Test realm forum offline, possible pointer to WotLK beta
by Adam Holisky 
Apr 3rd 2008 at 7:10AM
First, the test realm forum is usually left up for a while after the patch so folks have some place to go and reference everything that was learned during the beta. I know that I've used the forum for up to a month to go and get necessary information.
Secondly, this comes less than a day after the World of Warcraft beta site experienced a change. When getting public releases of software ready, it's often a process of "First, get the site going – but don't link it to the public. Second, take down the public systems and get them ready." This is quite possibly what we're seeing here.
Finally, this forum always goes down before something beta-ish is released. This could mean they're just clearing it to implement a 2.4.2 release or something, but I doubt that given they've usually only cleared it for major point release. Ie: 2.2, 2.3, 2.4.
An interesting tid bit of WotLK news for you all this morning. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that within a month we'll see some major announcements concerning the next expansion.
Filed under: News items, Wrath of the Lich King
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ed Apr 3rd 2008 7:24AM
This is great news - if a beta is relatively close then I hope this means that we'll be getting a lot more substantial information on WotLK very soon!
z3rb Apr 3rd 2008 7:26AM
Interesting.
I wasn't there for the previous betas, having only gotten into WoW in the last year. How did the beta for TBC work, exactly? Did Blizzard have an open signup with random people chosen? Or, did blizzard just email random subscribers saying they're in?
Explain, please.
Adam Holisky Apr 3rd 2008 7:30AM
All of the above.
Some folks specifically got keys very early on. Others got a promotional key - like the one that might have been handed out at BlizCon last year. Others saw their whole guild get invited to the beta - as was the case with myself.
It's interesting to note that my guild was also one of the oldest out there, having been very active and large since February of 2005. When we all got the beta invite, only old, and very well progressed guilds, got a mass-guild invite.
Of course this is all conjecture, since we really don't know what those that hand out invites are doing/going to do.
Lucas Apr 3rd 2008 7:35AM
Even though I believe people are seeing ghosts these days about WotLK, - eaven before the dust of patch 2.4 have settled people dont care anymore and starts to point ahead of time... - seeing things where no things are.
But
I believe you're right, if one counts how Blizzard have done things in the past, we know they'll announce things 1-1.5 months after "their last" Content patch, and after they themselves leak things, the F&F tests starts, and then we might see things put unto motion.
- I'm told that blizzard are still wokring on the concept of the landscapes and instances to come and leave etc. - which means at least 2 month more of design and planning.
But as mentioned, I'd be amazed if we see the exspansion within the next 4-5 months.. Early September still sounds like the "date" we should aim for..
But as you say, not long until we'll start to see the first offical "ingame" changes spawn around (more than we have now), - if they do it like last time they'll start to announce New Talents and the likes as soon as F&F (pre-beta) tests starts.
//TAllens'out
Adam Holisky Apr 3rd 2008 7:34AM
Fully agree. I did debate with myself if I should be posting this at all, but given the timing and other things happening around the net as of late...
And people are definitely seeing ghosts - a day doesn't go by that we don't get tips about something WotLK related.
Lucas Apr 3rd 2008 7:53AM
Well, ofcus it's exciting, and we are all hungry to see if the grass will be greener in the next expansion, - if we are going to get nerfed, buffed, OP'ed, or what ever, especially the gear, Talents and the new Class are all very exciting subjects which ofcus interrests us.
But, some times it just seems like people are in to much a Hurry, my own guild is over half way through BT now, and we are more and more feeling the pressure of having to fight time - we dont need the gear, we just want to say "we saw the whole thing" before the next expansion. - every little tidbit of news or hints of WotLK news sends shivers and mentalquakes down the ranks :)
but but but I'm just venting here... hehe..
There are meny ghosts, and mostly becus Blizzard wont give an inch of info until they are "sure" they know what'll be going to happen... - just like release dates.
(odds are they might even be trying to time, the new expansion with the release of WAR this fall)
//Tallens'out
Corazu Apr 3rd 2008 7:58AM
@Lucas: That could be very likely, it would be a smart business move in any case, to release it right before WAR comes out. There was talks of them planning this for TBC before the release date was known and before WAR was delayed and it was anticipated in the fall (of 06).
