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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsThe Queue: Why did WoW Insider switch domains, again?
by Adam Holisky 
Sep 16th 2010 at 1:00PM
Many people asked:
Why did WoW Insider switch domains?
As we've said a few times, we're now called WoW Insider, living at wow.joystiq.com. A lot of people have questions about this change, and I hope to answer some of them.
First and foremost, WoW.com and Joystiq.com are both very strong websites that have a long history. Neither are going away any time soon, and both have a ton of great people working for them. WoW.com has always been part of the "Joystiq gaming network," which in turn has always been part of the Weblogs subdivision at Aol (until the subdivision was merged with the greater Aol brands -- no idea why, it's a corporate thing).
People are screaming that we've done a corporate merger with Joystiq. We haven't; we've always been a part of them. People think Aol has taken over. They haven't; they've always been the ones with the domain. People think that Blizzard sued us and got the domain. They haven't. Aol will be doing something else with the wow.com domain; I just have no idea what it is.
The simple fact of the matter is that WoW Insider and Joystiq are consolidating under one large brand and site to make an even larger site. If WoW.com got 1 billion hits a day and Joystiq.com got 1 billion hits a day, the two combined would stand to get 2 billion hits a day -- and well, kids, that's some real potential money to be made right there. Money that puts food on my table at night and let's me see a doctor for this rash, so I'm all for it.
No one on staff has gotten laid off over this, no one has seen their milk money taken away, etc. ...
Everything is OK -- don't panic. We're not.
Bui asked:
So with the Cataclysm release really only months away now, what old zone do you think is worth seeing first ? What really sums up the "Deathwing just tore the world a new one" feel that we're supposed to be getting when we come back from Northrend?
Badlands first, then Desolace.
Jprich asked:
Do you think Blizzard will ever lock down event starters (Jaina in Mount Hyjal, for example ) so that only the raid leader or those with assist can start events?
That's too good of an idea for Blizzard to do. Shhhh ... don't tell them.
Arkonn asked:
Is it possible to complete both Zalazane's Fall and Operation: Gnomeregan if one were to partake in a faction transfer?
Yes, but you only get one achievement.
TLDR Guy asked:
Did Blizzard buy out the wow.com name and force you guys to move?
For the last time ... no.
Have questions about the World of Warcraft? The WoW Insider crew is here with The Queue, our daily Q&A column. Leave your questions in the comments, and we'll do our best to answer 'em!Filed under: The Queue
Reader Comments (Page 7 of 14)
Shepherd57 Sep 16th 2010 2:00PM
This is the text from Zarhym. THe text in side the Quote end quote is the play and the rest is blue post. I posted it below and linked it here:
http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/09/13/the-daily-blues/#other err you might need to copy and paste.
Quote:
will there be a 30% health nerf to boss health due to all changes in talent trees etc, like they did for 3.0? I know they have the player 30% buff, but still. End Quote
Most likely not. We'll be evaluating the way players are performing in content on the 4.0.1 test realms, but keep in mind the class changes are balanced around level 85 gameplay. It's almost more likely we'd end up taking away the Icecrown Citadel buff (I'm only saying this is a possibility), as in many cases healing, tanking, and damage dealing may stand to benefit a lot from these changes at level 80.
Things will be a little bit interesting since these changes are being applied while players are still actively working through the current Wrath of the Lich King content. Bear with us and provide as much feedback as you can about your experiences with these changes under the current content, but keep in perspective that the new class design is meant to be balanced around the upcoming Cataclysm content. We're more interested in ironing out bugs and polishing the systems than attempting to balance them intricately for level 80 gameplay.
Quote:
I don't think taking out the current buff would be necessary because as of right now most guilds still progressing are banking on killing Lich King (Heroic) before Cataclysm is released, and this is one thing that keeps these guilds together (similar to my guild). I have played on beta a little bit, and I just don't see the buffs currently on beta equate to the 30% buff in ICC currently, and to take away the buff would certainly put a halt on any progressing guilds. End Quote
Allowing a few guilds to get that final Lich King kill a week (or however many before Cataclysm is released after this patch goes live) would at least give players the incentive to stick it out a few more weeks before quitting a month or two before Cataclysm and ruining any chance for the rest of the guild members working on progression.
