Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne goes gold

[Warrik]

Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne Goes Gold -- Street Date Announced
Thursday May 29, 8:33 am ET
Blizzard Prepares for the Worldwide Launch of the Expansion Set on July 1, 2003


IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 29, 2003--Blizzard Entertainment® announced today that Warcraft® III: The Frozen Throne(TM), the eagerly awaited expansion set to the fastest-selling PC game ever(a), has gone gold. With initial orders of over 2.5 million copies, the game will be available at retail outlets worldwide in multiple languages beginning on July 1, 2003.
"We're very excited to announce that development on Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne has been completed," said Mike Morhaime, Blizzard Entertainment president and co-founder. "When we set out to create the next installment of the Warcraft series, we wanted to increase the strategic gameplay possibilities and depth of the Warcraft universe by introducing a wide array of new Heroes and units specifically designed to enhance each race. We're extremely proud of these new additions, and we look forward to sharing them with players."

Following in the tradition of previous Blizzard expansion sets, Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne provides gamers with a vast new chapter in the epic Warcraft saga. In the single-player campaign, players revisit the war-torn world of Azeroth. Several months have passed since Archimonde and the Burning Legion were defeated at the battle of Mount Hyjal, yet a new threat has arisen throughout the land.

The evil Lich King Ner'zhul has been imprisoned inside the Icecrown glacier, deep within the arctic continent of Northrend. Although the former Orc Shaman lacks physical form, his soul lives on, forever seeking a means to escape his icy prison. As the saga continues, it is revealed that both the Night Elf renegade, Illidan, and the traitorous Death Knight, Arthas, seek the Icecrown glacier and the mysterious powers found inside. To save all of Azeroth from the forces of darkness, players must traverse uncharted lands and battle treacherous new enemies while uncovering the schemes of these nefarious beings.

Key features include:

-4 single-player campaigns, including a bonus RPG-style mini-campaign designed to demonstrate the power of the world editor

-4 new race-specific Heroes, each with a complementary set of powerful spells and abilities

-2 new units per race, adding depth to the strategies and tactics that players can employ

-3 new tilesets, featuring new lands to explore and numerous new creeps and critters

-Player-built shops, equipped with items uniquely designed for each race

-5 neutral Heroes that players can recruit to strengthen their armies, such as the Dark Ranger and the Pandaren Brewmaster, each with unique spells and abilities

-New neutral buildings that provide players with additional units, new magical items, and a new mode of transportation

-Expanded multiplayer options over Battle.net®, including clan and tournament support

-Numerous new multiplayer maps

-An enhanced world editor that allows players to create and connect their own custom campaigns, complete with cut-scenes and voiceovers



Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne will bring all of these new features and enhancements to the fastest-selling PC game ever(a), Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos(TM). To date, Reign of Chaos has sold well over 3 million copies worldwide(a). Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne will be available at retail chains worldwide for Windows® 98/ME/2000/XP and Macintosh® formats, at a price of approximately $35.00. The game will also be available directly from Blizzard at (800) 953-SNOW and www.blizzard.com. Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne has received a Teen rating from the ESRB.

Since its debut in 1994, the #1-selling Warcraft series has won industry acclaim and has shattered sales records worldwide with over 8 million copies sold(a). In 1995, Blizzard followed the well-received Warcraft: Orcs and Humans(TM) with the highly acclaimed Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness(TM), considered by many critics to be one of the best games ever made. In 2002, Blizzard expanded the boundaries of the epic Warcraft universe with the release of Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos(TM). This third chapter in the legendary saga quickly reached the #1 position on sales charts around the world and has since garnered numerous Game of the Year awards.

Best known for blockbuster hits including the Warcraft, StarCraft®, and Diablo®series, Blizzard Entertainment (www.blizzard.com), a division of Vivendi Universal Games, is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating many of the industry's most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard's track record includes seven #1-selling games and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company's free Internet gaming service Battle.net reigns as the largest in the world, with millions of active users.

(a)Based on EDI sell-through, internal company records, and reports from key distribution partners around the world



Taken from this link

[Ham n Cheese]

Not to sound like an ass or anything, but you seem to have a raging hard on for Blizzard lately, Warrik.

[SkandaThornwhistler]

I have raging hard-on's for each month's playmate, hard-on's are a-ok if they're justified, and Blizzard's work justifies their hype.

[tanuvyen]

Originally posted by Ham n Cheese
Not to sound like an ass or anything, but you seem to have a raging hard on for Blizzard lately, Warrik.

no no no...what i love is how he calls me a fanboy a few threads ago and has a pic of a night elf thing under his name and a WoW banner under his sig.

