World of Warcraft Arena Tournament 2010 registration open
by Anne Stickney 
Apr 21st 2010 at 11:00AM
It's official: registration for the 2010 World of Warcraft Arena Tournament is now open! Like last year's arena tournament, players will participate on regional tournament realms -- separate from live realms -- for a spot to play at the live events. The arena tournament will use the 3v3 arena format for teams, and the regular arena season on live servers will not be interrupted by this event. The cost of registration is one payment of $20 per eligible World of Warcraft account. For more information on eligibility and restrictions, check out the Arena Tournament rules page.
This year's cash prizes, including prizes awarded at both the regional finals and world championship, amount to over $200,000. But even if you don't win the big prizes, there's still something out there for participants -- players who have participated in at least 50 rated tournament games on one character with the same team will be eligible for Murkimus, the gladiator murloc pet that players may remember from last year's tournament. Please note that as of patch 3.3.3, Murkimus is an account-wide pet that will apply to all WoW characters on your Battle.net account. Players who have a character in one of the top 1,000 teams and have participated in at least 100 rated tournament games during the last four weeks will also receive the Vanquisher title for their live characters level 71 and over.
While the news may be good for players that missed out on last year's games, some have expressed disappointment that there was no new pet and title for this year. Zarhym addressed this in a post on the Arena Tournament forums:
This year's cash prizes, including prizes awarded at both the regional finals and world championship, amount to over $200,000. But even if you don't win the big prizes, there's still something out there for participants -- players who have participated in at least 50 rated tournament games on one character with the same team will be eligible for Murkimus, the gladiator murloc pet that players may remember from last year's tournament. Please note that as of patch 3.3.3, Murkimus is an account-wide pet that will apply to all WoW characters on your Battle.net account. Players who have a character in one of the top 1,000 teams and have participated in at least 100 rated tournament games during the last four weeks will also receive the Vanquisher title for their live characters level 71 and over.
While the news may be good for players that missed out on last year's games, some have expressed disappointment that there was no new pet and title for this year. Zarhym addressed this in a post on the Arena Tournament forums:
ZarhymWhile it would be cool to provide a new pet, we're not necessarily trying to encourage as many people as possible to pay $20 and sign up for this tournament ultimately because they want a new pet. It's a nice perk to encourage people, but we don't want the Arena Tournament to be a more complicated version of the Pet Store. We want players who are serious about competing to sign up for the tournament, not just a reason to take in more money through offering a new vanity pet with each new tournament.
So for those of you looking for a new pet -- sorry, looks like that's not in the cards this year. But for players who missed out on the pet last year and players who would like a chance at the cash that Blizzard is paying out, you can sign up for the fun and games on Blizzard's website.
Filed under: News items, PvP
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Kar On E Apr 21st 2010 11:15AM
So...who wants to set up a team with me for a gladiator murloc? :)
*is apparently a bit addicted to companion pets*
mneill Apr 21st 2010 11:26AM
Sadly "So for those of you looking for a new pet -- sorry, looks like that's not in the cards this year. "
Drecin Apr 21st 2010 11:41AM
I'm down...Drecin - Mugthol -US/H...looking for a team and start grinding it out asap...Unholy DK
Debesun Apr 21st 2010 11:41AM
I believe that statement is referring to the fact that the vanity pet isn't different from the one that was offered last year.
Barinthos Apr 21st 2010 11:45AM
"But even if you don't win the big prizes, there's still something out there for participants -- players who have participated in at least 50 rated tournament games on one character with the same team will be eligible for Murkimus, the gladiator murloc pet that players may remember from last year's tournament."
So there IS a vanity pet, just the same one as last year.
mneill Apr 21st 2010 11:52AM
Ah, yes. I have misread it. My bad.
