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Blizzard Entertainment have announced the European launch plans for World of Warcraft, the much hyped massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), set in the Warcraft universe. The game is to hit European stores early in 2005, while Pre-orders for the game will be available in GAME stores from November 26, 2004.
A final beta test is scheduled for December 2004, allowing thousands of people to play the game, including those who have pre-ordered it. An exact date is yet to be decided.
“We’re extremely proud of World of Warcraft, and in particular, its accessibility to players of all abilities, from hardcore to casual gamers,” said Mike Morhaime, president and co-founder of Blizzard Entertainment. “We are confident that the commitment we’re making with regard to local European servers and support staff will create an unprecedented gaming experience for the thousands of gamers who will come to experience and enjoy World of Warcraft.”
WoW will be available for Windowsî 98/ME/2000/XP and Macintosh at a RRP of £29.99, including a one month free subscription. The game will ship with two unique covers, each representing the major factions in the world. Both versions will include the full version of the game on four CDs. The will be localised in English, French and German, with a localised box and manual available for Spanish and Italian players.
A Special Collectors edition of the game will be available at launch, but numbers are limited. It will include the World of Warcraft game on both CD-ROM and DVD, a free one-month subscription, a World of Warcraft behind-the-scenes DVD in English, an exclusive in-game pet, a cloth map of the game world, a soundtrack CD, an Art of the World of Warcraft coffee table book, and a commemorative game manual signed by the development team. This package will cost £44.99 and will again be localised in English, French and German, with a manual and box available for Spanish and Italian players.
The subscription required to play the game after your initial trial expires can be bought in three ways; a month-to-month subscription at £8.99; a three-month plan at £8.39 per month and a six-month plan at £7.69 permonth.
The game will have full offline customer support and game masters for French, German and English speakers. The European team will also provide tools for the community, trade and press. Blizzard claim that WoW is the first non-licensed MMORPG in Europe to have a local dedicated support team. European servers will be available so players can get the best performance from the game, and this will allow for the best possible customer service. Access to North American servers will be limited to residents of North America, Australia and New Zealand, so European gamers are advised to wait for the European release. Players who have pre-ordered the game are guaranteed a box copy on the day of launch, as well as guaranteed access to the European Final Beta Test. The ability to play with friends on North American servers will come later down the line.
We hope to have more on the game in the coming weeks.
