For years, the heroes of the Alliance and Horde have fought against the evils in Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms, against the demons of the Burning Legion in Outland, and against each other -- all the while unaware that a threat more dangerous than any they had yet encountered was preparing to make its move in the icy continent of Northrend. Now the Lich King, Arthas Menethil, has emerged from Icecrown Citadel to claim the world as his own. Heroes of the Alliance and Horde gather in Northrend to make a stand against the malevolent being that dares to declare himself Azeroth’s one true king... and seeks to scour all life from the world.

World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King is now live and available at a store near you. Featuring a massive new continent, the brand-new death knight Hero class, unique dungeons, an open-world PvP zone with siege vehicles and destructible buildings, and hundreds of brand-new quests, Wrath of the Lich King provides a huge variety of content for solo and group players. The expansion is available in both a standard and Collector's Edition; find out more about the latter in our Wrath of the Lich King Collector's Edition Preview. To learn more about what awaits you in Northrend, visit our Wrath of the Lich King Features Page and check out the primer to get you started.

During installation of the expansion, you'll be able to upgrade the World of Warcraft account you play to allow access to Wrath of the Lich King. You can click here to upgrade as well.

In order to provide the best support possible for adventurers as they make their way through the frozen north, we will be extending our Technical and Billing Support hours. Technical Support will be available from midnight Wednesday, November 12 to midnight Thursday, November 13. After that, they will be available from 9 am until midnight every day except Sunday until the night of Friday, November 21. Billing Support will be available from 9 am Thursday, November 13 to midnight every day except Sunday until the night of Friday, November 21.

Are you an avid reader of Titan's World of Warcraft comic? If so, then here's a contest for you! Simply select the correct answers to these nine questions and you could get the chance to win a hardcover edition of the World of Warcraft Comic Book signed by Jim Lee! Check out the Terms and Conditions before entering.

Good luck to all our participants!

If you have finished packing and that you are ready to be part of the official launch of Wrath of the Lich King that will take place in Paris, Rotterdam, Madrid, London, Berlin and Stockholm on the night between November, 12th and 13th, make sure you do not forget to bring your camera! The Baby Murloc Adoption Committee has decided to reward the players who capture the best pictures during this fabulous evening. The winners of this contest will get the opportunity to look after the famous Gurky. Do not miss the chance to make friends with this rare game mascot.

Submit your photographs of the Midnight Opening Events here! You can also read the Terms and Conditions of this contest here.

Saturday and Sunday passed quickly for those who had braved the long queues to become among the first Russian-speaking players to feel the frozen breath of Northrend on their skin. The beta portal to the Lich King’s domain was wide open at Blizzard’s booth at the IgroMir game convention in Moscow from 7 to 9 November. Due to huge popularity the Death Knight leveling contest was held three times on Saturday and the winners were rewarded with various World of Warcraft products, from mouse pads to hardware.

Those that attended were enthusiastic both about the upcoming releases of Starcraft II and Diablo III, and about the imminent release of Wrath of the Lich King. Those experiencing their first hands-on look at this second expansion for World of Warcraft said that they were now even more eager to adventure further in the worlds of Azeroth and Outland.

The Blizzard Jobs booth was also very busy with people bringing their CVs along in order to apply for the many Russian-speaking positions advertised at Blizzard.

Many thanks to everyone who was able to join us at the booth!

We have just published a page covering some of the many events that will be available to those who attend the Midnight Openings across Europe! Beyond just getting your copy of Wrath of the Lich King, you can:

• Get your game box signed by Blizzard producers and executives
• Win a prize for the best costume
• Get special goodies for being among the first in line
• Participate in on-the-spot contests for cool prizes
• And much, much more...

Today the Blizzard booth opened for public at the IgroMir convention - a major event for all the Russian lovers of interactive entertainment. Many visitors came to us to check out the latest expansion of World of Warcraft - Wrath of the Lich King, which launches across Europe on November 13. Visitors were impressed by the new hero class, the Death Knight, and with all the inhabitants of Azeroth and Outland now speaking Russian.

Our Community Team also had prepared many fun events for the visitors. Apart from playing the Russian Wrath of the Lich King beta, attendees had an opportunity to take part in contests: a quiz contest based on the Warcraft universe and a Death Knight power-leveling contest. Players could chill their ardor by taking pictures of themselves sitting on the Frozen Throne.

