Patch 4.3 preview: The all-new Darkmoon Faire

This is a huge content update to the Darkmoon Faire. From the preview, this appears to be the Molten Front of the Darkmoon Faire, a huge, fun questing and game experience that involves fun toys, games, and more. Games include Whack-a-Gnoll, Tonk Battle Royale, the ominious-sounding Cannon, a ring toss game, a shooting gallery, and more to be announced. A new Gurubashi Arena-style free-for-all PVP arena called the Darkmoon Deathmatch will be introduced, as well.
One of the most interesting parts of the new Darkmoon Faire is that you will be able to gain experience, prize tickets, and skill points for your professions -- up to five skills points per profession per Faire week. If you've been struggling with those last few points in a profession or want to level up alts' professions without spending too much on the Auction House, the first week of each month at the Faire opens up some new options.
Finally, a new item called the Darkmoon Field Guide will allow players to collect Darkmoon Artifacts from everything from PVE to PVP content. The book also acts as a Darkmoon hearthstone, bringing you to the Faire when it's in town. Collecting artifacts seems that it will be the new way to grind out reputation with the Darkmoon Faire.
Once a month, this new Darkmoon Faire will make its appearance. Carnival barkers will open up portals to Darkmoon Island, and the Darkmoon outposts in Mulgore and Elwynn Forest will offer free rides to the new faire grounds. This update is huge, and patch 4.3 just got even bigger. Pretty exciting stuff is on the horizon.
Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! Step right up and prepare to be amazed!
It's incredible! It's unbelievable! You'll be dazzled. You'll be amazed! You aren't prepared for the Darkmoon Faire, 'cause it's like nothing you've seen before! Don't be shy now, don't be bashful, step right up for a tantalizing glimpse of what we've got in store for you when patch 4.3 arrives!
That old thing?
No, no, no, Clem. The Darkmoon Faire isn't what it used to be and it isn't where it used to be. The management hasn't changed but the Faire certainly has. It's a whole new animal. Tickets? You don't need those old tickets, just rip 'em right up, 'cause we've got new tickets! Out with the old, in with the new -- new quests, that is! Things have changed 'round here: we've got an island all to ourselves now, and what an island it is. Mist-shrouded Darkmoon Island is a conundrum wrapped in an enigma. It's a place of mystery and wonder, and you wouldn't believe the deals we made to get it... or who we made 'em with. But never mind that, just follow me right through here and I'll show you what the Darkmoon Faire is all about.
All new! All spectacular!
Catch a show at the marvelous main stage or witness a dazzling fireworks display. But don't stare too long or you might miss the stunning spectacles that surround you. Gaze in awe of our magical menagerie, get your fortune told by the amazing Sayge, go on a pony ride, experience the healthful effects of carnival food, and more!
Of course, there's more to the Darkmoon Faire than just fantastic shows and culinary delights. You can still turn in your Darkmoon Cards, but you wouldn't just come here for measly ol' cards when there's so much more to see, experience, and win. Yes, win! You like dancing bears, right? Everybody likes dancing bears. Even bears like dancing bears. How about a dancing bear... you can ride!
That's not all! We have adorable companion pets includin' a fez-wearing monkey, a plethora of profession recipes, toys, balloons, souvenirs, delectable carnival snacks and beverages, heirlooms for the little ones, and even replicas of long-lost suits of armor that we're offering for your Transmogrification needs. You can also make your mark with new achievements and titles. All it takes to earn these fabulous rewards is a few Darkmoon Faire Prize Tickets and a good reputation with the carnies. How do ya get your grubby mitts on some tickets? I'm glad you asked!
Step right up! Try your luck! Everyone's a winner!
Have we got games? You bet we've got games, and they're so easy to play an orc could do it. Just head on over to the midway, buy some Darkmoon Game Tokens, and get ready to play. Easy to learn, difficult to master, anyone can play and everyone can win. Just lay your tokens down for a chance at winning Darkmoon Prize Tickets playing games like Whack-a-Gnoll, the Tonk Battle Royale, the Cannon, Ring Toss, the Shooting Gallery, and more! Five games are there to test your skills at any one time. The better you play, the easier it is to win a bucket of Darkmoon Faire Prize Tickets! Once a month, you've got a shot at tickets, and the fun never stops 'cause you can play as many times as you like. But that's not the only way to win big!
