New in-game Winter Olympics reward discovered?
by Adam Holisky 
Jan 21st 2010 at 1:00PM
Wowhead, the official armory, and other sites are listing now a Competitor's Souvenir that was added in patch 3.3. The Souvenir has an item ID number of 37298, whereas the the Gold Medallion from the Summer Olympics has an ID number of 37297. For the mathematically challenged, this new item is numerically next in line from the previous in-game Olympic tie-in. This lends credence that this Souvenir could very well give people a non-combat companion reward during this year's Winter Olympics.
We don't have much of an idea of what pet the Competitor's Souvenir could give us. It's likely that the pet will be activated on the servers when the Souvenir becomes available during the Winter Olympics on February 12th, 2010. Of course, that's assuming the Souvenir really is for the Winter Olympics. It's entirely possible the Souvenir is for something else, but the evidence we've found points strongly enough in the direction that it's related to the upcoming games.
*A couple people have pointed out that the Competitor's Souvenir was an item on the Chinese servers back in '06, however it still has just shown up on the US servers, just at the right time...
Filed under: News items
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Spriesty Jan 21st 2010 1:04PM
Northern Exposure FTW :)
Nate Jan 22nd 2010 12:22PM
Ha! I go to Roslyn about 2-3 a year. Its actually in Washington State and you're more likely to see a turkey vulture than a moose there.
XzeroD Jan 21st 2010 1:03PM
Yeey another pet, i'm really going to logon at 12th February
Freta Jan 21st 2010 1:05PM
This Canadian gnome wants her moose!
lemur Jan 21st 2010 1:22PM
I wonder how tall it will be. I would love it if it was as big or bigger than the Argent Squire. My one pet that is bigger than me.
Edge Jan 21st 2010 1:05PM
Come on beaver....
Dreamstorm Jan 21st 2010 1:07PM
GHOSTCRAWLER PROMISED MY A BEAVER >:(
Khevyn Jan 21st 2010 1:11PM
That item was in game for the last Olympics as well. It was a China-only pet available though some competition. It is listed on WarcraftPets here: http://www.warcraftpets.com/wow.pets/mythical/serpents/essence_of_competition.asp
Arbitor Jan 21st 2010 1:58PM
I'll say the same here as I did on wowhead, just like you did. :D
"you are talking about the wrong pet.
The Essence of Competition was available to Chinese servers only during the Beijing Olympic games, for achieving certain milestones (E.g. Raising 5 Outland reputations to exalted, having a 1650+ arena rating etc.) while the Spirit of Competition was available to everyone.
It had a chance to be mailed to you when you won a BG.
This pet, however, is completely different to those two.
Namely, it has a different name and had appeared in the Latest Additions section of the database, meaning it was deployed with patch 3.3.
Therefore, we can reasonably assume that, yes, this is a new pet that will be made availableto commemorate the Canadian winter Olympic games, and ONLY available during the Canadian winter Olympic games. It will most likely be obtainable in the same fashion as Spirit of Competition.
My bet is, seeing as Blizz went with a Chinese dragon during the games at Beijing, the pet will resemble a national icon of Canada.
Such as a wild Canadian goose (AWESOME!!) or a moose (Plz no recycled shoveltusk skins? -_-)."
Neofox Jan 21st 2010 4:42PM
OMG OMG OMG!!!! This is the Essence of Competition that I wanted so badly in '08!
@Arbitor
You're wrong. Go to this link:
http://www.warcraftpets.com/wow.pets/mythical/serpents/
If you'll notice, next to the Essence of Competition's name, it says, "taught by [Competitor's Souvenir]" The item itself was indeed of the same name as this new item on the US realms. Also take into consideration that the item ID numbers are listed **one right after the other** which means they had to have been put into the game code **one right after the other** like the Spirit and Essence of Competition were.
I wanted a blue serpent dragon so badly in '08, now it might be obtainable!
Arbitor Jan 21st 2010 5:59PM
That I am Neofox.
After doing a bit more research I have now figured out why Blizz has suddenly updated the http://www.wowhead.com/?item=37298 with ptach 3.3.
Yes, the Competitor's Souvenir was handed out as a PET ITEM to summon and de-summon the pet as was the norm back in the BC, as was the Spirit of Competition (It's easier to obtain counter-part that was available world-wide).
But along came Wotlk and all the items to summon and de-summon pets were updated to single use items (in most cases) that permanently "learnt" you the pet.
But think about it, the Competitor's Souvenir was only available in china, and was was never released over there?
You guessed it, Wotlk.
Therefore the pet was never updated into a "learn-able" item, and stayed in its original form....
Until now.
The Olympics are just a couple of weeks away.
This could lead us to believe that the Essence of Competition (Blue dragon pet :P) will be obtainable world-wide, which is why Blizz has updated it's item to it's more modern form.
As I doubt blizz is designing things for chinese only server atm.
What is even more worrying about this is that this means Blizz plans to do something with this "Blue dragon" pet during the Canadian Olympic games.
Fair enough, the tabard should be obtainable every 2 years, but do chinese dragons really fit with Canada?
My personal theory (and hope) is that Blizz will be handing this out to people in some form during the games, and the new Canadian-themed pet will be coming in the mini patch in a couple of weeks time, in either the Sindragosa patch, the Lich king patch, or the season 8 patch.
Heh, Patch 3.3.2: Wrath of the Moose King!
Nathanyel Jan 21st 2010 1:13PM
Tsk, I mentioned this in the Queue comments...
jealouspirate Jan 21st 2010 1:19PM
Give us Moose or give us death!
KJP Jan 21st 2010 1:20PM
A shoveltusk sorta looks like a moose, if you stand on your head. Just an observation.
Neroon Jan 21st 2010 1:23PM
@KJP. I love your avatar picture! B5 FTW!
Rey Jan 21st 2010 1:21PM
If it's a moose or a beaver this Canuck will be happy
Jarviswabi Jan 21st 2010 1:21PM
I can't decide whether I want it to be a moose or a beaver more! I've loved moose(s) ever since Northern Exposure days, but a beaver would be awfully funny.
However, it's possible they might tie it in more closely with the official mascots, which are frankly kind of weird: http://www.vancouver2010.com/mascot/en/meet.php. The best one would be the Sasquatch IMO.
Torlaz Jan 21st 2010 1:23PM
The endangered Vancouver Island Marmot would be great. They have it as one of their little Olympic characters.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver_Island_marmot
It's more BC than a Beaver.
Eddy Jan 21st 2010 3:47PM
I want the Sasquatch with earmuffs (Quatchi). So much. Please. I would love a noncombat pet that resembles a stuffed animal I have.
I mean there's a decent yeti in game, just give it earmuffs and a dorky grin.
Matthew Jan 21st 2010 4:57PM
How about a Nainaimo bar as a pet! (sickly sweet pastry - gives you cavities)
I miss UBC