2008: January | February | March | April | May | June
2007 || 2006 || 2005 || 2004

This week's addition to the Blizzard Europe Fan Art Gallery is a very photogenic image of the zergling from StarCraft! This week's submission comes from our talented artist Shader. This submission is so realistic, it will make you look around wondering if you're about to suffer an infestation!

We're always interested in 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 are delighted to open the Russian forums, an important stage of our localization of World of Warcraft into Russian. On these new forums, fully localized into Russian, players will be able to provide feedback about the Russian Technical Alpha, and discuss issues with other Russian-speaking players.

The forums can be found here, and contain additional information about the Technical Alpha, including how to obtain the localized Russian client for World of Warcraft.

To all our Russian-speaking players, we'd like to wish you a warm welcome to the Russian forums.

The weekend of June 28th and 29th saw the 2008 Blizzard Worldwide Invitational come to Paris, France – the first major Blizzard event to be held in Europe. Visitors from all over the world attended to participate in the developer panel discussions and various community contests, to meet and chat with the developers and to be treated to the announcement of Diablo III. The atmosphere at the event was filled with energy and enthusiasm as visitors had the chance to play the newest versions of StarCraft II, World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, and to sample the activities and events hosted by our partners.

Throughout the event, attendees could watch the Worldwide Invitational tournaments and see the strategies and tactics favored by some of the world's best RTS players. Visitors could also watch the top-ranking World of Warcraft Arena teams from all over the world duke it out for the first place position. Nihilum held a live raid on-stage where those not quite ready to take on Kil'jaeden could watch as one of the world's top raiding guilds tried to put an end to the general of the Burning Legion.

The event closed on Sunday night with a concert featuring themes from Blizzard games performed by Video Games Live. The concert opened with Blizzard's own Level 70 Elite Tauren Chieftain who, leveling up throughout their performance, managed to ding 80! Grats, guys! When the lights finally went down on the event, the crowds seemed to be glad to have come to Paris and to be looking forward to BlizzCon in Anaheim this October.

If you want to know more about the event, check out our coverage page and have a look at the picture gallery!

We have just updated our World of Warcraft Wallpapers section with a wallpaper featuring the brooding lord of Outland and his naga allies, Illidian Stormrage, the Betrayer. Take a moment to check it out!

Twenty years have passed since the cataclysmic events of Diablo II. Mephisto, Diablo, and Baal have been defeated, but the Worldstone, which once shielded the world of Sanctuary from the forces of both the High Heavens and the Burning Hells, has been destroyed, and evil once again stirs in Tristram....

Following the unveiling of Diablo III today at the Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational, we've launched the game's official website, with information about the places, characters, monsters, and adventures awaiting you upon your return to the world of Sanctuary. Some of the site's highlights include:

• The cinematic teaser trailer shown at the 2008 Worldwide Invitational
• A 20-minute gameplay demo video
• More than 60 screenshots and pieces of concept art
• Deckard Cain's journal, narrated by Deckard Cain himself -- stay a while and listen!
• And much, much more

Visit the new Diablo III website now to learn more about the game, and make sure to check out the official FAQ and the announcement press release.

Thousands of people from all around the world were present today at the opening of the 2008 Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational. Welcomed by the Blizzard Europe's Managing Director, Fred Menou, and Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of the Blizzard Entertainment, the attendees were treated to the announcement of Blizzard's newest project, Diablo III.

With a stunning trailer, and a gameplay video to whet their appetites, attendees will have the chance over the next two days to attend panels about the development and design of this latest installment of the Diablo universe. Everyone who didn't make it to the event in person can now watch our live stream instead!

We have just updated the Wrath of the Lich King Bestiary with a new creature: the Flesh Giant.

The same dark sorcery used to command the Scourge's powerful abominations is utilized to even greater effect in the harsh and distant realm of Northrend. Here the Lich King has focused his malefic powers on flesh giants...

Check out the Bestiary to learn more!

We are delighted to announce the World of Warcraft Russian Technical Alpha, commencing next week.

All our Russian-speaking players are invited to participate in this first phase of testing which focuses only on the technical aspects of the game. We would especially appreciate your reports regarding any connection and latency issues you may experience.

