANOTHER expansion pack.

Mats Jul 29th 2007 1:11PM

Giving out a new continent full of quests without upping the level cap would be stupid beyond belief. Today, if you level up via questing and have rested xp all the way, it leaves you with 3 zones of pure Gold gaining, (at least 5000-7000g worth of quests)Giving out a whole expansion pack, with the same amount of quests would drive the economy insane.

Dave Jul 29th 2007 2:06PM

Personally, I'd like to see Northrend/Arthas introduced in the next expansion, but leave the level cap where it is... allow Arthas to be a pain in our backsides for a while before the level cap catches up and we have the chance to face him.

I don't know why, but I like the idea of Nihilum pulling their hair out, unable to touch an enemy that easily kills them over and over. Bitter? Me? Nah. :P

Michael Jul 29th 2007 2:42PM

We will never fight Arthas in WoW, the scourge would no longer exist with out him. I expect the next expantion to revisit the scourge and make people grind Argent Dawn rep again (possibly allow rep gains to start sooner so you are caught up to exaulted by lvl 60-65 and start grinding AD expedition at 65?)

I hate how all the old reps became worthless in TBC and I hope Blizz revisits them.

Rich Jul 29th 2007 2:52PM

Another level cap without a revisit to mid-level content will kill this game. Especially, if there are new races and/or classes.

lucifer.cross Jul 29th 2007 4:50PM

Gah. 40 mans are bad enough. 80?! DIAF, Blizz.

Michel Jul 29th 2007 5:47PM

some CM said some things

but why they should obey that ?

was it blood text ?

Drysc's telling is God Speaking ?

if Drysc said one word, years after the creators are bound ?

even the creators, they have to NEVER changer their crazy mind ?

maybe 80 for arthas was plausible that day, but now they changed the game, seen some new possibilites and maybe it's will not be 80 level to kill arthas

maybe

maybe they never promised you that, but Drysc thought, with his powerful mind, it could like that

but in fact, Chris Metzen always knew it would need 340 people at level 200 to kill the left hand of Arthas ! because, you know, he's just like that Metzen, a funny devious guy :)

to summary : let blizzard to be free to create even if sometimes they try to guess and tell you what they think they'll do, but please, let them to be FREE to change their mind, to create better and to do the best for the game.

Lethality Jul 29th 2007 6:31PM

I was standing 10 feet from Shane Dabiri at the first Blizzcon when the source of this "rumor" started.

Someone in the audience shouted "when do we fight Arthas" to which he replied "you couldn't beat him with 80 level 70s! Don't worry, we'll catch up with him..."

That was completely off the cuff and was absolutely not founded in any game design principles... his intention was to mean " you aint seeing him yet, we need to be more powerful!"

And from that simple statement, all of this CRAP has started. NO ONE has ever stated anything even remotely similar... not Drysc, not Metzen...

I WAS THERE.