Cataclysm playable at midnight PST Dec. 7, no matter how you buy it
by Daniel Whitcomb 
Nov 15th 2010 at 9:00AM
The full announcement is as follows:
BashiokWondering exactly what time you'll be able to begin playing your goblin or worgen or making your way to level 85? On all North American realms, World of Warcraft players who upgrade to Cataclysm will be able to begin experiencing the new content at 12 a.m. Pacific Standard Time (3 a.m. Eastern Standard Time) on December 7, whether they purchase the digital download through Battle.net or buy a physical retail boxed version in stores. Players will not be able to access Cataclysm expansion content prior to 12 a.m. PST, regardless of how they upgrade or what time zone they're located in.
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm will destroy Azeroth as we know it; nothing will be the same! In WoW Insider's Guide to Cataclysm, you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion (available Dec. 7, 2010), from brand new races to revamped quests and zones. Visit our Cataclysm news category for the most recent posts having to do with the Cataclysm expansion.Filed under: Realm Status, Blizzard, News items, Cataclysm
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
ManaByte Nov 15th 2010 9:03AM
Duh. Blizzard's offices are in California.
bscarlavai Nov 15th 2010 9:24AM
Not really a "duh" - this is the first time they are doing it this way. Previous expansions could be played as soon as you got it installed.
Cthulu Nov 15th 2010 10:50AM
And this is bad how? I can go to my midnight launch..come home install the CE and get my stuff ready to party all the way to 85...
I prefer it this way on the east coast.
Noselacri Nov 15th 2010 11:52AM
I am actually pleased with this. Plenty of time for my midnight release, to stop at the 24 hour grocery store, pick up supplies, and install cata.
Someone just remind me to not go into work the next morning.
MrJackSauce Nov 15th 2010 12:26PM
lol @ duh. /tinfoilhatmuch? That's prooooobably not the reason why they doing this.
The only question is won't this stop a good portion of player staggering as people round the world log in? If they're only letting us log in at that time then I can only imagine how many people will be waiting for the exact time to log in.
Waltz Nov 15th 2010 7:55PM
This is the first expansion that has been available as digital download @ launch. If I remember correctly TBD was not and WotLK wasn't either so it was less of a problem because people actually had to leave the house to get the game. With Cata people already "pre-ordered" the digital download. Blizzard just wants to make sure that everyone in North America starts at the same time.
@ MrJackSauce I don't think most people should expect to be able to log in and play on launch night anyways. The stress of the masses will bring servers down.
Sakirsha Nov 15th 2010 9:04AM
That'll be 9:00am for our European servers.
How dare they make us get a full night's sleep before powerleveling.
davemann68 Nov 15th 2010 9:10AM
This announcement is for North American realms - we in Europe will still get to play at midnight Paris time.
Knob Nov 15th 2010 9:11AM
EU servers open at midnight CET. This announcement is only for NA realms.
Sakirsha Nov 15th 2010 9:12AM
Oi! "All North American realms" up there in the blue post really means "All North American realms"...wtb coffee and reading comprension skills please.
Jay Nov 15th 2010 9:13AM
Funnily enough I'd prefer it if it was 9am.
Wither Nov 15th 2010 9:34AM
I'm with Jay, as much as I want it as early as possible, it's gonna be hard to find the will-power to go to bed after launch at 12am (well 11pm for fellow Brits). The other possibility is to go to bed very early and start playing at about 5am. Then you could get a marathon all-day session in. :D
Hmmm... 5am to 10pm, let's say an obligatory 2 hour lunch break, 15 hours. What level would your new goblin / worgen be after day one?
McRaider Nov 15th 2010 9:39AM
@Davemann
So would this mean, that the EU gamers get to play cataclysm before US, because 7th of Dec comes technically earlier to EU than to US?
MikeLive Nov 15th 2010 9:50AM
I'm not even picking it up until the morning, some of us have to work :P
davemann68 Nov 15th 2010 10:13AM
@McRaider
Yes - we in Europe will be playing Cataclysm before the USA.
Noyou Nov 15th 2010 10:14AM
I wasn't around for previous expansions but does anyone really think they are going to be able to play (fully functional) at 12:00am server time? It certainly is an exciting thing to think about but I will temper my hopes and expectations.
Wulfkin Nov 15th 2010 12:38PM
If I do the digital download I'll be on from 11pm UK time, hoping to get in there before the servers go K-K-K-Kraaaazy!
Or if HMV on Oxford Street do their midnight opening event like they did for Wrath I may wander down and grab a collector's edition from there.
Noctune Nov 15th 2010 12:56PM
Yes i have been in the Release surge for 2 xpacks and i must say Blizzard learned ALOT from the first Xpack when we all surged in to Hellfire peninsula hell i spent 2h only skinning and selling skinns on AH ... and thats what i normaly do ofc. i do some random Q but nothing biggie.
the thing they did good on WoTLK was realy they started the server working as long as you got the game installed a few hours before the "real" release i know 5+ ppl in my guild who shamelessly was already 64 DK once the clock hit 00:00.
Anyway i think as long as not more then 60% of the server pop. goes to same zone its pretty ok. mobs spawn rate is modified by there kill time so if they die quickly they respawn even faster. atleast that was what happend in BC. Hellfire was littered with 100eds of dead mob bodies just free for me to skin ;-)
anyway lets do the quick math.
10% will reroll Worgen/Goblin
60% will go to the most populare zone of the 2 starter zones
30% will go to the other zone.
of thoes ppl 5-10% will try and powerlevel trying to reach lv85 ASAP.
What do i recomend?: Get a gameplan and stick to it!.
Wana be first 85 then you and your guild is in for alot of work.
Wana hit max level crafting to sell items for hillarious prices ?
Wana try out the new dungeons?
Wana Try and make gold the first week to support you need in the future.
Just remember its just a game! Its not worth losing a spouse or work or a grade for one day of fun.
Aris Nov 15th 2010 1:05PM
@noyou
When Wrath launched the boats just showed up in the SW harbor and whisked people away right on time. Wasn't any trouble on my server.
I was left standing on the docks as I missed getting my midnite purchase by two people... not this time, though! Thank you digital download pre-sale!!
razion Nov 15th 2010 9:05AM
Translates to about 9am where I reside (we're in the land of the NINE HOURS AHEAD FUTURE BABY WOO [yeah]!).
I'm pretty excited, as it means I can have a good sleep the night before. :)