The second phase, the Localization Beta, will begin with patch 2.4.3 and will focus on the localization of World of Warcraft.

To coincide with the release of the Russian Technical Alpha, the Russian forums will also be launched, giving our players a place to discuss the functionality of the game in Russian. A list of known issues will be featured here for the launch of the first phase of testing.

You can read this announcement in Russian here.

The forums will go live next week and we look forward to seeing you there!

To help players avoid unauthorized account access, we're introducing the Blizzard Authenticator, a keychain token that generates codes that must be entered when signing in to the linked World of Warcraft account. The Blizzard Authenticator will be available as a world premiere at the Worldwide Invitational 2008 held in Paris, France, this weekend. For full details, please check out the official announcement or visit the FAQ page.

As the 2008 Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational approaches, we are excited to announce that the Opening Ceremony (starting at 11:45, Central European Summer Time on Saturday, June 28th), the various tournaments, and the Closing Ceremony featuring Level 70 Elite Tauren Chieftain and Video Games Live concerts will be streamed live during the event on the official Worldwide Invitational website.

Visit our live stream page now to ensure you have all the necessary software installed on your computer.

If you can't be there in person, don't miss out on this chance to witness exciting tournament competition, live Blizzard-themed music, and more!

We will also be offering live coverage throughout the event, including news reports, articles, and live updates on the tournaments. Visit the website for more information!

The 2008 Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational, packed with tournaments, discussion panels, and other exciting events, is taking place this Saturday and Sunday, June 28-29 in Paris, France. If you're attending, have a safe trip and enjoy the show. If you couldn't make it this year, you can follow coverage throughout the weekend on our official Worldwide Invitational site.

We are pleased to announce that visitors of the 2008 Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational will be able to witness members of the well-known European raiding guild Nihilum enter the Sunwell Plateau and fight some of the most dangerous enemies in the World of Warcraft. Nihilum, best known for their world-first defeats of many World of Warcraft bosses, will be present with three players and one shoutcaster on both days of the Worldwide Invitational. Check out our website to read more!

As the event's name suggests, the invitational tournaments are one of the major attractions of the Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational. Once again, some of the world's best and most renowned players will gather to compete for honor, glory and over $100,000 USD in cash prizes. Our competitive Warcraft, StarCraft and World of Warcraft Arena tournaments are spread over both days of the 2008 Worldwide Invitational, with the finals taking place on Sunday.

On our website you can see an overview of the professional players taking part in our invitational tournaments.

Arena Season 4 has now officially begun, and players can immediately begin competing for the new Brutal Gladiator and Guardian PvP item sets. Players will now also be able to purchase Arena Season 2 items using the honor system. Please note that we have reset all Arena team and personal ratings, though players retain their Arena points and teams. The team and personal rating have simply been reset to the default 1500, allowing all teams to once again compete for top honors with a fresh start. Also, with the end of the third season, players on the top teams from each battlegroup will be receiving their end-of-season rewards approximately one week from today. These include Arena-specific titles that they can display proudly until the end of the new season, and, for the best of the best, an Armored Nether Drake.

This week we celebrate our 100th Fan Art posting to the Blizzard Europe Fan Art Gallery! This week's submission comes from our talented artist Lomadia. Today, you can see the deadly warlock Hannah poised for the strike, prepared to hurl dark fire upon any challengers in our fan art gallery safely. Only in 'still life' would you have the chance to see such a mighty assassin without also seeing your life flash before your eyes.

We're always interested in 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 updated our World of Warcraft Wallpapers section with a wallpaper featuring the Villains of Outland: the serpentine Lady Vashj, the conniving Kael'thas Sunstrider, and, of course, Illidian Stormrage, the Betrayer. Take a moment to check it out!

Each summer, the arrival of the Midsummer Fire Festival signals a time of merriment and a chance to revel in the hottest season of the year by lighting celebratory bonfires across the land and sharing in what the elemental spirits have to offer. This year (beginning tomorrow and continuing until July 5), the festival features some brand-new events, quests, and prizes, including a special summoned boss for groups of high-level players. Learn more about the new Midsummer Fire Festival content in our updated page!

