Patch 5.4 patch notes
Virtual Realms feature revealed
The Proving Grounds are coming
The latest patch 5.4 newsPatch 4.2: The keyring is gone. Gozer is saddened.
by Adam Holisky 
May 23rd 2011 at 12:36PM
Are you the keymaster?
Not in patch 4.2, Mr. Gozer The Gozerian, Gozer the Destructor, Volguus Zildrohar, Gozer the Travler, Lord of the Sebouillia.
Takralus has announced on Blizzard's EU forums that come patch 4.2, the keyring will be disappearing -- a fact that many people have already noticed on the PTR. Any keys that you don't need for the game will vanish into the ether, potentially giving you a very small amount of gold, and any key that you do need to access some part of the game will be transferred to your inventory.
We bid you farewell, keyring. You've been in our toolbar since patch 1.11, and that's special.
The full blue post after the break.
Not in patch 4.2, Mr. Gozer The Gozerian, Gozer the Destructor, Volguus Zildrohar, Gozer the Travler, Lord of the Sebouillia.
Takralus has announced on Blizzard's EU forums that come patch 4.2, the keyring will be disappearing -- a fact that many people have already noticed on the PTR. Any keys that you don't need for the game will vanish into the ether, potentially giving you a very small amount of gold, and any key that you do need to access some part of the game will be transferred to your inventory.
We bid you farewell, keyring. You've been in our toolbar since patch 1.11, and that's special.
The full blue post after the break.
Takralus
World of Warcraft has evolved quite a bit since the day the Keyring bag slot was added in patch 1.11. When implemented, this Keyring provided players with a convenient way of storing dungeon, quest, and other keys automatically. Back when the largest bag was a mind bottling 18 slots - rumoured to be bottomless - the Keyring helped save precious bag space. But as things tend to do, time went on, bags got bigger, and designs for gating content (literally and figuratively) evolved through the years.
In today's Azeroth, keys don't really serve much of a purpose except to take up physical storage space from the game (which could be used for other awesome stuff), and visual interface space on yours. Because of this, we've decided to get rid of the Keyring in order to free up some user interface space for exciting new features. This change could also potentially allow us to play around with the amount of default storage space you're allotted down the road. So, what does this mean for you and the keys you might not have looked at in the last couple expansions or so?
We're currently working on the implementation of a system in patch 4.2 which will handle the removal of the Keyring, while causing you as little hassle with keys as possible. Some keys which no longer serve a purpose in the game will automatically be removed from your inventory. In return, you'll be compensated for them with their respective vendor sell prices in gold. You might also have random leftover quest keys from outdated quests, or quests which were removed in Cataclysm. Keys that fall into this category have no use and no sell price, as they are labelled as quest items, and will be automatically removed from your inventory. Any remaining keys that might still potentially serve some use in the game will be transferred into your regular inventory. If there is not enough space in your inventory to hold any leftover keys once patch 4.2 hits live realms, the keys will be placed in a backlogged storage system. Once space is made for a backlogged key, the key will take that space after you log out or switch to a new zone (i.e. changing continents, entering a dungeon or Battleground, etc.).
We are continuing to work on new ways of allowing you to better manage the storage of various items in the game, and it is our goal to make sure the removal of the Keyring causes as little inconvenience to you as possible.
In today's Azeroth, keys don't really serve much of a purpose except to take up physical storage space from the game (which could be used for other awesome stuff), and visual interface space on yours. Because of this, we've decided to get rid of the Keyring in order to free up some user interface space for exciting new features. This change could also potentially allow us to play around with the amount of default storage space you're allotted down the road. So, what does this mean for you and the keys you might not have looked at in the last couple expansions or so?
We're currently working on the implementation of a system in patch 4.2 which will handle the removal of the Keyring, while causing you as little hassle with keys as possible. Some keys which no longer serve a purpose in the game will automatically be removed from your inventory. In return, you'll be compensated for them with their respective vendor sell prices in gold. You might also have random leftover quest keys from outdated quests, or quests which were removed in Cataclysm. Keys that fall into this category have no use and no sell price, as they are labelled as quest items, and will be automatically removed from your inventory. Any remaining keys that might still potentially serve some use in the game will be transferred into your regular inventory. If there is not enough space in your inventory to hold any leftover keys once patch 4.2 hits live realms, the keys will be placed in a backlogged storage system. Once space is made for a backlogged key, the key will take that space after you log out or switch to a new zone (i.e. changing continents, entering a dungeon or Battleground, etc.).
We are continuing to work on new ways of allowing you to better manage the storage of various items in the game, and it is our goal to make sure the removal of the Keyring causes as little inconvenience to you as possible.
Filed under: News items
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 7)
datgrl May 23rd 2011 12:58PM
Going from the keyring into inventory? Because we have so much more storage available? I have 3 tabards I'm using (one for rep, one for travel and one for the guild), the guild banner, assorted potions and food for buffs, a 2nd set of armor for PVP, and one whole bag for my prof mats. It's all I can do to keep space open for quest items so I don't have to keep going back to turn in and now I have to make room for keys.
