BlizzCon 2010: Cataclysm will be available for digital download on launch day

by Zach Yonzon Oct 22nd 2010 at 2:24PM

Straight from the Mike Morhaime's mouth during opening ceremonies -- Cataclysm will be available for digital download at midnight Pacific Standard Time of December 7, 2010. For the first time in the game's history, the game will be available for purchase online at the same time as it launches in retail stores. Pre-orders for Cataclysm digital downloads will be available on the Blizzard site soon. Players eager to play the game right away but don't have the endurance (or geographical proximity) to attend a midnight launch can simply sit in the comfort of their homes and enter a broken Azeroth as the game goes live on launch day. CLARIFICATION: Morhaime mentioned that the game should be available for digital download ahead of the launch date, allowing players to have the full game when Cataclysm goes live.

Tags: breaking, breaking-news, BreakingNews, cataclysm-game, cataclysm-guide, cataclysm-news, digital-download, expansion, expansion-three, next-xpac, third-expansion, world-of-warcraft-cataclysm, wow-4.0, wow-4.0.2, wow-cataclysm, wow-expansion, wow-guide, wow-third-expansion

Filed under: News items, BlizzCon

Reader Comments (Page 5 of 5)

Amaxe Oct 23rd 2010 10:42AM

I couldn't take advantage of this anyway due to my internet (which is no longer "supported" by Blizzard). I might have if I had a better connection.

Still, if you can pre-download and play right at release, I wonder if this impacts the future of release days in stores.

Khamelean Oct 27th 2010 1:32PM

To those other Aussies celebrating this news, don't. This is bad news. What this means is that if we go to a midnight launch here in australia, we get to sit around for 18 hours twiddling our thumbs waiting for the servers to activate at 12:00mn PDT.

Unless of course the "playable at" is only for digital copies, if retail copies are available to log in earlier then we are all good, just like previous years. (Well BC anyway, wasn't playing when wrath launched)

riffraff Oct 25th 2010 11:41AM

18 hours head start would be quite unfair to those trying for server/world firsts.

I'd like them to confirm that east cost (or anywhere else you can actually buy the game before midnight PST) won't be able to play until midnight PST.

Bethontheharbor Oct 25th 2010 4:20AM

My copy of the CE won't be here until after Dec 14th, and since I have two accounts it doesnt mean I have to hit Walmart the morning of the 7th now. At least one account will be able to start right away.

Thanks Blizz

Vyle Oct 25th 2010 4:07PM

This is good news.

Baconator Oct 25th 2010 4:23PM

This sounds better than me.

Rassilon Oct 25th 2010 6:28PM

So for Aussies this means the game goes on sale Dec 7th, but we dont get access to the New Azeroth till 6pm, barring any major queues or crashes. I wonder if any of the local game stores will care to mention that to their customers, especailly any that are queued up at midnight!

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