We are happy to announce the results of the Level 70 Elite Tauren Chieftain Music Video contest! Congratulations to Ian Thoume, Lens Guido, and Tom Hope-Parry who took first place and have won a Logitech G51 5.1 Surround Sound speaker set! Taking second place and the Logitech Digital Precision Gaming headsets were Simon Batchelor, Benjamin Cummins, Ole Thomas Ihler Evensen, Joeffrey Koening, and Bodo Möller!

There were many creative, funny, and interesting entries but these are the cream of the crop! You can check out the winning videos in streaming Flash on our Contest Winners page!

We are extending the deadline for registration to the Worldwide Invitational Dance and Costume contests! Dancers and tailors will have until the end of Wednesday, June 25th to get their registrations to us!

Check out the contest information page to learn more!

Beginning tonight at midnight, Paris time (CEST), and running until 10:00 Paris time June 20th, all web services will be undergoing maintenance. Therefore, access to services such as Account Creation, Account Management, Subscription Renewal, Paid Character Transfer, Paid Character Name Change, the European World of Warcraft forums, the Armory, and WoW-Europe.com may be disrupted during this time.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

We are extending the deadline for submissions for the Movie and TV advertisement contests! Movie-makers have until the end of Sunday, June 22nd to get their submissions to us!

Check out the contest information page to learn more!

His daggers wet with the blood of his enemies, this powerful and stealthy rogue can be viewed in our fan art gallery safely. Only in 'still life' would you have the chance to see such a mighty assassin without also seeing your life flash before your eyes.

We're always interested in 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.

Phase 2 of the 2008 World of Warcraft Arena Tournament's second qualification round has begun. Tournament participants have had ample time during the practice phase to hone their strategies, try various team compositions, and gain experience playing with their team. It's now time for the real games to begin again for the last chance to qualify for the live regionals. To track the progress of your team and competition, please visit the World of Warcraft Armory and select the Coliseum 1 battlegroup. For more information on the tournament please visit our Arena Tournament information page. Good luck to all competitors!

So you want to show off your skills to the world by participating in one of the 2008 Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational contests? From Monday June 16th until June 20th, you can register to participate in the Dance and Costume contests that will take place at the Worldwide Invitational on June 28th. Just head over to the Contest Registration webform and let us know you'll be joining in! Also, if you would like to get advice or opinions on your costume, of if you simply want to show off your work in progress, don't hesitate to share your creation with the community in this thread.

Also, we are extending the deadline for submissions for the Fan Art and Machinima contests! Artists and movie-makers have until the end of Wednesday, June 18th to get their submissions to us! Check out the contest information page to learn more!

A note to our movie-makers: any music included in your submissions must either be your own original work or from a Blizzard product. Use of copyrighted music is grounds for disqualification.

We have just updated the Wrath of the Lich King Bestiary with a new creature: the Jormungar.

The fiercely aggressive jormungar are a marvel of evolution, possessing rows of chisel-like teeth capable of boring through solid rock, as well as muscular, flattened bodies well adapted to rapid underground navigation.

Check out the Bestiary to learn more!

From the twisting mists of the Nether, Heïdel weaves his deadly magic against any who would take on this undead hero. "Heïdel," our latest submission can be viewed in our fan art gallery safely. Only in 'still life' would you have the chance to see such a puissant caster without also seeing your life flash before your eyes.

We're always interested in 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.

So you want to show off your skills to the world by participating in one of the 2008 Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational contests? From Tuesday June 10th and onwards, you will be able to submit your creations via our contest registration web forms for the Machinima (movie and TV ad) and Fan Art contests. Registration is only open until 17th of June, so be sure to submit your entry in time!

For the dance and costume contests, registration will be open from June 16th until June 20th. If you would like to get advice or opinions on your costume, of if you simply want to show off your work in progress, don't hesitate to share your creation with the community in this thread.

Join our Community Team going behind the scenes to experience the world of Blizzard game-making in the third installment of our Blizzard Podcast – BlizzCast.

In each episode we'll be interviewing your favorite Blizzard developers and staff, giving you a glimpse of what it's like from their perspective to make the games you love.