Koleckai May 23rd 2011 12:59PM
If only they would transfer the keyring technology to the backpack so it could grow as we level. Two slots every ten levels would be superb.
Intaka May 23rd 2011 4:15PM
So now we will lose 1 bank bag to tabards, and ANOTHER to keys?
Not to mention the group shows up at previously "gated" content (e.g. Shattered Halls) and oh, wait they key is back in the bank.
Truly, instead of filling my storage which already has 2-3 complete sets of offspec gear per character with keys, perhaps there could simply be an account flag, i.e. the EXACT implementation already proven and used in the late WOTLK ICC 5 man instances.
We must be missing something in translation.
Are bags undervalued in Cata? Not enough people are using embersilk bags? Perhaps all these previously locked doors are losing their locks, and this is an obscure way to broach the subject of key removal entirely from the game. Whatever the angle, it seems like a poor quality of game decision to me. I didn't get keymaster x 10 to be penalized for it with lower bank space allotment.
coville May 23rd 2011 1:01PM
Are they removing the need for keys to the BC heroics? I would hate to have to carry all those keys with me in order to do those dungeons.
tresser May 23rd 2011 1:00PM
if this means they are removing the need for keys in TBC heroics, then right on. If they are wanting me to waste other bagspace for those keys, then no....i'm not amused.
ummeiko May 23rd 2011 1:00PM
So what does this mean for things like the Malygos key and BC heroics? (I haven't played since 4.0.6 so if this is already outdated, forgive me.)
Were I still playing, this would be tricky. I had precious little inventory space as it was. And I recall having at least a dozen keys, not all of which will be phased out. Offhand I'm thinking heroics, Malygos, Algalon, and coffers keys. For a start anyway.
Blayze May 23rd 2011 1:01PM
Yes, because of course the last thing we need right now is more stuff cluttering up our inventories instead of being stored in a UI feature that freed up bag space.
Dude May 23rd 2011 1:01PM
Give tabard menu instead of them using bag space in banks or otherwise as compensation for taking my magic keys off me, Blizzard!!!!!
Dinger May 23rd 2011 1:02PM
Great... more bag slots needing to be designated to crap that I have to carry around. Why are they getting rid of the key ring?
nwowfrulz May 23rd 2011 2:14PM
*Looks at all his lockpicking keys*
Sinfulle May 23rd 2011 8:32PM
I'm on the same boat, when I was leveling BS during Wrath I made tons of Cobalt and Titanium skeleton keys. Not sure what I'm going to do with them if they get dumped to my inventory, I despise throwing away functional items.
*Looks in mirror* Umad? Darn right.
Starsmore May 23rd 2011 1:05PM
I've just been to the future! I've read the patchnotes for 4.4!
Patch 4.4 Public Test Realm
Misc:
As part of our new WoW Premium service, the option is now available for the purchase of additional spaces in your starter bag. These start at $1 per space, per month, but the pricing is not finalized.
Noyou May 23rd 2011 3:02PM
I foresee you are good at foreseeing these things.
Matt P May 23rd 2011 1:07PM
If they're just compensating us for the keys vendor price, why send us the money automatically. Let us choose which keys to sell. Some of those keys have been in my keyring since patch 1.11.
Scott May 23rd 2011 1:09PM
"In today's Azeroth, keys don't really serve much of a purpose except to take up physical storage space from the game (which could be used for other awesome stuff), and visual interface space on yours."
Removing the need for keys/attunements and replacing them with gating/instant content is a far worse offense than physically removing said keys from the game. Keys and attunements used to mean something and spoke to your accomplishments. Now you just kick down the raid's door on patch day, grab our loot and repeat next lockout. We always hear about the "living world" they're trying to create, but by sucking the immersion out bit by bit, they're getting closer to leaving us with a hollowed out, dead husk.
Moon Man May 27th 2011 2:32PM
True dat!
ololololol
fandyllic Jun 18th 2011 10:05PM
It must be the way you said it, because when I said a similar thing in regards to class balance, I got berated and downrated,
Avan May 23rd 2011 1:09PM
You know what would be really nice to commemorate the removal of the keyring for players who filled theirs? Some sort of Feat of Strength. They could call it "The Keymaster" or something like that. I think it would be cool anyways, because Feats of Strength are supposed to be representations of insane achievements (like, "the Insane" title) or things you can no longer get or do (like WoW's 4th Anniversary). Blizzard would never just up and remove something like the keyring and completely invalidate one's personal success of collecting as many keys as they could.
Andrew R. May 23rd 2011 2:10PM
There was an achievement during Wrath with that exact very name. It was removed in 4.0.3 for some reason. I'm still bummed it wasn't made into a FOS.
Hyacintha May 23rd 2011 3:02PM
@Andrew: You might want to get your sarcasm detector looked at. =)
But yes, I'm a former Keymaster who's still bitter. This is just heaping insult on injury.