I know what you mean. It's really just something we're going to have to evaluate as we see players testing Wrath of the Lich King content with the 4.0.1 changes. We don't want to make it harder to kill the Lich King after 4.0.1 is released, so I don't mean to imply that. But, if we find that the Cataclysm systems changes coupled with the 30% buff greatly trivializes some of the boss fights, we'll consider adjusting the buff accordingly
jakel Sep 16th 2010 1:29PM
GAH! CATACLYSM IS COMING TOO SOON AND I'M NOT READY!!!!! What quests should I do to make sure I get the whole Old Azeroth Experience? I have a feeling I won't miss these things until they are gone.
Nina Katarina Sep 16th 2010 1:47PM
In order to truly appreciate how much better Cataclysm is, do one of the soul-destroying 'travel across two continents to fetch me a rare drop. Now go back to the same place and kill slightly larger mobs for another rare drop' quests.
Eyhk Sep 16th 2010 2:57PM
I dare you to finish all quests that have anything to do with the Sunken Temple.
Grovinofdarkhour Sep 16th 2010 3:12PM
@Eyhk
What do Teldrassil, Stormwind, the Hinterlands, Tanaris, and Marshal's Refuge have in common?
http://www.wowhead.com/zone=1477#quests
(Mouse over the quest titles)
Sedna Sep 16th 2010 1:29PM
Is there any indication that they'll drop the price for Artisan Riding (280% speed mounts) in the 4.0 patch? I'd hate to drop 4k gold on an alt to find out that the price was going to be drastically cut in a few weeks.
bui Sep 16th 2010 1:50PM
That is an excellent question. I'm waiting on buying it for one of my alts just in case it does cause i don't wanna spend 11,450g per toon to get uber riding, thats just not worth it. I'd rather wait to get what a long strange trip on all of them before dropping 60kish gold.
Cuth Sep 16th 2010 1:31PM
Question: Is anything happening to rogue lockpicking skills and leveling?
Ciarnat Sep 16th 2010 1:32PM
What will the mobile domain be? Currently, it's i.wow.com.
Zef Sep 16th 2010 1:39PM
i.wow.joystiq.com works
Ciarnat Sep 16th 2010 1:52PM
i.wow.joystick.com is going to be really irritating to type on an iphone. Ugh.
Zef Sep 16th 2010 1:56PM
Don't you save it in your favourites/bookmarks?
Xid Sep 16th 2010 3:15PM
Ditch the iPhail. Get a phone with actual buttons.
Grovinofdarkhour Sep 16th 2010 3:21PM
@Ciarnat
It'll be even more annoying when you can't figure out why it's not taking you where you want to go.
Three cheers for intentional misspellings, Fourth Pillar of the Dumbification of America (TM).
Vrykerion Sep 16th 2010 5:37PM
Grovin, hasn't anyone told you that poor literacy is kewl?
Keith Sep 16th 2010 8:14PM
Well, the deliberate mis-spelling thing has been happening for a long, long time. It's not because it's kewl or because it's illiterate, it's because it's easier to obtain a trademark for "Joystiq" than it is for "Joystick". (It was much worse in the 50s, where everything was Kwik something, or Eezee something else.)
WaterRouge Sep 16th 2010 1:33PM
People keep asking about whether or not you can do both the Gnomergan and Echo Isles events on one character with a faction swap. My concern is whether or not we get to keep the troll/gnome pride items if we do switch. Also, has there been any indication that these items will persist beyond the events?
(cutaia) Sep 16th 2010 1:48PM
I think you get two pride items, but if you switch, they change to the appropriate faction, so you'd have like 2 Gnomeregan Prides instead of a troll and a gnome.
Dennis Sep 16th 2010 1:33PM
The axe ALWAYS falls AFTER the merger. You should be worrying.
Ben Sep 16th 2010 1:39PM
So will WoW Insider be a part of the joystiq ultrafeed now? Not that it really matters, but I was just curious.