Jamie Apr 3rd 2008 8:21AM
Considering they Drysc is still saying things on the forums along the lines of 'we haven't decided on this and that yet' with regards to WOLK stuff, I agree, we ain't getting the expansion for quite some time. Which is fine by me, I'm stuck in University Halls and they block WoW! I want to be there on launch day dammit! :D
Thomas Apr 3rd 2008 7:55AM
Ummm... early September is 5 months away, so 4-5 months would be right
Kyrra Apr 3rd 2008 10:05AM
The PTR forum disappeared 3 days ago: http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=5640936506&pageNo=1&sid=1#4
I was watching the PTR forum a little after 2.4 went live, and I'm guessing they deleted the PTR forum as something different, as people were posting bugs and other crap in the forum. If they just delete it, it's one less forum for them to moderate and confuse people with.
Also, Blues have already been talking about 2.4.2 as a patch to fix some odds and ends that were not corrected in 2.4.1 (the bigger changes). I'm guessing there will be another PTR in there just to make sure all those goodies are OK. Here's a list of dates from the BC beta timeframe:
Aug-Sept, 2006 - Friends & Family beta started (don't know exact date)
August 22, 2006 - Patch 1.12
August 28, 2006 - Burning Crusade talent Previews posted
September 26, 2006 - Patch 1.12.1
October 13, 2006 - Patch 1.12.2
December 5, 2006 - Patch 2.0.1
January 16, 2007 - BC Launched
daimajin39 Apr 3rd 2008 12:33PM
The dates given above by Kyrra sound pretty close to the way I remember them. I want to say F&F Alpha lasted around 3-5 weeks before they sent out Beta invites.
So I agree that we'll be hearing more info within the next month or so, but I don't agree that it will be official.
Daghol Apr 3rd 2008 1:04PM
Let's look at history, shall we?
1.2 12/8/04 Mauraudon, Gurubashi
1.3 3/7/05 Dire Maul, Azurgos
1.4 4/8/05 PvP Honor System
1.5 6/7/05 Battlegrounds
1.6 7/12/05 Darkmoone Faire, Blackwing Lair
1.7 9/13/05 ZG, AB
1.8 10/10/05 Dragons, Silithus
1.9 1/3/06 AQ
1.10 3/28/06 Weather, Tier 0.5
1.11 6/20/06 Naxxramus
1.12 8/22/06 Cross-realm BG
2.0 12/5/06 LFG Tool, New Honor System, Arenas
BC 1/17/07 Expansion
2.1 5/22/07 Black Temple
2.2 9/25/07 Voice Chat
2.3 11/13/07 Zul'Aman
2.4 3/25/2007 Sunwell
The last major content patch before the Beta for BC began (around Sept. 06) was in June 06. So I say, keeping with that timeline, they will begin beta in June 08, 3.0 will be released in August, which hopefully leads to a September or early October release date.
I am personally hoping they are learning from their mistakes and it will be sooner. But AoC and Warhammer are probably both going to be released around then.. which will affect their release date. Blizzard might think it is best to wait our the initial storm of these releases, go straight on, or try and beat them. There are valid arguments for any strategy.
That said, if these competitors weren't on the horizon, I think we'll get it in October.
The really sad part is that new content is actually slowing down.
Charlie Apr 3rd 2008 1:49PM
Mmm, i disagree with the new content slowing down part. I feel as if there is more content per patch, but fewer patches. But thats neither here nor there.
Anyways, it makes sense that they would start to ramp things up for WotlK. They said that unless there were delays, 2.4 would be the last patch. I haven't heard of anything being delayed, so it seems logical that WotLK Beta is coming.
Haupt Apr 3rd 2008 2:09PM
Just like it was smart Business sense to release 2.4 during spring break I suspect Wrath to Release in the middle of the summer. Think about it the entry zones for both sides where done last July. All they are working on now for Wrath is the tuning of the instances. Knowing that the XP charts have been updated (as of patch 2.4) means they are putting the finishing touches on the quests cause THEY are now done (until you know how many quests you will have and what the XP ranges of them are you cannot define the amount of XP you want each level to "cost"). I suspect we will see the first beta open at the begining of May and Warth to actually launch in the the middle of the summer. Say July when all of the kids are out of school. Just smart business.
darian Apr 3rd 2008 4:08PM
I think the major excitement about WotLK is related to BC.
BC changed everything, dramatically, and ultimately for the best (despite the whining of naysayers). While certain specs got shafted (lol Endless Rage), the entire nature of both PvP and Raiding got changed for everyone. No stone was left unturned.
While we might not see the large upheaval the BC presented, we will be seeing new skills, new talents, and new gear. Players for both PvE and PvP are anxiously awaiting those changes, as any one new ability or gear dynamic can shift long assumed paradigms.
I'm breathlessly awaiting what lies in store for all my characters.
Druid dude Apr 3rd 2008 9:04PM
Or the PTR forum could be gone because there is not PTR. Speculation and rumor mongoring FTL.