Featured Download: Wrath Downloader [Update]
by Adam Holisky 
Nov 12th 2008 at 1:50PM
Wrath of the Lich King appears to be downloadable after all. If you go into your account menu, you can access the "World of Warcraft Installer." You'll be presented with an application which allows you to select to download Wrath.The download currently does not work – it gives an internet connection error. This is to be expected. I would fully expect that the download will work after 12:00am EST Thursday.
We have the Wrath downloader up at our sister site Big Download for the PC and MAC (which runs on AOL networks so it's not going to go offline), or you can get it from Blizzard's site (which we all know goes offline when more than 10 people decide to view it at once). If this is your only way to get Wrath tonight, expect to have to wait a bit for the Blizzard downloader to work – but you'll at least get it.
Update: It should be noted that since this story went live, Blizzard has said this download is currently unsupported. Of course, this could change quickly - and we fully expect it to change around midnight tonight. Be assured: the download is from Blizzard and by Blizzard. Not some third party site.
Thanks to AngryJoe for the Mac information!
Filed under: Patches, News items, Wrath of the Lich King
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Jermayan Nov 12th 2008 1:54PM
Dang...I wish I had known this before going through the trouble of reformatting my hard drive to get my DVD drive to work again. I even emailed Blizz a few weeks ago to ask if the direct download client would be available at launch. I got a response saying it would be available "at some point in the future following launch, but not on November 13." Oh well...I'm just glad I'll be able to install at midnight.
Harmun Nov 12th 2008 2:03PM
Probably offtopic, but did you know that you don't have to install WOW from disk and patch it every time you format or change computers? You can simply copy your wow folder in its entirety and all your settings will save. Installing WOW from the ground up is not a requirement :)
frank Nov 12th 2008 7:36PM
It's also worth noting that after you copy all the files in the (generally) c:\program files\world of warcraft directory, if things don't work, you can run the repair.exe in that directory to re-download anything that may have been corrupted in the move.
It's REALLY nice that they've allowed this since the WoW directory can get huge and the install is a huge pain (especially if you're installing Classic and BC sequentially).
Faydre Nov 12th 2008 9:56PM
Can you be really really careful with this.
the DVD you get for Europe is different to the DVD you get for the US.
So all those people that are living in the US but playing on European servers don't download this and install it unless you are sure it's a European copy.
WoW-Insider. This is something you guys do a lot, you make fantastic great articles, which i just love to read but you don't think that people all over the world are reading them. Live exists outside the US.
Teaspoon Nov 13th 2008 12:34AM
A hint for if you're doing a fresh install...
If you've got the space, you can copy all the .mpq files off your game discs into the same folder on your hard drive, along with installer.exe off disc 1 and then run the installer from there. I had lots of trouble with the installer crashing from read errors off the CDs when the game first came out, and installing from the hard drive was the big solution.
Yes, you can do the same thing with BC. Be sure to put the files from the BC discs in a different folder to where you put the vanilla WoW ones, as they both use "installer.exe" and you'd have to overwrite one to put the other on. I learned my lesson from vanilla and didn't even TRY to install off the CDs - I have a set of install files for vanilla WoW and a set of install files for BC on my home fileserver, and there'll be a set of Wrath install files joining them tonight when I get home with my copy. Sucks to be in Australia with 7 hours to go before I can pick it up! :-(
Kyle Nov 12th 2008 1:58PM
I really wish I had known this too. I emailed Bliz customer support because my roommate pre-ordered Wrath which I think it came today and I wanted to just update my account online for Wrath. Oh well I ordered it from Best Buy Tuesday and they have it for pickup. Just can't find out if they will be open at midnight or not. THey keep putting me on hold and never picking back up. Stupid Best Buy.
Regoras Nov 12th 2008 2:58PM
Best Buy should be open at their largish branches, I just talked to a salesdrone at the one near home here in Denver.
I was told they will be open their normal hours until 9, and then opening at midnight for the launch for 30 min. Which, in Denver means that we'll be waiting 3 hours after people on the east coast. GG Best Buy.
Thomas F. Nov 12th 2008 2:00PM
Basically - what is this for? Is this for those who did not pre-order or do not plan on buying it from the store? This downloads the entire WOTLK program?
Salculd Nov 12th 2008 2:18PM
I'd wager it's for slowbies like me who don't have a DVD drive.
Thyago Nov 12th 2008 2:22PM
Some of us live far far away from the stores and must wait a week or two for the box to arrive =D
Jamesisgreat Nov 12th 2008 5:23PM
Would have been handy for me - play on the EU servers but live in the States. Unfortunately, as Blizzard didn't tell us about this sooner, I've already ordered a copy of the game and will have to wait a few weeks for it make its way over here......
rob Nov 12th 2008 2:01PM
if i install the client will i not be able to play until i put in an activation code?
kaion Nov 12th 2008 2:05PM
you could plat with out the activation code just not do wrath things like make a dk or goto northrend. im glad i used it when it was working last night have wrath installed and patched so just need to type in my cd key when i get home.
Angry Joe Nov 12th 2008 2:01PM
http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/account/download/clients/mac/InstallWoW.zip
for the mac client.
Bobneil Nov 12th 2008 2:03PM
So we don't have to pay this way?
Chucker Nov 12th 2008 2:05PM
No, you still have to pay for the game. Remember that all you're really paying for is the license key which you apply to your account that tells your client that you are allowed to go to Northrend, roll DKs and level above 70.
This is basically a way which allows you to preload the game. When you actually receive your boxed copy, you can apply the code to your account and be ready to go instead of having to wait for the 30-45 minute install to complete instead.
Magma Nov 12th 2008 2:19PM
You're an idiot. Yeah because they'd give free wrath to you just because you downloaded it.
Guilherme Nov 12th 2008 2:04PM
Do u know if have atm for Mac users?
cnx Nov 12th 2008 2:05PM
would be nice if this download works at midnight... then i can leave it over night, go to work the next day and hope it be done by the time i get home -- stopping by the store to pick up a box for the cd key on the way home, of course! then i can be ready to play after dinner!
Vincent Nov 12th 2008 2:06PM
You can download the game from Blizzard but as of now, they aren't selling the product key, so you'd still have to buy the game for that.
The download is good because it saves some time when you actually get the game. It's also good for people who can't go out and get a physical copy of the game, they can have someone go buy it for them and give them the code over the phone or e-mail it to them.