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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsMore signs of cold on official sites
by Michael Gray 
Jun 23rd 2008 at 9:10AM
It's Monday morning and new hints of cold have appeared around Blizzard's official web sites. If you visit the Blizzard corporate site, or the front page of the community sites, you got a crystallized image of ... something. It's pretty hard to tell what you're looking at, except that it's icy and maybe cavernous.
While this is pretty obviously a teaser graphic of some kind, there is no text or other graphics detailing what Blizzard's hinting at. It's a safe bet that the graphic is related to Wrath of the Lich King. Some speculation posits that we might be about to see the actual release date. Of course, it could be related to Ahune and the Midsummer festivities -- but I don't think so. I also don't think this is a mistake that's going to be reverted -- since it's on the corporate site and the official sites, it seems purposeful. We'll let you know more as it happens.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, News items, Expansions, Wrath of the Lich King
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 4)
Vlatch Jun 23rd 2008 11:21AM
Seriously, guys. I know you reeeaaallllyyyy want Diablo 3, but come on. Take a step back for a minute and realize that it's Ice, not fire.
There's no "hell freezing over" hidden message, or anything like that. There's a game coming out called Wrath of the Lich King that centers around...the Frozen Throne and Northrend.
Everything is ice this and frost that. So, although I realize you want it to be Diablo 3, it's simply the announcement of the release of WotLK.
My money is on a release date oddly a couple weeks before Warhammer Online drops.
CryFury Jun 23rd 2008 11:26AM
I was messing around with the image in photoshop, and found this image when using a kaleidoscope effect.
http://i27.tinypic.com/opbl9h.jpg
Am I the only one who thinks it looks like skulls and screaming figures?
dan Jun 23rd 2008 1:27PM
Yes. Yes you are, cryfury.
Anthraxian Jun 23rd 2008 11:25AM
According to another WoW fansite the image contains one of the runes used on the blade of the Death Knight. With the diablo site just redirecting I belive this is something to do with WotLK.
MKitn Jun 23rd 2008 11:26AM
I believe it's a picture of hell freezing over... hence, Diablo III is coming.
(was worth a shot ^^)
Dightkuz Jun 23rd 2008 11:29AM
A WorldofWar.com reader has alreayd solved it, so you can stop speculating.
Bradley Jun 23rd 2008 11:41AM
anyone esle see that sort of glyph thing to the left?!?! hmmmm..... if you go to the main page and zoom in you can just bout see it
Zeiness Jun 23rd 2008 11:43AM
http://www.worldofwar.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=6754&cat=500&size=big
Solved.
Gulbrandt Jun 23rd 2008 11:58AM
Yeah. I think it's totally Lich King.
If Blizzard were to announce Diablo 3, I think they would wait until well after WotLK was released.
Kaiva Jun 23rd 2008 12:08PM
It also could be to announce the pre-orders of Lich King collectors edition. TBC Collectors editions went on sale before its release date had been declared, and promptly sold out 3 days later. Meaning I had to ebay a copy for like 3x the cost =\
MechChef Jun 23rd 2008 12:08PM
So it's Wrath, obviously.
The last time I checked in on the the alpha wiki, Blizz didn't have professions implemented yet. Based on my understanding of software release cycle, it would need to essentially complete before eading on to beta.
Either way, I'm curious.
dawnseven Jun 23rd 2008 12:49PM
Ok, so if you accept the take posted at worldofwar.net (which I do -- nice job) then what would they be announcing? It's hard to believe they'd make such fuss over announcing a closed (surely it will be closed) beta, but equally unlikely that they are announcing a release date without having even started a beta beyond Friends and Family? Though I highly doubt they will actually stick to the first release date they announce they are so anti-deadline to begin with that it seems odd they would impose one on themselves so early and without ANY confidence that a closed beta would give them. Or maybe they do sort of need to throw a date out there for initial planning purposes on number of pre-orders or distribution channel issues or something? Anyone out there in the marketing industry? LOL
Rational Jun 23rd 2008 1:11PM
Why isn't anyone talking about the podlike objects so obviously visible in the northeast quadrant of the image? Two objects clearly visible, then at least one regular curve that may be a fragment of another south of them? They are incredibly, amazingly obvious.
Saryel Jun 23rd 2008 1:17PM
The div class used on that page is also called "icefield". I'd be willing to be money that it's Wrath related. Probably announcing the release date at the invitational this weekend or maybe they'll announce it a few days before and people at the invitational will be able to play the beta or something.
Stryda Jun 23rd 2008 1:25PM
I think it is WOTLK, if you look at the image with the red optimized you can see more symbols and looks like there are some skulls in there like on the armour the lich king wears and i think the light is his eyes (glow blue in trailers etc) breaking through his ice cube :)
justice Jun 23rd 2008 1:40PM
its arena season 4!!
SbE Jun 23rd 2008 1:30PM
aaaw, and i was gonna come with some crazy theory like "IT'S A BLUE WORLDSTONE!":(
Bri Jun 23rd 2008 2:30PM
Why hasn't anyone commented that the lettering on starcraft's title is indeed the same blue coloring as the image and looks to be a little icy....Starcraft II is coming out soon and is in the making at the time as well.....
Bromnir Jun 23rd 2008 3:00PM
NOW you're starting to get it... But you haven't quite put all the pieces together yet. This isn't just a promo for WotLK, Diablo, OR Starcraft! It's a promo for all three! The symbolism clearly supports it. My theory is either:
1) Based on the April Fools' Day prank with the Tauren Marines, we're going to be treated to the announcement that Diablo, Warcraft, and Starcraft are in fact three facets of the same game, and subsequently Blizz is announcing World of Diablocraft: Stars of War Throne Brood Hell, a massively-multiplayer, randomly-generated dungeon crawl with a single-player and PvP RTS elements and permadeath.
2) When WWI starts, Blizz will take down the image, everything will return to normal, and they will deny all knowledge of the incident. They intentionally chose an image that could be construed to hint at any of their games, just to incense the fanbase and get people talking about their stuff, because people love their work so much that even hinting at some secret maybe related to any of their works whips people into a frenzy.
Rihlsul Jun 23rd 2008 3:54PM
"World of Diablocraft: Stars of War Throne Brood Hell"
I lol'd. Hard.