Don´t forget that the show is also open on Saturday and Sunday! Intriguing adventures in Northrend and more surprises await you. Lastly, remember to take your CV with you; there may be a place for you in the Blizzard family!

In preparation for Wrath of the Lich King, we will be performing an 8 hour Armory maintenance beginning on November 10, at 3 PM, Paris time (CET). The extensive changes and feature additions in Wrath of the Lich King mean that we also have to update the Armory to reflect those changes. As part of the maintenance, all character data will be reset, and character profiles will be repopulated as players log into World of Warcraft. We thank you for your patience during the maintenance.

Further information will be posted in this thread.

If you’re interested in high-level competitive Arena play, then check out The Named Arena tournament, which is taking place now in Korea, with the finals scheduled for this weekend on November 8 (KST). English broadcasts of this final will be available on the GOMTV website November 23 at noon (KST). Be sure to check both the live stream and videos on demand to catch all of the action as the season concludes.

The Russian gaming convention, IgroMir, began today in Moscow! We would be happy to welcome our Russian players to our booth on the convention floor. Representatives from Blizzard will be on hand there to answer questions, chat, and help with demonstrations from November 7-9. We look forward to seeing you!

Stay tuned for more details in the coming days!

During the tour stop in Montreal, players from SK Gaming EU defeated the US team Gravitas Gaming in what turned out to be very intense finals. The Intel Extreme Masters Global Challenge is now crossing the ocean and will be located in Seoul, Korea from the 13th to the 16th of November!

This time, the best Asian arena teams of World of Warcraft will compete during the continental finals and trying to get a share of the $30,000 prize pool.

During the competition, the Electronic Sports League will provide a free non-stop video stream, so everyone worldwide will be able to watch all of the matches live with commentary in English. For more details, including team profiles, rules, and the video stream, head on over to the official Seoul coverage page.

An arctic chill will soon reach Azeroth and all worthy adventurers will have the opportunity to journey to Northrend to challenge the Lich King! Already, these brave souls have had several months to prepare for the expedition. Their talbuk boots, reinforced armor, rabbit fur-lined gloves should be ready… Still, one major issue remains: have you decided what you would do first when Wrath of the Lich King is out?

Tell us all in this survey and see you soon in Northrend!

We've added Svartberg's latest creation, Priestess to the Blizzard Fan Art gallery. Take a moment to gaze over this mysterious, alluring devotée of the Light!

We're always looking for new fan art and if you're an artist, you can submit your work to us here. We update the Gallery regularly and encourage you to check regularly to see what new and talented submissions are on display.

If you want your journey into Northrend to get a truly epic start, why not head to one of the many stores holding midnight openings to celebrate the launch of the latest expansion of World of Warcraft, Wrath of the Lich King? Not only can you obtain a copy of the game on the stroke of midnight, you can also mix with other World of Warcraft fans and many stores are holding special events prior to the midnight release. This list of stores should provide you with the starting point for an extra dash of icy coolness, and we’ll be adding more locations as they become available.

On patch day everyone wants to get the new content as soon as possible, and our Technical Support team is here to help you with a special FAQ designed to address any issues which might arise while patching.
They are there for you by phone and email, and you can access the full support site here – which also includes general assistance on in-game topics and new content.

All of Azeroth will feel the Wrath of the Lich King in just a couple of weeks, when the second World of Warcraft expansion officially launches. If you want to be among the first to get your hands on the game, thousands of retailers around the world are hosting special midnight store openings to celebrate the release, and will start selling the game at 12:00 a.m. (local time) on November 13. In addition, Blizzard Entertainment developers and executives will be on hand to sign copies and meet players at several locations throughout Europe: Paris, London, Stockholm, Berlin, Madrid and Rotterdam. A full list of stores will be available in the coming days, so check back for updates regularly.

The Drums of War can be heard in the distance, ushering in the third year of the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game on October 28. This latest set shows off the brand new Location card type, three new Loot items, and a Black Warbear mount. Head over to WoWTCG.com to find out more about Drums of War and other World of Warcraft Trading Card Game products.

The highly anticipated World of Warcraft Miniatures Game will be available in Europe beginning on November 11. Check with your local World of Warcraft Trading Card Game retailer for more information about when they will be available in your area. For those interested in learning more, head over to WoWMinis.com. You can sign up to receive updates, including sneak preview pictures of the minis, details about gameplay, and downloadable demos.