The Darkmoon Faire Field Guide
It's your passport to riches, my friend. Y'see, we need a few things -- just some junk, nothing valuable to a big hero like you. We call 'em Darkmoon Artifacts, and there's all different kinds to be found all over Azeroth. The Darkmoon Field Guide helps you discover artifacts while you're explorin' dungeons, slayin' monsters, and fightin' in Battlegrounds. Without a guide, you'd never notice 'em, and it'll help keep you focused on the stuff we want. Whether you just reached level 10, or you've crushed the biggest baddies in the land, we need somethin' from nearly everybody. You won't have to go too far out of your way to get 'em and each month you'll get a new opportunity to seek out an Artifact for us. What do you get out of the deal? Don't you worry, you'll get your cut. When you bring a Darkmoon Artifact back to us, you'll get valuable experience (it builds character, you know!), earn a better reputation, and possibly earn precious Darkmoon Faire Prize Tickets too!
Oh, did I mention that you can use the Field Guide to get to Darkmoon Island whenever the Darkmoon Faire's monthly extravaganza is up and running?
So, you want to work in show business?
Maybe you'd like a little peek behind the scenes, eh? Want to see what it takes to run the greatest show on Azeroth? Well, it's not all sunshine and cotton candy, my friend. There are beasts to heal, food to cook, and buildings to fix. If you're willing help keep the show going and put your skills to work, you'll not only impress us, but you can get experience, Darkmoon Prize Tickets, and even polish up your skills -- up to five skill points per profession, per Faire week, if you're good at what you do!
Darkmoon Deathmatch!
Like any good carnival, the Darkmoon Faire has a shady side. You can leave the skilled labor to the suckers and go for a faster score instead. If you've got the minerals, the Darkmoon Deathmatch offers an experience unparalleled since the Gurubashi Arena. Pitmaster Pei has a big old treasure chest just brimming with goodies and Darkmoon Faire Prize Tickets that he'll drag out into the Darkmoon Deathmatch Pit every three hours or so. Everybody wants it, so if you want a piece of the action you'll just have to jump in and prove that you're the toughest one in the Pit.
Oh, the Faire is perfectly safe, Clem. Just don't wander into the woods.
Now, now, don't panic. Darkmoon Isle might be a bit spooky, but except for the Deathmatch Pit, the Faire itself is completely safe, I guarantee it. It's a sanctuary even, and we won't let anybody's beef ruin the fun. The shadowy woods surroundin' the fair are another thing entirely, though. I wouldn't say that people have disappeared into those woods never to return, but, well... people disappear into those woods never to return. So watch your step , and your back, when you leave the Faire. Don't say I didn't warn ya!
Mark your calendar
Now that you know how amazing the new Darkmoon Faire is, you won't want to miss it. Just take a look at your in-game calendar, and the Darkmoon Faire dates will show up there on the first week of every month. Darkmoon Faire barkers and displays will also pop up in every capital city to herald the arrival of the Faire. Silas Darkmoon himself has even started up a mailer to make sure that no one misses out!
Hitch a ride
During the first week of each month, convenient Darkmoon Faire outposts with Darkmoon Portals will appear in Elwynn Forest and Mulgore, offering free rides to Darkmoon Island and the Faire!
Darkmoon Mages in capital cities and on Darkmoon Island will also be around to help you get between the Faire and various capital cities. There's no such thing as a free lunch, so naturally you're obliged to compensate them for their services.
The all new Darkmoon Faire is coming to Darkmoon Island in patch 4.3. Don't miss it!
It's incredible! It's unbelievable! You'll be dazzled. You'll be amazed! You aren't prepared for the Darkmoon Faire, 'cause it's like nothing you've seen before! Don't be shy now, don't be bashful, step right up for a tantalizing glimpse of what we've got in store for you when patch 4.3 arrives!
That old thing?
No, no, no, Clem. The Darkmoon Faire isn't what it used to be and it isn't where it used to be. The management hasn't changed but the Faire certainly has. It's a whole new animal. Tickets? You don't need those old tickets, just rip 'em right up, 'cause we've got new tickets! Out with the old, in with the new -- new quests, that is! Things have changed 'round here: we've got an island all to ourselves now, and what an island it is. Mist-shrouded Darkmoon Island is a conundrum wrapped in an enigma. It's a place of mystery and wonder, and you wouldn't believe the deals we made to get it... or who we made 'em with. But never mind that, just follow me right through here and I'll show you what the Darkmoon Faire is all about.
All new! All spectacular!
