Online retailers point towards a November 4 release for Wrath
by Mike Schramm 
Aug 29th 2008 at 12:30PM
We'll begin this post with the usual: this is Blizzard we're talking about, and Blizzard doesn't release games or the dates they'll start selling those games until they're good and ready. So any speculation about Blizzard's release dates, is, by its nature, pretty useless -- if Blizzard wants to announce at BlizzCon that Wrath isn't coming out until January, they will.
However, as many readers have noticed, there's been an interesting development in the rumored release date lately. Before now, all the online stores have had all kinds of different dates: some were saying October, some were saying early November, and some were saying late November. But over the past week or so, almost all of the online stores have settled on a single date: November 4. The sign above, sent in by reader Daniel A., is from a JB HiFi store in Australia, and beckons toward a midnight release on November 3rd.
So. We'll stress again: retailers often set their own release dates way in advance of an official announcement, just so they can sell preorders of a game. It's very likely this means nothing, and Blizzard will release their game whenever they want -- don't start filling out your vacation form yet, because this is not an official date. But something has pointed all of these online retailers toward Election Day of this year, so if you want to guess at a release date, that's as good as any.
However, as many readers have noticed, there's been an interesting development in the rumored release date lately. Before now, all the online stores have had all kinds of different dates: some were saying October, some were saying early November, and some were saying late November. But over the past week or so, almost all of the online stores have settled on a single date: November 4. The sign above, sent in by reader Daniel A., is from a JB HiFi store in Australia, and beckons toward a midnight release on November 3rd.
So. We'll stress again: retailers often set their own release dates way in advance of an official announcement, just so they can sell preorders of a game. It's very likely this means nothing, and Blizzard will release their game whenever they want -- don't start filling out your vacation form yet, because this is not an official date. But something has pointed all of these online retailers toward Election Day of this year, so if you want to guess at a release date, that's as good as any.
Thanks to Ollie, Daniel A., and everyone else who sent this in.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, News items, Expansions, Wrath of the Lich King
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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 3)
Metal_Gear Aug 29th 2008 1:43PM
'When its ready' isn't a good thing to say about expansions of a 4 year old MMO.
Patches can fix any issues, EQ2 has set a target of 1 expansion every 12 months. Cant believe I am saying this, but they need to knuckle down and start producing Expansions faster.
Chris Anthony Aug 29th 2008 2:01PM
I'd rather have an excellent expansion when it's ready than a mediocre expansion released on a set schedule.
YMM, of course, V.
Naix Aug 29th 2008 2:38PM
All software is in beta. Even wrath with have many many many many more patches. If they wait the expansion will never get put out. I say just release it the way it is right now. I am sure it will be awesome.
Drakkenfyre Aug 29th 2008 2:39PM
Sony also releases incomplete expansions.
I read an article by a former SOE employee who described how it worked. He said the CEO of SOE literally laughed at their customers buying half-finished expansions of the original EQ, and they would use the next 6 months of subscriber fees to finish the rest of the expansion, and release it as a patch.
Iwanttobeasleep Aug 29th 2008 3:26PM
They've already had one expansion already, so "4 years old" is a little silly.
Metal_Gear Aug 29th 2008 4:55PM
I wasn't saying this was the first expansion in 4 years. Its a 4 year old MMO with loads of other MMOs arriving on the market around it and the devs are just sitting back saying 'You'll get it when its ready'
Ryuu Aug 29th 2008 1:48PM
clearly no one actually looked at the pic. it says released nov 3. and the topic says nov 4, and all commenters are saying nov 4. lol. just being picky here. clearly not going to be released on either of those dates. would be kool though. but not likely.
Chris Anthony Aug 29th 2008 2:00PM
When a single store is claiming a release date the day before everybody else, odds are it's a marketing tactic. The store is planning on holding a midnight release (as the original post also says), and are referring to the release party as releasing the game; since the party will start before midnight, they can fairly say that it's on Nov. 3; and therefore they can claim a "release" a day earlier than other retailers.
Barnister Aug 29th 2008 2:23PM
Wrath ain't coming in november.
How do I know?
Because the brother of my wife works at Blizzard's WoW Art Departement.
Enli Aug 29th 2008 2:28PM
Arthas for President... For when you're tired of the lesser of two evils.
Naix Aug 29th 2008 2:35PM
Further proof that the talent release patch is coming is two maybe 3 weeks.
Drakkenfyre Aug 29th 2008 2:40PM
Like the above post said, that's for a midnight release.
vlad Aug 29th 2008 2:43PM
mike? you feeling ok?
you forgot to mention the phanton 10million users?
Jeg Aug 29th 2008 2:52PM
During the interview between Tom Chilton and J. Allen Brack on Gamona.de Tom Chilton specifically stated that it would be released when it's ready, specifically, the fifth of when it's ready!
Jeg Aug 29th 2008 3:04PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdE26EWGB28
thats the link to the video interview
endjinn Aug 29th 2008 3:45PM
From the time I've spent in BETA, getting WOTLK into a 'live' state by November 4th seems a MASSIVE task.
As it stands right now, most class talent trees are incomplete (with talents not yet implemented) which means no testing outside Blizz. has been done on that at all.
Not all areas of the game are even 'live' in BETA yet - and it's September in 2 days...
Given that they'll have to release the 3.0 patch at least 1 'maintenance day' ahead of the commercial release and they have to 'go gold' at least a couple of weeks before that date - I really, really cannot see them making that date - unless they have a build of the game which is SIGNIFICANTLY ahead of the BETA.
I've always felt that we'd not see WOTLK this year - like TBC it would JUST sneak into next year - and what I've seen recently just backs this up.
I suspect retailers are just 'wishful thinking' to get some pre-orders at a slow time of year tbh...
endjinn Aug 29th 2008 3:45PM
p.s. On the '3 weeks to 3.0 patch' - ROFL and LOL and what are you SMOKING! :)
That patch will have to go to the PTR first - for AT LEAST 2-3 weeks - and as I've already said, it's just nowhere near ready for that unless they have a build they're keeping from the BETA realms for some reason.
As an addon developer I can tell you the UI isn't even ready yet - let alone the game behind it - my honest guess is you'll see 3.0 in late Nov for WOTLK early Dec at the earliest.
Seriously, 3 weeks - hilarious...
supersaint Aug 29th 2008 5:20PM
If Obama and Mccain played Wow, I'd PWN them both!!
Badger Aug 29th 2008 6:37PM
SuperSaint is an Equal Opportunity EmPWNer.
I-R-PALADIN? Aug 29th 2008 6:04PM
Its going to be a christmas release i bet 2000 gold pieces lol