We've added Michael's latest creation, Moonkin to the Blizzard Fan Art gallery. Take a moment to gaze over this proud defender of Nature!

We're always looking for new fan art and if you're an artist, you can submit your work to us here. We update the Gallery regularly and encourage you to check regularly to see what new and talented submissions are on display.

The community of World of Warcraft players around the world continues to grow, recently hitting a new high of 11 million subscribers. We just wanted to take a moment to share the news and say thank you to all the current, new, and returning players around the world whose enthusiasm and support have made this milestone possible.

We’ve recently added 10 new Blizzard Entertainment-themed mobile-phone downloads to the Mobile Ringtones and Wallpapers store, including a variety of new unit sounds from StarCraft; new wallpapers of the terran, protoss, and zerg from StarCraft II; and a chilling portrait of the Lich King Arthas Menethil from the upcoming World of Warcraft expansion. You can purchase these and more than 50 other Diablo, StarCraft, and Warcraft wallpapers and ringtones here.

Our latest addition to our World of Warcraft wallpapers section is another offering taken from the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game. You can adorn your desktop with this Blood Elf Shadow Priestess frozen in the middle of her dark incantation, pierced by a deadly arrow.

Head over to the Upper Deck Entertainment website now to learn more about the game, see more art, or even download some demo decks.

We are delighted to invite everybody to the Blizzard booth at Igromir (site in Russian only), the major gaming event which will be taking place in Moscow on November 6-9 (open to the public on 7-9 November). You will be able to play the beta of the forthcoming World of Warcraft expansion, Wrath of the Lich King, and take part in competitions. Don’t forget to check our Jobs page for information on a career with Blizzard, and bring your CV with you to the event as we could be looking for someone just like you!

Two new realms will be opened today for the English Community in the Ruin battlegroup. The Terokkar and Azuremyst realms are brand new realms and are not open to migration for 90 days. The Ahn'Qiraj gates will be closed on these realms and the opening event can be started by players. If you're looking for a place to reroll before Wrath of the Lich King, one of these two could be your new home.

We have just updated the Wrath of the Lich King official website with an update about the frozen battleground of Lake Wintergrasp.

Overlooking the frozen plains of the Great Dragonblight and the inhospitable wastes of Borean Tundra lies a region known to the denizens of Northrend as Wintergrasp. Seated atop a high plateau, Wintergrasp has remained undisturbed for ages, its icy winds howling unheard amongst the ancient titan fortifications that dot the landscape…

Visit our Wrath of the Lich King site to read more about this new region of Northrend, bringing a whole new kind of open-world PvP to World of Warcraft

If you’re looking for a way to stand out from the crowd and show your guild spirit in the real world, then take a look at the just-released World of Warcraft custom apparel program. Several varieties of shirt designs and colors are available, and each is custom-printed with character information and a guild tabard emblem. Head over to Warcraft.SwagDog.com now to see some examples and get more information on the available options.

Following the vast majority of their population having moved to the Russian language realms, the realms Molten Core, Shadowmoon, Stonemaul and Warsong will be closed on Wednesday 29 October. The Free Character Migration to allow players on these realms to join larger realm communities will remain open until 11 November, after which remaining characters will be moved automatically.

For more information about this migration, please read this thread.

A strange letter was found in Eric Farrington's decaying diary. This foreboding omen was found in the dead and tainted city of Andorhal. Here is an excerpt from what we believe to be Eric's final words:

Help me, I've been bitten!
I can already feel the disease taking me. May the light bless me as I go to be with my family and friends once again. I'm not sure how much longer I can keep my sanity. I am weak. I hunger, and must eat...
Eat...
Brains...

Adventurers of Azeroth, if you want to survive the deadly return of the Scourge, we encourage you to read the safety precautions provided by your local Argent Dawn agent. The Scourge must not be allowed to advance again!

We've added some improvements to the Armory, including support for the player calendar feature introduced in the recent Echoes of Doom patch. The Armory version of the calendar lets players browse events the same way that they can in the game. It also lets players respond to events and invitations from other players, which then become effective in-game. To access the Armory calendar, click the new "Calendar" tab in the profile of one of the characters you play. If you're not already logged in, you will be prompted for the World of Warcraft account name and password associated with the character. You might notice that we've made some changes and improvements to the Armory login process and interface, too, including the ability to bookmark multiple character profiles for easy access. For more information, refer to our Armory calendar features list, Armory calendar FAQ, or updated Armory login FAQ.