Catch a show at the marvelous main stage or witness a dazzling fireworks display. But don't stare too long or you might miss the stunning spectacles that surround you. Gaze in awe of our magical menagerie, get your fortune told by the amazing Sayge, go on a pony ride, experience the healthful effects of carnival food, and more!
Of course, there's more to the Darkmoon Faire than just fantastic shows and culinary delights. You can still turn in your Darkmoon Cards, but you wouldn't just come here for measly ol' cards when there's so much more to see, experience, and win. Yes, win! You like dancing bears, right? Everybody likes dancing bears. Even bears like dancing bears. How about a dancing bear... you can ride!
That's not all! We have adorable companion pets includin' a fez-wearing monkey, a plethora of profession recipes, toys, balloons, souvenirs, delectable carnival snacks and beverages, heirlooms for the little ones, and even replicas of long-lost suits of armor that we're offering for your Transmogrification needs. You can also make your mark with new achievements and titles. All it takes to earn these fabulous rewards is a few Darkmoon Faire Prize Tickets and a good reputation with the carnies. How do ya get your grubby mitts on some tickets? I'm glad you asked!
Step right up! Try your luck! Everyone's a winner!
Have we got games? You bet we've got games, and they're so easy to play an orc could do it. Just head on over to the midway, buy some Darkmoon Game Tokens, and get ready to play. Easy to learn, difficult to master, anyone can play and everyone can win. Just lay your tokens down for a chance at winning Darkmoon Prize Tickets playing games like Whack-a-Gnoll, the Tonk Battle Royale, the Cannon, Ring Toss, the Shooting Gallery, and more! Five games are there to test your skills at any one time. The better you play, the easier it is to win a bucket of Darkmoon Faire Prize Tickets! Once a month, you've got a shot at tickets, and the fun never stops 'cause you can play as many times as you like. But that's not the only way to win big!
The Darkmoon Faire Field Guide
It's your passport to riches, my friend. Y'see, we need a few things -- just some junk, nothing valuable to a big hero like you. We call 'em Darkmoon Artifacts, and there's all different kinds to be found all over Azeroth. The Darkmoon Field Guide helps you discover artifacts while you're explorin' dungeons, slayin' monsters, and fightin' in Battlegrounds. Without a guide, you'd never notice 'em, and it'll help keep you focused on the stuff we want. Whether you just reached level 10, or you've crushed the biggest baddies in the land, we need somethin' from nearly everybody. You won't have to go too far out of your way to get 'em and each month you'll get a new opportunity to seek out an Artifact for us. What do you get out of the deal? Don't you worry, you'll get your cut. When you bring a Darkmoon Artifact back to us, you'll get valuable experience (it builds character, you know!), earn a better reputation, and possibly earn precious Darkmoon Faire Prize Tickets too!
Oh, did I mention that you can use the Field Guide to get to Darkmoon Island whenever the Darkmoon Faire's monthly extravaganza is up and running?
So, you want to work in show business?
Maybe you'd like a little peek behind the scenes, eh? Want to see what it takes to run the greatest show on Azeroth? Well, it's not all sunshine and cotton candy, my friend. There are beasts to heal, food to cook, and buildings to fix. If you're willing help keep the show going and put your skills to work, you'll not only impress us, but you can get experience, Darkmoon Prize Tickets, and even polish up your skills -- up to five skill points per profession, per Faire week, if you're good at what you do!
Darkmoon Deathmatch!
Like any good carnival, the Darkmoon Faire has a shady side. You can leave the skilled labor to the suckers and go for a faster score instead. If you've got the minerals, the Darkmoon Deathmatch offers an experience unparalleled since the Gurubashi Arena. Pitmaster Pei has a big old treasure chest just brimming with goodies and Darkmoon Faire Prize Tickets that he'll drag out into the Darkmoon Deathmatch Pit every three hours or so. Everybody wants it, so if you want a piece of the action you'll just have to jump in and prove that you're the toughest one in the Pit.
Oh, the Faire is perfectly safe, Clem. Just don't wander into the woods.
Now, now, don't panic. Darkmoon Isle might be a bit spooky, but except for the Deathmatch Pit, the Faire itself is completely safe, I guarantee it. It's a sanctuary even, and we won't let anybody's beef ruin the fun. The shadowy woods surroundin' the fair are another thing entirely, though. I wouldn't say that people have disappeared into those woods never to return, but, well... people disappear into those woods never to return. So watch your step , and your back, when you leave the Faire. Don't say I didn't warn ya!
