WoW: Cataclysm still on target for a 2010 release
Preparing for season six tomorrow is "still the plan"
by Adam Holisky 
Apr 20th 2009 at 9:35PM
Zarhym has reaffirmed a comment that Blizzard made in the past telling players they should expect season six to start as early as tomorrow, and that "this [statement] is still the plan."Given the lack of solid statements made by Blizzard in saying anything is or will definitively happen with the game, this is about as much confirmation as we can hope for in hearing that season six begins tomorrow.
About a month ago there was it was reported that when Season Six went live all ratings would start at 0 and work their way up, instead of beginning at 1500.
Today's news, combined with the fact that there will be a talent reset in a client side patch very soon, probably means there'll be a small patch tomorrow morning. While we're not going to wave flags and say there will be one, no one here at WoW Insider will be surprised if there is. And hopefully now, you shouldn't be either.
Of course, stay tuned throughout the evening and tomorrow morning. We'll bring you the latest.
Filed under: Patches, Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, News items, Arena
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
jfofla Apr 20th 2009 10:05PM
I wish good luck to the very small group of people who still do Arenas. You see Blizzard has shunned the casual Arena player to the point where we will not show up for Season Six.
Who cares you say?
You will since only a small percentage of Arena teams will qualify for gear. Without the casuals to pad your points, it will be a real dog fight for gear.
Have Fun!
Max Apr 21st 2009 1:36AM
blizzard actually did alot to encourage casual arena play... I fail to understand why so many people stopped doing arenas.
Season 5 was by far the easiest to start pvping - what with the three tiers of gear, archavon raids, and craftables - it was easier than ever to gear up.
Clbull Apr 21st 2009 11:50AM
@Max
Thats the thing, it was EASIEST to get your Arena gear through PvE encounters.
PvE wise, you could get Hateful or Deadly Gladiator (or even Furious now), but it'd take A LOT of farming the raid every week.
PvP wise, if you want Deadly or Furious, you have to get to very high ratings, which you'd only get to when playing a certain setup and/or overpowered class.
Not very casual friendly to me.
Rubin Apr 20th 2009 10:25PM
So you are saying that arenas gives welfare epics or that you want it to be easy to pad points? Because it seems you are disappointed that it will be harder. In addition sure at the beginning people who have great skills will steamroll those who are inexperienced but after on it gets tougher and tougher and I think that is one of the main points people play arenas you know...because it can be oh I don't know...somewhat of a challenge?
Dazerdude Apr 20th 2009 10:33PM
I don't think this is completely true. My friends and I stopped playing towards the end of Season 5, (we never really much good, but it wasn't fun). We will however be reforming our teams and trying season 6 out some. Figure we'll at least give it a shot. Only a little gold gone if it's still unbalanced and not fun.
I really do think everyone should give season 6 another chance. I mean, why not just a few battles, just to see if it's back to being fun?
Altairantares Apr 20th 2009 10:59PM
What's the best way to get started in the arena if you've never done it before?
Matchu Apr 21st 2009 12:25AM
Get yourself some gear. Some can be bought for honour, some will drop off the VOA bosses (yeah I know "free epics").
Gem it/ enchant it out then go have yourselves some fun.
Dart Apr 21st 2009 12:39AM
It depends on your class, but getting a lot of 25 man gear will give you a good lead.
If you are a squishier class and need resilience, there are crafted blue sets that have resilience.
But if those aren't enough, you can buy Hateful (2nd tier season 5 arena gear) with just honor now, so farming those up will also be a great help.
Aside from that, jump into the community
http://www.arenajunkies.com/
Is a great resource site for Arena, it might be overwhelming at first, but if you go to the forums, each class has it's own board, read the stickies.
mconan Apr 22nd 2009 3:52AM
i used to do arena to fill up slots like shoulders when it was tough to get the pve items, pretty pointless now as most items are 1000 resi 2 attack power
Blacksabre Apr 21st 2009 12:37AM
:yawns:
Arena players are the Sierra Club of Wow...bored, rich players who scream in angry falsetto when someone disses their precious environment.
Arena isn't even really a part of Wow any more...it's simply a stand alone real time shooter, whose equipment also exists in World of Warcraft.
Personally, I'm glad it exists...otherwise these neo-treehuggers would be scattered around the real Wow, annoying us with constant duel demands, and also constantly posting their prized equipment in chat.
:another yawn: How smart of Blizz to invent Arena, and distract these annoying QQers.
Dart Apr 21st 2009 12:44AM
@ Blacksabre
":another yawn: How smart of Blizz to invent Arena, and distract these annoying QQers."
I'm sorry but... you're the one QQing about "neo-treehuggers existing in "real Wow".
And what does your post even have anything to do with this article? I don't see any "scream(s) in angry falsetto" from any arena player in this article. Just angry non-arena players
Blacksabre Apr 21st 2009 3:35AM
Well, Dart...there's always you.
:laughing:
Sorry, but Arena people are such good targets.
fauxgt4 Apr 21st 2009 10:02AM
Ha ha.
You have got to be the strangest little troll I've ever met.
You're so cute, adorable, and incomprehensible.
Thank heaven April 20 is good for at least some amusement for me.
Max Apr 21st 2009 1:37AM
sorry we enjoy something that actually takes skill.
Have fun beating your loot pinatas.
Wyred Apr 21st 2009 4:37AM
"Sorry, but Arena people are such good targets"
One you appear to have completely missed. Wow, you immediately managed to make arena players seem 100% more sympathetic than yourself. That's some talent you've got there.
Defoe Apr 21st 2009 4:38AM
You are no better - you have no respect for another persons playstyle and what they find fun in the game.
No doubt some arena players feel the same way about your playstyle, the difference being they dont waste their time commenting on an article that doesnt apply to them and conjuring up stereotypes that have no basis except in your mind.
Blacksabre Apr 21st 2009 3:42AM
"I can beat him, so I'm good."
"He can beat me, so he's good."
"We can beat each other, so we're all really good, and you all are
wimps, unless you play Arena. See, we even get special gear cause we're good."
This is the basis Arena players use. It is not the concept Blizzard envisioned, but it feeds the egos of Arena players.
So be it.
Have a great season, guys.
Hilton Apr 21st 2009 4:03AM
Totally agree
buenoexcellente Apr 22nd 2009 12:55AM
Yeah? What would you prefer we rate each other on? Our contributions to charity?
How about we eliminate all competition from a game completely based on gratification of the ego? We can all form a sewing circle.
If I can beat you on an even playing field then yes. I am better than you at the game we are playing. Its true in checkers and in every other game.
Lose the sour grapes. If you want to be good at PVP then put the work in required to win.
Blacksabre Apr 21st 2009 8:10AM
:laughing:
"....good at PvP."
PvP is an artificial, unbalanced ego trip for kiddies who are gifted with a short attention span and a lack of goal based planning, whose whole life exists to "pwn" another of their ilk. Working a long quest chain or completing a long raid instance, to gain a valuable piece of equipment, is not for them. They'd rather beat each other up in a controlled environment and claim their "special gear".
The best that can be said of them is that by staying in their safe little havens, they lessen competition for the gear that real players must work for.
.