We've added Topsytwinkle's latest creation, Bubladin to the Blizzard Fan Art gallery. Check out this charming and whimsical piece now!

We're always looking for new fan art and if you're an artist, you can submit your work to us here. We update the Gallery regularly and encourage you to check regularly to see what new and talented submissions are on display.

This Hallow's End, adventurers will face the return of the Headless Horseman! This fearsome creature will unleash destruction upon towns across Azeroth and create opportunities for adventure and a little fire fighting. The stout of heart should rush out to meet him! To learn more about this event, which will run from 18 to 31 October, please check our Hallow's End page.

The Public Test Realms are now open! Check out the patch notes for more information. If you have any questions or concerns, please post in our Public Test Realm forum.

The Intel Extreme Masters Global Challenge tour is taking place at the Montreal Olympic Stadium in Canada this weekend, October 17-19. Many of the world's top Arena teams will be competing in this event and representing their respective countries for a piece of the $30,000 prize pool. During the competition, the Electronic Sports League will provide a non-stop free video stream, so everyone worldwide will be able to watch all of the matches live with English commentary. For more details, including team profiles, rules, and the video stream, head on over to the official Montreal coverage page.

The Named Arena tournament invites the most famous World of Warcraft players in Korea to compete in a series of PvP competitions to determine the best players in the country. They recently started their second season, and their English broadcasts will start on October 19 at noon (KST). Two types of broadcasts will be available on the GOMTV website for your viewing pleasure. Be sure to check both the live stream and videos on demand to catch all of the action.

The thundering Echoes of Doom content patch has arrived in Azeroth, howling down from the far north, bringing with it the new Inscription profession, barbershops, two new arenas, a new achievements system, player calendars, and much, much more! Check out our Echoes of Doom page or the patchnotes for more information!

Also, our dedicated technical support team is on hand to help with any difficulties encountered with patching. Check out their FAQ on patching if you need help!

On patch day everyone wants to get the new content as soon as possible, and our Technical Support team is here to help you with a special FAQ designed to address any issues which might arise while patching.
They are there for you by phone and email, and you can access the full support site here – which also includes general assistance on in-game topics and new content.

BlizzCon has come to a close! We'd like to thank everyone who helped make BlizzCon 2008 such a success! And, while the convention may be over, there's still more to come at BlizzCon.com!

BlizzCon is officially underway! Gamers from around the world have come to Anaheim to join us for this two-day celebration of Blizzard Entertainment games and the passionate communities of players surrounding them. We'll be updating BlizzCon.com regularly throughout the show with news and photos from the floor, as well as from the various contests, developer panels, and other events we've planned. We'll also be broadcasting streaming video of the 2008 StarCraft Invitational and other tournaments -- so be sure to check back often over the next couple of days.

Over the past two weeks, we have interviewed the runners-up and the winners of the European Regional Finals, Nihilum Plasma and x6tence, respectively. Today, you can read our overview of the teams from around the world which Nihilum Plasma and x6tence will be facing in their journey to the top spot of the BlizzCon World of Warcraft Arena Tournament. To learn more, check out our tournament page.

Blizzard Entertainment is pleased to present the brand new Oswald statue, to be presented to the best-in-category machinima submissions at BlizzCon 2008. The winners will be showered in prestige, and will write the first chapter in the history of our annual Oswald award.

Oswald recipients will be selected based on three categories for outstanding machinima production:

• Action/Adventure
• Comedy
• Drama/Romance

Due to the enthusiasm of the Russian players in converting to the localized Russian World of Warcraft, we have decided to make the European to Russian account conversion process available again from 8 to 28 October (inclusive).

You should transfer your characters before converting your account. Thus, the free character migration from European to Russian realms has also been extended until 28 October. Please check our character migration FAQ for further information.

We've added Soilworker's latest creation, Blood Elf Portrait to the Blizzard Fan Art gallery. Gaze upon the haunting, dark beauty of one of the sin'dorei!

We're always looking for new fan art and if you're an artist, you can submit your work to us here. We update the Gallery regularly and encourage you to check regularly to see what new and talented submissions are on display.

Our latest addition to our World of Warcraft wallpapers section is another offering taken from the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game. You can adorn your desktop with the dark power surrounding Kael'thas, lord of the sin'dorei, and Al'ar, his phoenix.