Episode 3 of BlizzCast will take us deeper into the development of both StarCraft II and Wrath of the Lich King. We start out interviewing Dustin Browder, Lead Designer of StarCraft II, in our ‘Zerg Evolution into StarCraft II' interview. Next, we interview Lead Designer of World of Warcraft, Jeff Kaplan, about dungeon and raid design for both World of Warcraft and its upcoming expansion, Wrath of the Lich King. Following, we bring on Joeyray Hall, Manager of Video Production, to chat with us about the magic that goes into the development of Machinima for World of Warcraft. To finish up, we have various insightful questions from the community answered by the Blizzard devs.

You can listen to BlizzCast Episode 3 and read the transcript here.

We have just updated the Wrath of the Lich King Bestiary with a new creature: the Magnataur.

Magnataur have the torso of a giant attached to the body of a mammoth. This peculiar appearance has sparked speculation that their race might be related to centaur or even keepers of the grove. Many wonder if these races share a common ancestor, and some have even suggested Cenarius himself.

Check out the Bestiary to learn more!

Phase 1 of the 2008 World of Warcraft Arena Tournament's second qualification round has begun. Tournament participants have two weeks to hone their strategies, experiment with various team compositions, and practice their teamwork. To track the progress of your team and those of your competition, please visit the World of Warcraft Armory and select the Coliseum 1 battlegroup. For more information on the tournament, please visit our Arena Tournament information page. Good luck, and may the best teams be left standing!

Shrouded in darkness, blade to hand, death wears a blue skin. Nokturna's sinister troll rogue can be viewed in our fan art gallery safely. Only in 'still life' would you have the chance to see him without endangering your life.

We're always interested in 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.

Members of our staffing team will be present at the World Wide Invitational 2008. Don't miss your chance to discuss jobs at Blizzard and visit our recruitment booth!

At Blizzard Entertainment Europe, you will work with some of the most creative and talented people in the industry, working together to create the best games in the world. If you share our goals, and have the skills, we want to hear from you! Blizzard Entertainment Europe was founded in 2003 and is a constantly growing company. With a current staff of more than 700 employees comprising 24 nationalities, you will work in a highly multicultural and dynamic environment.

A relocation package will be provided for any successful candidate. Blizzard will assist with all the administrative tasks for you to get settled in a foreign country, such as registering for social security, opening a bank account, finding a flat, and setting up amenities.

Don't forget to bring your CV to the event! A list of all current opportunities in the European offices (Velizy, France and Cork, Ireland) can be found here: http://eu.blizzard.com/en/jobs/index.html.

We just added a new fan wallpaper to our Wrath of the Lich King wallpapers section. This wallpaper features the fearful Lich King, grasping the hilt of Frostmourne, his icy gaze glaring out a challenge at the watcher.

In addition to downloading our new wallpaper, you can learn more about the death knight class, the new areas and dungeons in Northrend, and new creatures coming in the next expansion at our Wrath of the Lich King site!

We're glad to announce the winners of the 2008 World of Warcraft Arena Tournament's first qualification round. These four teams have demonstrated their Arena combat prowess against strong competition.

1. HERCULES
2. True Terror
3. sapped cows cant say moo
4. kata bestils anyweree

Each team will be invited to participate in the regional qualifier for a chance to further showcase their skills, win cash prizes, and compete for an invitation to the global finals. For more information about the tournament or details on signing up for the second qualification round, please see our Arena tournament information page. Congratulations to all the winners!

The Championship Gaming Series (CGS) has announced its second annual World of Warcraft Arena Tournament. The top 1,000 3-vs.-3 Arena teams from North America and Europe will be invited to participate in an open-ladder competition running June 9 to June 22. The top two teams from each region will compete in a live final in Los Angeles, California for a top prize of $25,000. For more information, please check the FAQ. Good luck to all of the participating teams!

All available tickets for the 2008 Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational are now sold out! Taking place over Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th of June at the Porte de Versailles Convention Centre in Paris, France, the 2008 Worldwide Invitational looks set to be another exciting Blizzard Entertainment gaming event. Be sure to check the 2008 Worldwide Invitational website often for updates on the panels, showcased content, and other news on what to expect, as well as live coverage during the event!

