Wrath of the Lich King beta quietly ends
by Adam Holisky 
Nov 4th 2008 at 3:47AM
Crygil sprung an odd announcement on us all tonight shortly before 2 a.m. EST: The Wrath of the Lich King beta is over.I actually did a double take when I read this. Date check out? Yup, 11/4/2008. Time? Yup, 1:52:22 a.m. EST. Actual blue poster at forums.worldofwarcraft.com? Yup.
Ouch. Beta over at 2:00 a.m. PST.
No end event? No advanced notice? Just goodbye?
This hurts.
It's kind of like that girlfriend who you thought was really great, only to find one morning when you wake up that she's gone and all her stuff isn't there anymore. All you're left with is a note: "It's over."
Well maybe it's not that bad, but still. I know I wasn't the only one expecting an end event like they've had during past betas, or during some PTRs. Those were fun, had lots of people and interaction with Blizzard. There was even one PTR event where a few other writers and I got whisked away by a GM.
I gather we'll all have to wait to experience an end event in the future. Oh well. At least we have the memories of past fun to look back on.
Filed under: Patches, News items, Wrath of the Lich King
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Rugus Nov 4th 2008 3:55AM
Will beta-players will be interested in playing the "final" version of WOTLK? After weeks/months of extensive testing... will you have any interest in starting again from level 70?
When beta keys started being shared with random players, I was excited at the idea of getting one... but some weeks later I really did not care at all, as I was worried about "ruining" the final experience on the live WOTLK.
What's your feeling?
Tenchan Nov 4th 2008 4:20AM
I didn't beta for my pleasure, I beta'd to help bug testing and fixing and improving the game. So playing the release version is absolutely different for me. This time, I can just enjoy myself and take all the time in the world.
RetPallyJil Nov 4th 2008 6:19AM
I leveled to 72, reported bugs, left suggestions and comments; memorized ore nodes; and learned the quests in the starter zones so my friends and I can get a leg up on the inevitable release-night chaos.
Damntheman Nov 4th 2008 10:10AM
Way to think like a true retardin RetPallyJil.
Your friends could always just download gatherer for the nodes, and questhelper the quests. Both of which have been updated for wrath already.
Elchemist Nov 4th 2008 4:09AM
im still on the Beta at 1:10 PST, it hasnt gone down yet
Elchemist Nov 4th 2008 4:19AM
oops my bad its not coming down till thursday, shoulda read the post closer
Adam Holisky Nov 4th 2008 4:22AM
Actually, the way that I read it was that in preparation for next Thursday (when WotLK is released), the beta realms are coming down at 12:00 a.m. PST (today).
I do admit that they could have been more clear on this. Then again, the post was made at 2 a.m., which is odd.
But... here I am doing the same =)
sam Nov 4th 2008 4:15AM
What drivel is this, whinging about no end event for a beta....make yourself sound like a sissy with no life.
PhyerFly Nov 4th 2008 4:21AM
And reading a blog about a whining post doesn't make you a sissy with no life?
I'm not surprised that it ended, but I was actually looking forward to some kind of GM invasion event or other festivities that they've used to commemorate the end of the previous WoW beta programs.
If it's over, its over - but they sure failed to go out with a bang like they did before.
Lyraat Nov 4th 2008 11:43AM
QQ'ing like a huntard. Awesome :D
Like beta testers didn't get enough goodies, y'all wanted a special going-away event, too? The other 99.99% of us couldn't care less about whether Blizzard has a big end-of-beta celebration. Maybe, just maybe, they're working on something cool for all of us, not the chosen few.
The suddenness seems kinda strange, but I'm guessing Blizzard has plenty of fixes to work on for the next patch.
Chryso Nov 4th 2008 4:24AM
Huh.
Alright, I guess it was understood the beta was going to end fairly soon anyway, but this lack of fair warning is becoming a bad, and very annoying, habit.
Dejablue Nov 4th 2008 4:50AM
I did the BC beta for around 3 months. it ruined live for many reasons. Longing for spells in beta that had since ben nerfed or removed, knowing what happens, getting my character to 70....again.
There was a lot of fun tho. I had been static in game for a long time, at least 4 months and was contemplating not renewing my sub till BC came out. Got the invite and was giving sneak peeks and updates to my guild on our forums. That was a lot of fun .
But personally I have vowed to never do a beta again because it just takes the fun away, especially when we have 2 years between expansions.
I hope that expansions come faster. I have had 4 lives in BC alone. Beta, Pro Server first raid guild, another raid guild with my RL friends, and yet another raid guild with my current online friends. Hard to believe, but not really as everything is so stagnant now.
Gonna have to get things out faster if they want to keep things fresh.
just my 2 cents tho.
BC beta end was fun. They gave out flying mounts and summoned the world dragons as well as GMs running around causing much other havoc. Good times and a few lifetimes ago....
Meeeeemorieeeeeeees :*)
jay Nov 4th 2008 4:57AM
Beta over, Wrath next week.
All good in da hood.
Engerz Nov 4th 2008 5:04AM
5c respecs were nice. I never got far in leveling, didn't want to do it all over again with my 3 characters on live. Mainly wanted to see what kind of pets/mounts/weapons we're expecting.
Favorite moment, though, will always be trying to get on the boat at Stormwind Harbor only to fall in the water in early beta. Good times.
mora Nov 4th 2008 6:06AM
I got my guy go half way to lvl 71 I hardly played it. It was just for fun for me. I did report bugs and give feed back
Ron Nov 4th 2008 6:09AM
I think Blizzard is trying to free up resources to work on other games rather than just keep WotLK beta servers up and running. I would rather see human resources at Blizzard be dedicated to Diablo 3 and Starcraft 2. Lord knows I need a WoW break! (even with the WotLK x pac over a week away)
cjshrader Nov 4th 2008 9:09AM
There are human resources dedicated to Diablo 3 and Starcraft 2. I doubt people switch from WoW to other projects often, Blizzard is a much bigger company than it used to be.
m0ndo Nov 4th 2008 10:14AM
That was so emo dude.
Meh I didn't even get to try the beta :( how do you think i feel?....
Caustik Nov 4th 2008 5:49AM
Hmm and still no really high level bop items recipes for professions? :(
Arachno Nov 4th 2008 6:16AM
"BAWWWWWWWW I DIDN'T GET AN EVENT!!" GEt hold of yourself, for alone getting nito the beta is enough for anyone self-respecting player to stop whining and start testing. I'm appaled seeing players who go there "to test a mount lol" and not submit a single bug report or suggestion.
You didn't pay for it, yet you're demanding for sometihng which is not mandatory, it's funny, eh? IF, and only, IF you can prove sending at least 4 bug reports per playing day, then I can admit that you could have used a reward in a form of an event, but I doubt even 1 report per player invited per day were sent.
Grow up and stop whining about irrelevant stuff, you got to be in the beta, I'd be happy about it alone.