[ChewieTobbacca]

this post is seriously out of like no where...

sad to say but IMO the beta was rushed / too many fucking balance issues in game still and its gone gold ;/

i got sick of playing the beta, id only buy this now for the story / map editor...

dunno if anyone else out here playing official TFT beta and stuff...

at least no one better be saying blizzard doesn't make sure things are balanced cuz shit this is defenitely not

[Solmancer]

Well, I'm a beta-tester here also, and for one thing I really would have liked them to have spent just a itty bit longer with putting in new things for units. Looks like I'm going to try and figure out how to do that with the new map editor!

They at least are patching the beta somewhat, so we'll see what happens I suppose. I myself am expecting 2-3 more beta patches before shutdown, and RPardo's given a sneak peek at the next one, namely Halls/Citadel getting switched to a Frost attack.

[Prysenius]

Did you miss that he said there will be 6 weeks of balancing after TFT goes gold and before it hits shelves? The copy that hits shelves won't have the final patch and that will be downloaded on install.

They have done a lot for balancing.. and no reason to think they won't continue.

[ChewieTobbacca]

6 weeks won't be possible since its coming out in 4 weeks (quote got removed anyways)



that being said yea im wondering what else they changing..

i forgot to mention it in my original post but the good thing is they patch the damn thing before the game is even out so it won't be buggy shit / unbalnaced on the first day

[Warrik]

Originally posted by Ham n Cheese
Not to sound like an ass or anything, but you seem to have a raging hard on for Blizzard lately, Warrik.

Because im looking forward to World of Warcraft and actually take time to research what the delvelopers have in mind?

Or becauase I posted a thread announcing the release of the WC3 Expansion? I guarantee you this information would have been posted here at some point today....which is why I posted it.

You guys make me laugh.....a good percentage of the players who post on this site put some serious hours into gaming, so I make the assumption that people are interested in hearing the development of World of Warcraft, and post the information I find when I dont see a thread here with the details already.

Last I checked, people who like EQ, have EQ sigs, avatars, and magelos in their threads, this doesnt make a fan boy.

Last I heard, Furor stated this site was a WoW fansite in transition...so my threads are actually contributing to what the general vision for this message board is. How about yours?

[Kashmiir Battlekat]

Holy crap Warrik... I just clicked the link in your Sig..

http://www.beberedirigir.cjb.net/

I think that would sober anyone up...

Im not sure if I should thank you or drive to your home and beat you down for giving me nightmares.

[Attrib]

You could just have posted the link and write down the key features. But no you decided to copy paste the whole shit with all the comments at the end, turning this thread into another Blizzard massive cocksucking feast since the beginning.

[Warrik]

Originally posted by Attrib
You could just have posted the link and write down the key features. But no you decided to copy paste the whole shit with all the comments at the end, turning this thread into another Blizzard massive cocksucking feast since the beginning.

Your damn straight I cut and pasted...why? Cause it took all of one second. I didnt write the damn thing, I just cut and pasted and put the link there so people know its legit. God...you people are anal.

[Tabb alt]

No, Warrik.

They're trying to point out that YOU are Anal. Aka, your dick + blizzard's ass.

Who gives a shit about frozen fucking throne? And what, they added 2 more units per race? BE STILL MY BEATING FUCKING HEART, ITS HEADLINE MATERIAL.

Fuck, have you people never hit the 'custom maps' button on warcraft 3? Defense of the Ancients, created by some 14 year old, is 9 times better than frozen throne is gonna be and I downloaded that for free.

It at least makes sense to discuss WoW here, since its related to the same GENRE as the game this forum is for... but fucking wc3 expansion?

[Bakara]

You expected a thread with no cockslinging? I see nothing wrong with cutting and pasting PR info about fuckin any game here.. why not?

[Warrik]

Originally posted by Tabb alt
No, Warrik.

They're trying to point out that YOU are Anal. Aka, your dick + blizzard's ass.

Who gives a shit about frozen fucking throne? And what, they added 2 more units per race? BE STILL MY BEATING FUCKING HEART, ITS HEADLINE MATERIAL.

Fuck, have you people never hit the 'custom maps' button on warcraft 3? Defense of the Ancients, created by some 14 year old, is 9 times better than frozen throne is gonna be and I downloaded that for free.

It at least makes sense to discuss WoW here, since its related to the same GENRE as the game this forum is for... but fucking wc3 expansion?

Id wager theres alot of people on this board that will be buying Frozen Throne. Alot of people.

And Bakaras right....I should have expected this. Heh.