At the 2008 Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational, all attendees will have the opportunity to witness some of the world's top StarCraft, Warcraft III and World of Warcraft Arena players compete in exciting matches. In addition to these professional gaming matches, community player tournaments will allow you to show your skills for fun and glory – and some amazing tournament prizes. Read more on how to compete with other members of the community in Blizzard's upcoming World of Warcraft tournaments and use your skills to come out on top! Check out the Community tournaments page for more information.

Tickets for the 2008 Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational convention and tournament gaming event are now available again on the Worldwide Invitational website.

This year's Blizzard Worldwide Invitational will take place in Paris, France, at the Porte de Versailles Exposition Centre on the 28th and 29th of June. Tickets are priced at €70 / £55 for the two-day event, which will feature hands-on play with the latest versions of World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King and StarCraft II, competitive eSport and casual player tournaments, costume, dance, fan art and machinima contests, live concerts, and much, much more...

The 2008 Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational is open to attendees of ages 4 years and above. Please note that any attendee under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a consenting parent, guardian or responsible adult of 18 years or above to attend

Don't miss your chance to experience two days of Blizzard-themed fun in one of Europe's greatest cities! Have a look at our event website and the FAQ for more information and get your ticket now!

A recent vulnerability has been discovered in popular web-content delivery program Adobe Flash Player, and it could potentially be used to target World of Warcraft players and accounts. The newest available version of Adobe Flash Player, version 9.0.124.0, does not contain this vulnerability, and we recommend that everyone upgrade their Flash Player as soon as possible by visiting the Adobe.com download page at the link below.

http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?...

In addition, to avoid exploitation of this vulnerability, we have temporarily disabled the ability to post hyperlinks in our forums. Any links will need to be copied and pasted into a browser. We'll continue to evaluate any potential security threats and take any steps necessary to ensure a safe and fun environment.

For more information on this issue, you can read the announcements from the Adobe security team concerning the threat at the links below.

http://blogs.adobe.com/psirt/2008/05/potential_flash_player_issue.html http://blogs.adobe.com/psirt/2008/05/potential_flash_player_issue_u_1.html

We have big news for everyone looking forward to the 2008 Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational in June. Additional tickets are going on sale, attendees will be able to enjoy two live concerts during the closing ceremony and a renowned comic book artist will be on hand to sign his work. Read on:

• Additional ticket sales for the Blizzard Worldwide Invitational will begin tomorrow, Thursday, May 29th, at 15:00 (Central European Summer Time). If you haven't yet purchased tickets for the event, follow the “Ticket Sales” link on the official Blizzard Worldwide Invitational website at that time. There will only be a limited number of additional tickets available, so don't delay in buying yours if you plan to attend.


• The renowned video game music orchestra, Video Games Live, and Blizzard Entertainment's own in-house band, Level 70 Elite Tauren Chieftain, have announced that they'll be performing live on stage during the closing ceremony on Sunday, June 29th.


• For those following the World of Warcraft comic series, designer and artist Ludovic Lullabi will be present for signings at the booth of the French World of Warcraft comic publisher, Soleil.

This year's Blizzard Worldwide Invitational will be held here in Europe, at the Porte de Versailles Exposition Centre in Paris, France, on the 28th and 29th of June. Both days of the event will feature a variety of activities including hands-on play with the latest versions of Blizzard Entertainment games, developer discussions and presentations, competitive and casual tournaments, contests, and more.

Tickets are priced at 70 € / £55 for the two-day event and can be purchased by credit or debit card. The Blizzard Worldwide Invitational is open to attendees of ages 4 years and above. Please note that any attendee of 16 years or below must be accompanied by a consenting parent, guardian or responsible adult of 18 years or above to attend.

Don't miss your chance to experience two days of Blizzard-themed fun in one of Europe's greatest cities!

Two hunters in a rare still moment... Bulrok brings us this week's amazing piece of fan art here. If you can tear your eyes away, you can also view our previous fan art entries in the Gallery.

We're always interested in 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 just added a new fan wallpaper to our World of Warcraft fan wallpapers section. This wallpaper features the dreaded demon lord, Kil'jaeden, facing Illidan, