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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBlizzard announces new Dance Battle System (that isn't real)
by Mike Schramm 
Apr 1st 2009 at 2:00PM
Blizzard never fails to exceed expectations on April Fool's Day -- in the EU, they reported on a brand new Pimp My Mount option (featuring tiger-mounted gatling guns), over on the forums, they RP'd the place up a bit, and now on the North American page, they've announced the game's newest feature: a Dance Battle system. They say that sometime soon in the game (that is, if this wasn't April 1st), players will be able to have dance-offs around the world, culminating in a huge dance tournament to take place in Kael'thas quarters in Tempest Keep. Wait, isn't that guy dead? Players will be able to form crews, which can then battle each other using player controlled dance moves and a vehicle-like interface.Of course, none of it is true, which is an extra poke in the heart to fans who really are waiting for the new dance system. We doubt it'll have a battle component, but the interface and the rewards are pretty intriguing -- so close to what we're really hoping for, and yet so far. And yes Blizzard, nice Lonely Island joke hidden in there. It was, in fact, a horror film.
There's even a trailer for "Azeroth's Best Dance Crew (hosted by Acy Slater)," though we looked closely and didn't see any really new dance moves in there, either. But it's cute, and (maybe this is what Blizzard intended) only whets our appetite for the real new dances, supposedly still coming soon.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Fan stuff, Odds and ends, Blizzard, PvP, Humor, Screenshots
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 3)
Elathil Apr 1st 2009 4:40PM
I had been looking at some West Side Story stuff right before I saw the dance-off PvP system. Which made it just a little more amusing.
As funny as I thought the forum stuff was, this was much better.
Avister Apr 1st 2009 4:52PM
There are also blizzard April fools jokes on the Starcraft 2 website
http://starcraft2.com/features/terran/terratron.xml
and the Diablo 3 site
http://www.blizzard.com/diablo3/characters/archivist.xml
SKarious Apr 1st 2009 4:59PM
Actually, the "cardboard box" is probably the one from Metal Gear Solid, as this one also has "The Orange" on it.
By the way, did you notice the dance crew names on the armory screenshot? "Santa Destroy Heroes" - The city in the Wii game "No More Heroes" is called "Santa Destroy".
RetPallyJil Apr 1st 2009 5:00PM
P. S. The video clip is extremely well-done ... anyone figure out how to save it yet?
Alchemistmerlin Apr 1st 2009 5:12PM
"(that isn't real)"
Why would you include that? Why couldn't you just play along with the joke?
Seriously, has this whole site lost the balls that it had same-time last year when it pulled the HKO stunt?
That was funny, and it clearly didn't effect your readership despite lots of people saying they'd "never read the site again".
The writers of WoWInsider dissappointed me this year.
wow Apr 1st 2009 5:27PM
Thanks WoWinsider for blowing a joke hard! For anyone who read this before they saw the announcment, you ruined a funny joke for them.
How about you just tell them that Bruce Willis is dead in Sixth Sense?
Stupid stupid Mike....
Jeremy Apr 1st 2009 5:38PM
Nice Penny Arcade reference with the "Silvermoon City Hotsteppers"
MusedMoose Apr 1st 2009 7:50PM
Oh, maaaann.... that's hilarious. I love how Blizzard's April Fool's jokes are almost always stuff that I'd like to actually see in-game.
Actually, I'd be surprised if some form of mount customization didn't show up someday. Hrm.
Codexx Apr 1st 2009 9:24PM
Way to ruin people's fun, man. Over other word was replaced with "which by the way, isn't real".
chongyunn Apr 1st 2009 10:07PM
LOVE THE JABBAWOCKEEZ REFERENCE; red pill, hats, masks, banner with mask
JABBALOCKEEZ!!!!
win
Agelamer Apr 2nd 2009 12:24AM
DANCE BATTLE SYSTEMS WERE MERELY A SETBACK!
Banaoil Apr 2nd 2009 1:27AM
I think it's taking some of the spirit out of the holiday by alerting people to the fact that it is, in fact, not real. The most clever thing you could have done was to write about how you had actually participated in the dance off in the ptr, and ask for elitist jerks to start up a post to determine which sequence of dance moves with which outfits would be most successful. Or complain how much it offends you. Very wet blanket to comment on it being a joke, before the day is up. Bit like telling me what's under the christmas tree. Go with the spirit of the holiday.
Triptothane Apr 3rd 2009 3:42PM
leave it to blizzard to go over the top. kudos!