Head over to the Upper Deck Entertainment website now to learn more about the game, see more art, or even download some demo decks.

Last week we interviewed the runners-up of the European Regional Finals, Nihilum Plasma, about their journey on the road to BlizzCon. Today, you can read our interviews with the winners of the European Regional Finals, x6tence. X6stence will be joining Nihilum Plasma at BlizzCon in the battle for supremacy against the best teams from the U.S. and Korea. For more details about this team, check out our tournament page.

The upcoming Echoes of Doom patch will set the stage for the November release of World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King -- and to help you prepare for your first foray into Northrend. Check out our Under Development page for more details.

We've added Khad's latest creation, Death From Above to the Blizzard Fan Art gallery. Watch out for the silent, stalking killer who springs at her targets from on high!

We're always looking for new fan art and if you're an artist, you can submit your work to us here. We update the Gallery regularly and encourage you to check regularly to see what new and talented submissions are on display.

The European Regional finals may be over but for the triumphant teams, the hardest journey is still to come. X6stence and Nihilum Plasma will be heading to BlizzCon to face the best World of Warcraft Arena teams from the US and Korea in a battle for world supremacy. We take a closer look at our two European finalists and talk to them about their experiences in and out of the Arena to find out what it takes to play at this highest level of competition. Our first interview is with the runners up of the European finals: Nihilum Plasma. Check out our tournament page for more details.

Our latest addition to our World of Warcraft wallpapers section is another offering taken from the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game. You can adorn your desktop with the blazing fury of this human wielder of arcane power.

Head over to the Upper Deck Entertainment website now to learn more about the game, see more art, or even download some demo decks.

We are delighted to announce that the Paid Character Name Change service is now available for Russian-account owners. If your character's name does not fit your nature anymore, feel free to use the wonders of gnomish engineering to change it!

The brackets for the StarCraft, Warcraft III, and World of Warcraft Arena tournaments at BlizzCon are now live. These brackets show the starting matches and also provide some information about the contestants who will be competing in this year's BlizzCon tournaments. We will be updating these brackets during BlizzCon, so make sure to check back to see the latest tournament results and replays.

Check out the brackets here: StarCraft, Warcraft III, World of Warcraft Arena Tournament

The submission window for the BlizzCon 2008 Movie, Original Song, and Motivational Poster contests has now closed. We thank everyone for the wide array of creative entries we've seen.

BlizzCon attendees have until September 30th to enter for the /Silly, Dance, and Costume contests, and until October 3rd to submit pictures for the Diorama contest.

We are in the process of reviewing all applications and submissions as we receive them and look forward to seeing more!

We've added M. Zuccarello and A. Caramanica's latest creation, a vivid rendition of an epic duel between Illidan and Zul'jin entitled Death and Resurrection to the Blizzard Fan Art gallery. Take a moment to glance at this masterwork!

We're always looking for new fan art and if you're an artist, you can submit your work to us here. We update the Gallery regularly and encourage you to check regularly to see what new and talented submissions are on display.

Illidan and his corrupted followers lie in wait within the dark depths of the Black Temple -- and now World of Warcraft Trading Card Game (TCG) players are able to venture into the Betrayer's stronghold themselves. The new Black Temple Raid Deck builds on the Traitor feature introduced in the Servants of the Betrayer TCG expansion with potent new abilities and allies, while the fixed 12-card treasure pack ensures that everyone will get their hands on some powerful loot -- including Illidan's legendary twin Warglaives of Azzinoth. Plus, for the first time ever, certain Raid Deck cards are playable in constructed decks. Head over to www.wowtcg.com to pick up the Black Temple Raid Deck or find out more about the best-selling TCG.

Our latest addition to our World of Warcraft wallpapers section is another offering taken from the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game. You can adorn your desktop with the cool regard and sanctified power of this forsaken wielder of the darkest arts.

Head over to the Upper Deck Entertainment website now to learn more about the game, see more art, or even download some demo decks.

The sounds of rams and kodos scurrying about, their riders carrying special deliveries and bringing news to Ironforge and Orgrimmar, is in the air. That can mean only one thing: Brewfest has begun! Join in the merriment outside any of the capital cities, defend the fest from the Dark Iron dwarves who try to ruin the fun for everyone, and help make the event a success. Accolades and rewards await those who lend a helping hand in defending and promoting this event. Check out our Brewfest page to learn more!

If you haven't had the chance to check out the Blizzard Store, now is the perfect time to do so. Blizzard-themed merchandise of all kinds is available for the discerning fan, from t-shirts and caps through to action figures and board games. The Blizzard Store also stocks the Blizzard Authenticator, a supplemental authentication method for your World of Warcraft account, providing you with even more security to keep your characters and items safe.

Digital downloads are also available for Diablo II, StarCraft, and Warcraft III along with their respective expansion sets. Linking these to your Blizzard Account means that you can download them anywhere, with the CD keys conveniently attached to your Blizzard Account.

Yarrrr matey, it be Pirates' Day! Commoners wearing pirate garb have appeared in all the world's cities with the news that the Dread Captain DeMeza and her crew have landed in Booty Bay and declared it Pirates' Day! If you are brave enough to share a drink with her, you may have what it takes to become an honorary crew member for the day. To learn more about this event, check out our new Pirates' Day page!

We have just published an interactive map of the zones of Northrend. Now you can click and learn more about the levels of each region, the cities and dungeons housed therein. Visit our Wrath of the Lich King site to check out the new zones adventurers can explore when the expansion arrives!

Due to the popularity of the free character transfer from European to Russian realms, we are re-opening this service. To begin the transfer process for any of your characters, please visit your Account Management page. If you missed out the first time around, here's another chance to make the move – but be swift, as this service is only open until October 14th.

We are happy to announce that players in four more countries are now eligible to use the Scroll of Resurrection service. Players in Russia, the Ukraine, Latvia, and Lithuania may now help their friends or be helped by their friends in reviving their World of Warcraft accounts. By reviving an account with this service, you can play with an old character for 10 days, free! Please check our updated Scroll of Resurrection FAQ for more information about this feature.

We've added Effix's latest creation, a colorful mage to the Blizzard Fan Art gallery. Take a moment to look into the swirling, chaotic powers controlled by a wielder of the arcane.

We're always looking for new fan art and if you're an artist, you can submit your work to us here. We update the Gallery regularly and encourage you to check regularly to see what new and talented submissions are on display.

We have just added a new wallpaper to our World of Warcraft wallpapers section. This wallpaper features some amazing artwork from the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game. Head over to the Upper Deck Entertainment website now to learn more about the game, see more art, or even download some demo decks.

This week's wallpaper features a dwarven hunter, his trusty pet at his back, preparing to unload upon his enemies.

In the frozen wastes of the north, the Lich King Arthas Menethil rallies his undead army and schemes to bring an end to all life on Azeroth -- and in a couple of months, you'll begin your epic journey into Northrend to confront the Lich King and his minions yourself. Blizzard Entertainment's second expansion to World of Warcraft -- Wrath of the Lich King -- will be in stores on November 13 in Europe, Russia, North America, Mexico, Argentina, and Chile, and on November 14 in Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia. The expansion will be available in Korea and the regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau on November 18, and the launch timing for China will be announced at a later date. For more information, read the press release or visit the Wrath of the Lich King website.

Wrath of the Lich King will be available in both a standard edition and a special Collector's Edition (in select areas). The Collector's Edition will contain an art book, behind-the-scenes DVD, exclusive in-game pet, and more. For pictures and a complete list of contents, check out the Collector's Edition page.

Retailers in Europe are currently taking pre-orders for the game. Reserve your copy now!

The Public Test Realms are now open! Here is your chance to download the client and test some of the changes coming in advance of Wrath of the Lich King such as the new talents, the player calendar, achievements, and the Inscription profession! Check out the patch notes for more information! If you have any questions or concerns, please post in our Public Test Realm forum.

We are delighted to announce that the Scroll of Resurrection service is now available for Russian-account owners. Invite a former player of World of Warcraft to try the latest game content for 10 days free and get 30 days of free game time yourself if they renew their subscription. With a Russian or a European account, you can extend this invitation to all eligible former players of World of Warcraft. To access this service, please go to the Account Management page.

Providing a smooth and enjoyable experience for all players is always a priority for us, and we are continually re-evaluating our policies and programs to do so. As the state of the game has matured substantially since the inception of Paid Character Transfers, we will now be allowing PvE-to-PvP transfers on a full-time basis to provide players with more mobility and freedom to easily play with their friends.

Keep in mind that all of the other standard cooldowns and restrictions will continue to apply; we're just opening the option to transfer characters on Normal realms to Player-vs.-Player realms. Please review the Paid Character Transfer FAQ if you have any questions on how this service works.

You can use this service at any time by visiting your Account Management page and selecting the “Paid Character Transfer” button.

We've added Juna's latest creation, a steely-eyed gnome warrior to the Blizzard Fan Art gallery. Take a moment to look into the deep, violet eyes of certain death.

We're always looking for new fan art and if you're an artist, you can submit your work to us here. We update the Gallery regularly and encourage you to check regularly to see what new and talented submissions are on display.

This past weekend brought the Warcraft Regional Finals for the World of Warcraft Arenas and Warcraft III to Madrid, Spain. The Blizzard Europe Community team has posted coverage of the two day event for anyone who could not make it to enjoy! Take a moment to check out the Regional Finals Day One and Day Two coverage on our forums. We have also posted the results of the World of Warcraft Arena Tournaments and Warcraft III on our Regional Finals site.

Thanks to everyone who showed up and made the Regional Finals such a great event! Also, good luck to the Arena Regional Finalists, X6tence and Nihilum Plasma and to the Warcraft III Regional Finalists, Happy, SaSe, and LucifroN7, all of whom will be competing in the Tournament Finals at BlizzCon in October!

We have just added a new wallpaper to our World of Warcraft wallpapers section. This wallpaper features some amazing artwork from the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game. Head over to the Upper Deck Entertainment website now to learn more about the game, see more art, or even download some demo decks.

This week's wallpaper features an orc warlock contemplating the putrid puissance of his demonic powers.

We are now accepting entries for our BlizzCon online contests, including our Diorama, Motivational Poster, and Movie contests. Whether you have tickets to BlizzCon or not, your application is welcome. Simply fill out the Submission form and be prepared to demonstrate your creative talents! For more contest information visit our BlizzCon Contests page.

For those BlizzCon attendees looking to show off graceful dance moves, fill the convention center halls with laughs, or come dressed as your favorite Warcraft, StarCraft, or Diablo characters, the Submission form for all applicants is now available! For more contest information visit our BlizzCon Contests page.

Summer draws to a close and the leaves of the trees begin to turn from vibrant green to rusty red, reminiscent of the blood of fallen heroes. The Harvest Festival has arrived and adventurers from all over Azeroth are gathering in Stormwind and Orgrimmar to remember those who have passed on into the Light over the fading year. Processions wind their way to Uther the Lightbringer's tomb and to Grom Hellscream's memorial as both the Horde and Alliance take a moment to pause, reflect, and remember the great ones.

To learn more about this festival, please check out our Harvest Festival page.

If you don't already have your very own Blizzard Account, now is the perfect time to create one. A Blizzard Account allows you to keep all your Blizzard registration keys (WarCraft III, StarCraft, Diablo II…) in one handy place, and to download your registered games when you need them from any computer you are using. The Blizzard Account gives you access to the Online Store, where you can buy Blizzard games and other products, including the Blizzard Authenticator.

Our new stock of Authenticators is expected to arrive mid to late September, and should be available for purchase on the Online Store at this time.

If you enjoy the music from Blizzard Entertainment games and have ever thought about ordering the soundtracks, doing so just got more convenient. Six soundtrack albums have just been added to a new Blizzard hub page within the iTunes music store, and are available for purchase and download. The StarCraft, Diablo II, Warcraft III, World of Warcraft, and The Burning Crusade soundtracks are all there, as is the Taverns of Azeroth album, which had been exclusively sold at BlizzCon 2007. For more information, check out the official announcement, or head over to the Blizzard iTunes page.

The 2008 European and North American Warcraft Finals will be taking place this weekend, September 6-7. These events will feature the top eight qualifiers from the 2008 World of Warcraft Arena and Warcraft III tournaments for their respective regions. Attendees will also have the opportunity to try out demos of Wrath of the Lich King and StarCraft II on-site. Admission is free, so come by and check it out if you're in the area. Check out our European Regional Tournament site for more details and coverage. You can also learn the details concerning the North American Regional Finals here.

Now is your chance to become a member of Blizzard. Our Game Masters are looking for talented individuals with excellent teamwork skills to expand our Russian In-Game Support Teams. Join Blizzard now and use your unique skills to help us make a great game even better! You can learn more about working at Blizzard and can also have a small glimpse at life on GM Island by visiting our