New WoW battlefields News

Blizzard has announced the release of the first two player-vs-player battlegrounds for PC MMORPG World of Warcraft.

Described as “the single biggest update to the game yet” by Blizzard bigwig Mike Morhaime, the battlegrounds offer new map designs and game objectives and are designed for both expert and rubbish WoW players.

Alterac Valley sees two teams of up to 40 experienced players battling it out and features fully functioning bases, NPC defenders, PvP quests and unique allied monsters.

Bonus Honor points can be earned by achieving key objectives and, ultimately, by beating the other side into submission. Or to death, of course.

Warsong Gulch is designed for players who’ve reached level 21+ and offers a faster pace of play, with the average game lasting around 45 minutes. Two groups of 10 fight to capture the other team’s flag, receiving extra Honor points for a win.

Blizzard promises that there’s more to look forward to in the coming months, too: "We're excited that players can now experience Horde-vs-Alliance combat as it was meant to be, and we're looking forward to adding even more battlegrounds to the game with future updates,” says Morhaime.

Leeroy Jenkins was unavailable for comment.