Matt May 10th 2010 5:56PM
My char on the arena server is zenile and he is a balance Druid , if anyone is interested in grinding murkimus /w me. Alliance only :)
jishdefish Apr 21st 2010 11:27AM
I wouldn't pay 20 dollars to be pwned in pvp. I can do that for free in Bgs.
Ringo Flinthammer Apr 21st 2010 5:08PM
I did this tournament last time. Since it uses a match-making system, long before you have completed the 200 games necessary to get your murloc pet, you are facing players of roughly comparable skill. There's only about 5-10 matches of absolutely getting your face smashed in for most people, unless you are just wretched.
Note that if you HATE PvP, this will be a miserable experience for you. If you enjoy PvP, it's actually fun, especially since you have access (or at least did, last time) to the bleeding edge of PvE and PvP gear to use, making this all about skill and not about running face-first into ICC 25-man hardmode raiders with your new-to-80 wuss.
Sean Apr 21st 2010 11:28AM
I'm a big pet collector (113 and counting on my main) but even Murkimus isn't enough to convince me to play 50 arena matches. /shudder
Cigan Apr 21st 2010 1:09PM
See here's the thing. No one should be doing this "for the pet". Vanity pets are really supposed to be about customizing your character and showing what they have done. If you pull out a baby crock then you know that person is a fisher, if someone pulls out the Battle Bot then you know they're a commercial whore. I saw someone with the Diablo pet a couple weeks ago and had to give them a serious hats off. Oh how I would love that pet. That's what it's about. The gladiator pet says you're willing to do some significant pvp. I actually enjoy arenas. I think they have seriously honed my abilities in other areas of the game.
Relk Apr 21st 2010 3:12PM
Who are you to say how to play the game? I know that the raiding group that I raid with had about 4-5 teams last year and only a couple even pvp. Thats about 15 people that I know that just did this for the pet. I guess when I'm in the mood to look like I pvp, I'll bring out Murkimus and think of this post. ;)
Cowboy Apr 21st 2010 11:36AM
geekdom is a disease...who would actually sign up for the tourney just for a pet....If so, you are sad, very sad...
Kar On E Apr 21st 2010 12:41PM
Luckily, I can cure that sadness by getting a brand new gladiator murloc! :)
Ringo Flinthammer Apr 21st 2010 5:09PM
Lurking on message boards for games you are too "cool" to play, though = teh awesome
Debesun Apr 21st 2010 11:58AM
People outside the whole computer game stuff would consider those that play and (shock and horror) visit blogs relating to a Massively Multiplayer Online game geeky and 'sad'. People will call pretty much anything 'a disease' and / or sad depending on their opinion and on what may seem unfamiliar to one but fairly normal to another.
If that's what people want to do with their time and money, let them do it I say. If anything it's just a form of a hobby and if you have plenty of expendable cash, so much the better.
Debesun Apr 21st 2010 11:59AM
Durrr brain fart moment.
Was meant to be a reply to Cowboy
Cowboy Apr 21st 2010 12:11PM
not to get in a debate but just cause you play a game doesn't mean your sad or geeky for that matter.... I think with anything there is a point that people can get a little too carried away and a little to obsessed, especially in WoW. I am not saying they should stop, I am merely saying that when ppl join a Tourney just for a pet, it is not only wrong, considering this is not what AT realm is for but that it is a bit too obsessive and sad...
Blerg Apr 21st 2010 12:01PM
Question from a noob;
-Do we have to be of the same faction to team in these realm? The page linked show a Draenei, a Night Elf and a Blood elf teamed togother. It's a bit confusing for one who've never been on these server. Can someone enlight me?
Debesun Apr 21st 2010 12:40PM
Taken from: http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/pvp/tournament/legal.xml
5. Arena Teams. The Tournament shall determine the top "Arena Team" made up of no less than three (3), and no more than six (6) Characters played by Eligible Participants who are of the same "faction," i.e., an Arena Team must be made up of all "Alliance" Characters, or all "Horde" Characters.
Tucked away in a nitty gritty part of the site :P