WOW will be destroyed today

By Robert Purchese Published 23 November, 2010

Plus: Tame raid boss Chromaggus.

Today [tomorrow in Europe -Ed], World of Warcraft will be torn asunder by a very angry dragon called Deathwing - weeks ahead of the 7th December Cataclysm expansion launch.

In patch 4.0.3a (due later), The Shattering will transform Azeroth as we know it; sprouting lush life in an unlikely Desolace and goring a great scar through The Barrens. And much more.

Most Cataclysm content will be available bar the new zones, races, ability to fly your mount in Azeroth and level 80+ quests and loot. You can even watch the new Cataclysm cinematic when you load World of Warcraft.

Blizzard decided to unleash The Shattering now to allow new class-race combinations - dwarf mage, for instance - time to level in preparation for Cataclysm. You can also pay Blizzard to change your race. So, now is the time to stop being a gnome mage and start being a dwarf mage.

Patch 4.0.3a will remove the elemental portals from the capital cities. Blizzard has temporarily made these permanent so that any loose ends can be tied up within them.

One more thing: it appears that Chromaggus - a Blackwing Lair boss no less - can now be tamed by Beastmastery hunters! WOWInsider says this is doable on the WOW test realm right now.

Blackwing Lair was the second 40-man raid added to World of Warcraft (Molten Core was the first). Chromaggus, a giant dog (and part of the exotic Core Hound family), used to require 40 level 60 players (top-level back then) to kill. He won't retain that power after being tamed, but will be able to access useful ability Ancestral Hysteria. And he's purple.

World of Warcraft: Cataclysm will be released worldwide on 7th December. Blizzard laid out its launch event plans yesterday.

Deathwing - a very spicy chicken wing?

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (37) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • AHiFi #1 2 years ago

    Excellent headline. Here's hoping it really will be...
    Edited by AHiFi at 23/11/10 @ 09:29

  • dingo75 #2 2 years ago

    Deathwing is a dragon (actually a dragon aspect) and not a demon.
    He still kicks ass for sure!

    I remember BWL with Chromaggus.
    "Green breath incoming! Tank2 taunt him! DPS hide!"
    Not a hard boss by any means even back then.

  • LazyDan #3 2 years ago

    I'm pretty excited, yet a bit sad for V1 Azeroth. It's like your local of 5 years being taken over by new management and re-decorated. The wait for Azeroth flying is about to get a whole lot more painful though.

  • firef7y #4 2 years ago

    Pfft Nerds. Minecaft is where it's at yo! ;-)

    (prepares for hail of negs)

  • rodpad #5 2 years ago

    For those thinking of levelling a new character - http://www.eurogamer.net/forum_thread_po...

  • geeza2020 #6 2 years ago

    Hooray!!!

    /has only read headline
    /has now read article

    "Patch 4.0.3a will remove the elemental portals from the capital cities. Blizzard has temporarily made these permanent so that any loose ends can be tied up within them."

    How do you temporarily make something permanent???
    Edited by geeza2020 at 23/11/10 @ 09:49

  • Flub #7 2 years ago

    Today? I think not if you play on a European server. Tomorrow for us.

  • OnlyMe #8 2 years ago

    So this is the day I will use my WoW invite.

  • rodpad #9 2 years ago

    Indeed it is tomorrow, not today.

  • neilka #10 2 years ago

    Any news on what effect this patch will have on fire kicks?

  • r4z0rbl4d3 #11 2 years ago

    Wow, I really can't wait to totally ignore this release!

  • jumpdeveraux #12 2 years ago

    I'd love to log in and have a fly around the new old zones but if my girlfriend detects a log in she'll be ex-girlfriend (Again...) - she'd also probably take a chainsaw to my gaming rig and burn my clothes while I'm still wearing them.

  • tangoownage #13 2 years ago

    Can we get the new starting zones and quests then?

  • Goodfella #14 2 years ago

    Looking forward immensely to cata! Roll on the 7th!

  • chrisjm #15 2 years ago

    jumpdeveraux wins the first stealth 'look at me i have a gf' post

  • rodpad #16 2 years ago

    @tangoownage

    All the new 1-55 quests are in, as are the new Gnome and Troll starting zones. 80+ zones, quests and the Goblin & Worgens won't be available until December 7th

  • anomagnus #17 2 years ago

    Jesus EG, i know you've been reduced to scavenging news of other gaming websites for some time, but would it have killed you to do even the most basic of fact checks on this report?

    All you would have to have done was changed today to tomorrow. CTRL F and replace would have done that.

  • butler` #18 2 years ago

    Ahhh Chromaggus, you never did drop my CTS.

    c***

  • tangoownage #19 2 years ago

    Let's hope that the start zones that aren't changing are upto draenei standard !

  • Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #20 2 years ago

    Edited the piece to reflect what you guys have been posting. We were holding off for a response from Blizzard, but none has come.

    Thanks for putting us right, even if you are meanies.

  • FortysixterUK #21 2 years ago

    So what's happening then .....?
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    ( tee hee )

  • Benno #22 2 years ago

    A response from Blizzard that EU maintenence is on a Wednesday? I thought it was common knowledge, just like everyone knows Sunday was when God rested.

