Online retailers point towards a November 4 release for Wrath
Aug 29th, 2008
We'll begin this post with the usual: this is Blizzard we're talking about, and Blizzard doesn't release games or the dates they'll start selling those games until they're good and ready. So any speculation about Blizzard's release dates, is, by its nature, pretty useless -- if Blizzard wants to announce at BlizzCon that Wrath isn't coming out until January, they will.
However, as many readers have noticed, there's been an interesting development in the rumored release date lately. Before now, all the online stores have had all kinds of different dates: some were saying October, some were saying early November, and some were saying late November. But over the past week or so, almost all of the online stores have settled on a single date: November 4. The sign above, sent in by reader Daniel A., is from a JB HiFi store in Australia, and beckons toward a midnight release on November 3rd.
So. We'll stress again: retailers often set their own release dates way in advance of an official announcement, just so they can sell preorders of a game. It's very likely this means nothing, and Blizzard will release their game whenever they want -- don't start filling out your vacation form yet, because this is not an official date. But something has pointed all of these online retailers toward Election Day of this year, so if you want to guess at a release date, that's as good as any.
However, as many readers have noticed, there's been an interesting development in the rumored release date lately. Before now, all the online stores have had all kinds of different dates: some were saying October, some were saying early November, and some were saying late November. But over the past week or so, almost all of the online stores have settled on a single date: November 4. The sign above, sent in by reader Daniel A., is from a JB HiFi store in Australia, and beckons toward a midnight release on November 3rd.
So. We'll stress again: retailers often set their own release dates way in advance of an official announcement, just so they can sell preorders of a game. It's very likely this means nothing, and Blizzard will release their game whenever they want -- don't start filling out your vacation form yet, because this is not an official date. But something has pointed all of these online retailers toward Election Day of this year, so if you want to guess at a release date, that's as good as any.
Thanks to Ollie, Daniel A., and everyone else who sent this in.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
8-29-2008 @ 12:37PM
emptyrepublic said...
Hmm, Wrath releases on Election Day? There is a conspiracy in there waiting to be revealed!
Reply
8-29-2008 @ 12:39PM
only1rob said...
Ahhh, something to do instead of voting! awesome!
Reply
8-29-2008 @ 2:32PM
Naix said...
As if voting really mattered. Nothing changes, taxes are the same, the "direction of our country" is really decided by silent partners of the government.
....I have solved this political dilemma in a very direct way: I don't vote. On Election Day, I stay home. I firmly believe that if you vote, you have no right to complain. Now, some people like to twist that around. They say, "If you don't vote, you have no right to complain", but where's the logic in that? If you vote, and you elect dishonest, incompetent politicians, and they get into office and screw everything up, you are responsible for what they have done. You voted them in. You caused the problem. You have no right to complain.
- George Carlin
8-29-2008 @ 12:40PM
WNxSajuukCor said...
Yeah I'm taking this with a grain of salt. Just like when BC's release was announced they said December first before pushing it back to January. They haven't officially announced the Collector's Edition yet either lol.
Reply
8-29-2008 @ 12:41PM
Aarkan said...
Clearly Blizzard wants McCain to win, getting 10 million probable Obama voters to stay home for election day.
Reply
8-29-2008 @ 12:47PM
Meira said...
Excuse me, but of those 10 million players only +/- 3 million play in US servers... and you know that not everyone in US servers is actually citizen of the US, right?
But if I could vote, I'd vote for Obama too :P
9-02-2008 @ 12:18PM
Norville said...
Obama is the devil. Yes, I do play WoW as well.
8-29-2008 @ 12:53PM
bigal said...
because all 10 million wow subscribers are American voters
I am think that nov 4th is a good date, gives them a good run up to Christmas, and its a believable time away to get things finalised on the beta, and have the patch tested on PTR and released for about a month on live, but ur right blizz will release when its ready.
it is a bit annoying that all the kids in game swear on there grannys dead dogs first owners ex room mates soul that there best friend said that it being is relased and they where given a nudge to say that that is the gods honest release date.
Reply
8-29-2008 @ 12:58PM
Memzer said...
Nice analogy!
As to the topic at hand, I'm more interested in the release date for the new content patch - presumably it's going to fall between now and Nov. 4 ;)
8-29-2008 @ 12:53PM
Nick said...
Mine has been pre-ordered like 4 months ago. Someone told me i wasent prepared last time in Burning Crusade so im trying to be prepared this time.
Reply
8-29-2008 @ 1:17PM
William said...
cleverly written. :D
8-29-2008 @ 12:59PM
dngreene said...
Arathas for president!
(how would you know the difference with either candidate anyway....)
Reply
8-29-2008 @ 12:59PM
Blackhorn said...
Can we get some confirmation on which games studio was the first to employ the "when it's done" release date tactics?
id Software?
The fellas pretending to make Duke Nukem Forever?
Just wondering since not a day goes by in which Blizzard isn't heralded as some rebellious group of kids who won't tell us when we can play their game.
Reply
8-29-2008 @ 1:03PM
mirilene said...
Doesnt matter who was "first".
It's Blizzard's signature move when developing games. They are, in fact, famous for it.
8-29-2008 @ 6:35PM
Badger said...
"id Software? The fellas pretending to make Duke Nukem Forever?"
That's 3D Realms, dude.
8-29-2008 @ 12:59PM
mirilene said...
Not a chance in hell of it coming nov 4th.
They wouldnt be holding a major distraction like Blizzcon 3 weeks before a release date. Not to mention they still have to push out 3.0 to live servers and do major testing on a lot of areas of the game. 60 days isnt enough time.
Reply
8-29-2008 @ 1:06PM
J said...
Canadian EBGames stores have also had the release date posted as Nov 4th, for roughly 5 months.
Reply
8-29-2008 @ 1:07PM
JPN said...
In a way maybe it's pro-Obama....hell I'm taking the release day off work so I'll be close to home to run over and vote :)
Reply
8-29-2008 @ 1:22PM
TypicalJeff said...
This is a lie much like the cake.
Reply
8-29-2008 @ 1:43PM
Metal_Gear said...
'When its ready' isn't a good thing to say about expansions of a 4 year old MMO.
Patches can fix any issues, EQ2 has set a target of 1 expansion every 12 months. Cant believe I am saying this, but they need to knuckle down and start producing Expansions faster.
Reply