Mark your calendar
Now that you know how amazing the new Darkmoon Faire is, you won't want to miss it. Just take a look at your in-game calendar, and the Darkmoon Faire dates will show up there on the first week of every month. Darkmoon Faire barkers and displays will also pop up in every capital city to herald the arrival of the Faire. Silas Darkmoon himself has even started up a mailer to make sure that no one misses out!
Hitch a ride
During the first week of each month, convenient Darkmoon Faire outposts with Darkmoon Portals will appear in Elwynn Forest and Mulgore, offering free rides to Darkmoon Island and the Faire!
Darkmoon Mages in capital cities and on Darkmoon Island will also be around to help you get between the Faire and various capital cities. There's no such thing as a free lunch, so naturally you're obliged to compensate them for their services.
The all new Darkmoon Faire is coming to Darkmoon Island in patch 4.3. Don't miss it!
Filed under: News items, Cataclysm






Reader Comments (Page 1 of 11)
Rai Aug 25th 2011 12:54PM
inb4 a hundred "meet me at the faire" jokes.
Eddy Aug 25th 2011 2:57PM
I, for one, now have the title track from Meet Me In St. Louis stuck in my head, and it is all your fault.
Rai Aug 25th 2011 4:00PM
Then my work here is done, for you share my pain.
Narlic Aug 25th 2011 12:55PM
This actually sounds... great! I can't wait to see more about this.
Lishalacey Aug 25th 2011 1:25PM
I'm so excited for this! I've always thought of the Darkmoon Faire as a little useless ever since I rolled my first toon (a human) and stumbled across it back in 2006...
"Hey look- what's that? An OGRE? And tents! It's like a little circus! Wait- you want me to bring you what? From where? Huh? And I get... tickets? For...? Um, nevermind! See ya!"
And I've never looked back since. Excited to see something that _could_ be so cool actually BECOME so cool!
Noyou Aug 25th 2011 2:42PM
I always loved the faire. But yes, I felt it also needed something more. Man this looks like everything I could have wanted and more! Good job Blizz. Can't wait! Between this, Brewfest and Hallows end, I will be a happy idiot for some time to come ;)
jdhorner Aug 25th 2011 12:57PM
This is amazing! I always wished they would make the faire a bit more appealing to more people for more reasons. This would be the perfect place for them to put the DK starting armour set in, with the other armor pieces and replica sets they'll be offering. :D Great job Blizz!
LynMars Aug 25th 2011 2:38PM
"...and even replicas of long-lost suits of armor that we're offering for your Transmogrification needs."
That sentence, right there, made me gleeful. Looking forward to what set lookalikes they offer!
Goodk4t Aug 25th 2011 5:20PM
Probably the DK starter gear (both the green "cloth" and the blue saronite set), the dungeons sets from vanilla and the PvP gear that was removed from game.
Some people believe they will have T3 too, but I doubt it, considering T3 is currently just a T7 with bad textures and lower polygon count. The only reason that any player would prefer T3 over the T7 is if they don't like the colors available for T7 and liked the T3 colors better.
Prelimar Aug 25th 2011 12:59PM
ooh, i'm liking these changes. they are long overdue. MONKEY WITH FEZ! #zomgwant
Jaq Aug 25th 2011 1:02PM
It's a monkey with a fez. Fezzes are cool.
almoderate Aug 25th 2011 2:27PM
Said monkey should randomly carry a pot of coffee and/or jammy dodgers.
Darias.Perenolde Aug 25th 2011 2:51PM
I hope the monkey also has a bow tie as well.
Skarlette Aug 25th 2011 3:00PM
Knowing monkeys, they'll probably throw their fezzes at passersby.
Wait...
blancester Aug 25th 2011 3:56PM
@Skarlette
Lets hope thats the only thing they throw, that or bananas.
Hob Aug 25th 2011 5:02PM
Monkey with fez need cymbals. And to play cymbals. And bare teeth from time to time. Scare children. Also need little red vest.
Prelimar Aug 25th 2011 5:12PM
knowing all the simpsons references over the years, i'm hoping he has a cigar, like mr. tinky.
AudreyR Aug 25th 2011 5:56PM
Why am I picturing a monkey saying "Good day to you! I said good day!"
RogueJedi86 Aug 25th 2011 9:37PM
Can I have a monkey with a Stetson instead? Stetsons are cool too.
chloroformist Aug 25th 2011 11:08PM
@AudreyR
I got the reference. :)
(That 70's Show)