  • rivuzu #23 2 years ago

    Haters gon' hate. Some people still enjoy WoW. I never really got into it myself (even with the refer a friend), but I'll log in and take a snoop around the new shindigs.

  • Kremlik Verified Co-Founder, Crash To Desktop #24 2 years ago

    FYI to anyone wanting to fly in the old world: it's not happening during the shattering, you need to buy the box to use the skill, guild leveling and stuff isd also a cata only thing....

    What is in:

    * Portals in Dalaran/Shattrath Removed
    * Class trainers in Dalaran where portals once were
    * New race-class combinations (excluding worgen/goblin)
    * New Gnome/Troll starting areas
    * Changes to existing zones
    * New cata load screens
    * New cata intro cinematic
    * New cata login screen
    * New music
    * City Quartermasters, with rep tabards
    * Bug fixes
    * Class balancing
    * Druids, paladins, priests, and shaman will have their talent trees reset
    * Experience required to gain levels 71 through 80 is being reduced by 20%
    * New tamable hunter pets (Monkey, fox, dog, and beetle, as well as new skins for existing pet classes.)


    What is not in:

    * Creating worgen/goblin characters
    * Worgen/Goblin start zones
    * Archeology
    * Professions past 450 (Illustrious Grand Master)
    * Guild leveling
    * Guild achievements
    * Eastern Kingdoms/Kalimdor flight
    * New Zones (80+)

  • rudedudejude #25 2 years ago

    Oooh looks good.

    How is this going to affect wrath of the lich king content? Is is all still going to stay the same? As I haven't had time to get into Wotlc much yet!

  • Kremlik Verified Co-Founder, Crash To Desktop #26 2 years ago

    Outlands/Northrend aren't effected by the change (bar the exp decrease in level), i'm a bit surpised Northrend isn't slightly effected becuase it's on thr same world - unlike Outlands

  • Softie2k #27 2 years ago

    It only affects the areas Deathwing tries to destroy or is on his flight path. He doesn't visit Northrend or Outland.

  • butler` #28 2 years ago

    As always, really smart of them.

    That means that cynical bastards like me can throw down £8.99 to resub and get a lot of what is good about Cataclysm: the revamped old areas and new class/race combos, without commiting to the expansion.

    That's a lot of £9s and no doubt a huge % retention of people sucked back in that will go on to fork out for the expansion and more sub fees.

  • NimbusTLD #29 2 years ago

    Is the destruction itself something a player can witness? Is it a world event or is it phased?

  • Canyarion #30 2 years ago

    I always wanted to play a Gnome Priest.

    But I quit WoW 4 years ago and I won't start it now.

  • sneetch #31 2 years ago

    @r4z0rbl4d3
    Wow, I really can't wait to totally ignore this release!

    You're doing a bad job of ignoring it so far. Try harder.

  • Scopeh #32 2 years ago

    @NimbusTLD

    When you start up WoW after patching the game, the Intro will play with Deathwing wtfpwning everything, thats about as good as it gets then you just login and everything is changed.
    Edited by Scopeh at 23/11/10 @ 12:17

  • sneetch #33 2 years ago

    @Scopeh
    When you start up WoW after patching the game, the Intro will play with Deathwing wtfpwning everything, thats about as good as it gets then you just login and everything is changed.

    I believe Deathwing's actions have been officially measured as an omglolwtfpwn and not a mere wtfpwn. That's kinda disappointing really, was expecting to be able to watch him omglolwtfpwn the place from in game, oh well, it's probably for the best, he'd have to be destroying the place on the hour every hour otherwise people would simply miss it.

  • RedSparrows #34 2 years ago

    Chrom, I remember you. 3rd ever attempt, we downed you, with Timeshift or w/e it was called.

    How the might have fallen.

    /salute
    /tear

  • dingo75 #35 2 years ago

    It only affects the areas Deathwing tries to destroy or is on his flight path. He doesn't visit Northrend or Outland.

    Someone in "Trade" (the 99% official chat channel in WoW) had a good explaination why yesterday:
    "He hates cold so Northrend is out of question.
    Oh and his fat ass won't fit through the Dark Portal.
    He could lose weight to fit but then he would be 5 man-able and not a raid boss anymore."

  • FortysixterUK #36 2 years ago

    Well..I can say I was there at the server shutdown on the eve of this fateful change.
    WOW will never be the same. I'm quite looking forwards to it really......and thinking how I setup a private WOW server so I can go back to old WOW.
    Can't be that hard....a PC to act as a server....fiddle around with the login file...fuck..I have no idea...seriously...who knows how to setup a private WOW server? I would imagine you'd need some database management software for a start ?

  • neuroniky #37 2 years ago

    I've just restarted from lvl 1 while waiting for the exp to come, and the new quests flow like silk. Everything uses the phasing technology used in wotlk and ths means the game guides you fast and without big runs or the need for a guide from a zone to another, keeping you always with something to do, and with the content fed to you with the right pace and the right difficulty for your level. Leveling speed is very fast now that 4.0.1 has brought imba dpsing too, so you get to see more contents and have more fun instead of running, grinding and looking for things to do.
    WoW is never going to be the same again... and it doesnt need to, now it is just perfect.