This was going to be a post about how EU gamers can still attain the Mountain Dew
Battle-Bot pets even though the warning above says they're for US folks only, but never mind --
Blizzard's server alert says they are putting out a hotfix on the EU realms to
remove any and all pets that made it through their guard. Some people could get the pets just by clicking through, and some people couldn't, but Blizzard says no -- the Mountain Dew promotion is apparently for US folks only, and anyone who has one on the EU realms won't for long. Players are understandably frustrated, though some of them are happy that
if they can't have one, no one can. MVPs on the forums are saying
that the pet is also available in Canada, even if the soda promotion isn't, but that may change as well.
Pretty poor show. Sure, Mountain Dew's rules
say US-only, but they definitely should have realized that there were plenty of EU players who would want in on the promotion. We doubt this is over -- it would certainly be a mark on their campaign that would engender a lot of ill will, and Blizzard will likely try to find some way to get the in-game pet up and running on the EU realms.
Tags: battle-bot, battle-net, battlebots, canada, contest, eu, eu-accounts, mountain-dew, mountain-dew-game-fuel, mtn-dew, mtn-dew-game-fuel, non-combat-pets, pets, promotion, us-only, wow-battle-bot, wow-battle-bots, wow-mountain-dew
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, How-tos, Odds and ends, Blizzard, Europe
Jun 10th 2009 at 5:00PM 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Hoaxs Jun 10th 2009 5:06PM
Better make the most of my Pet then. Sadly he's empty.
Vacant Jun 10th 2009 6:50PM
mine too :(
sadly i can't quite work out why they're taking them back, or even not allowing them in the EU in the first place. the rest of the promotional stuff to do with the game fuel, yea that's fine, that's a competition where they need to send you stuff for doing stuff. but this is an electronic delivery, obtained by clicking a link and identifying yourself.....
Nick S Jun 10th 2009 8:42PM
The reason that this and many other promotions aren't run in the EU is probably because the rules about commercial promotion in the EU are complex and vary from country to country. If you want to take part in these promotions, lobby your government for more commerce-friendly laws and regulations.
Endless Jun 10th 2009 9:54PM
Honestly though, I don't want to take part in any "promotion". I can't care less about some goat-flavoured soda. I simply want to use the stuff that is already coded in the game I paid for, and this incident only demonstrated that it *is* possible to use those bots on European realms.
Don't we pay basically the same money on both sides of the Atlantic ocean? Isn't our game developed in the very same studio, by the very same people, regardless of the region we're living in? Why shouldn't we get the same stuff, then?
What will be next, US-only expansion pack? US-only playable race?
Internet was supposed to *remove* the borders, not to bring new ones.
Wyred Jun 11th 2009 3:11AM
@Nick S. No they're not, and a simple diclaimer deals with promotions over the internet. The reason that European's don't get this pet is because we don't have Mountain Dew over here.
Kittens Jun 11th 2009 6:25AM
@Wyred: well, I'm no expert on commercial promotion laws, but what I *do* know is that many European countries are excluded from all Blizzard competition due to their countries' laws. For example, I live in the Netherlands and am never allowed to participate in even the simplest things. I can not send in a picture for the yearly Valentine's contest to have a small chance of winning a murloc pet, and I am also forbidden to enter stuff like the Arena Tournament to get a Murkimus pet, and so on.
I suspect that these laws might have some influence over us not getting the battle bot, if not now, surely in the future if the promotion ever comes to Europe.
Hoaxs Jun 11th 2009 6:44AM
Well my pet was removed, but in it's place in my companion pet slot it is left with "Battle-bot" and then an empty space.
Ferenc Jun 10th 2009 5:07PM
Well that sucks for EU players but it is hardly new for Blizz. China has pets that everyone would love to get their hands on as well. Maybe big blue could do something in the way of a EU only pet?
Cyanea Jun 10th 2009 5:09PM
I don't think its Blizz's fault. Mountain Dew probably paid Blizz to specifically allow them in US Realms. Legalese and all that.
staindnirv Jun 10th 2009 5:17PM
There are already several EU only pets.
AyaJulia Jun 10th 2009 5:56PM
Specifically....
China has the Golden Pig, Poley (polar bear, Coke promo), Silver Pig, Tiny Green Dragon (Coke promo), Tiny Red Dragon (Coke promo)
Europe has Gurky (baby murloc) and Lurky (baby murloc)
Korea has Lucky (a golden pig)
Fyve & Boomstick Jun 10th 2009 6:24PM
D'oh, think my first reply got lost in filter heaven as i referred to Mountain dew as Yeti's Piss, berhaps slightly more colourful... :-)
Anyway, Lurky shouldnt count as an EU only pet. It was never a promotion, it was an apology, Blizz messed up the BC release by putting normal codes into all the CE's, so we had to send stuff away. Besides, it was just a recolouring anyway. (though still adorable)
Anyway, I wouldnt care about this pet in the slightest, but the EU never has promotions or cool stuff like this. China has a ton of China only pets, The states has these... Europe has no WoW gamers that we wouldnt crave a tie in promotion of stuff we could buy and get stuff in game?! Cmon, no one believes that, GIVE US COOL STUFF! WE like cool stuff.
Arashikou Jun 10th 2009 6:27PM
Come to think of it... are there any US-only pets aside from these battle bots?
I mean, seriously - I'd gladly trade in a soda robot for some of those international pets. :(
Mattimus Jun 11th 2009 3:58AM
EU has a bunch of EU-only Baby Murloc pets. This is, if I recall correctly, the first US-only promotion.
dawnseven Jun 11th 2009 12:35PM
I'd trade the battle bot for the panda cub they're getting in China. :(
http://www.warcraftpets.com/news/archives/?m=6&y=2009
Candina@WH Jun 10th 2009 5:08PM
Um. Has anyone actually found the Game Fuel Mountain Dew at any retailers?
I've been looking for the past three weeks... Nothing.
Eric Jun 10th 2009 5:25PM
Its official release is the 16th of June from what I've read, so I quit looking until then. Haven't seen it when I was shopping for other things anyways.
Yeng Jun 10th 2009 5:27PM
Yeah, its been out for a couple weeks here. It's pretty good, but the original is still better imo.
Alchemistmerlin Jun 10th 2009 5:30PM
There's a big stack of cases of it in the Walgreens across the street from where I work.
I am not a fan of the taste.
Verit Jun 10th 2009 8:01PM
@Alchemistmerlin
Caffeinated sugar.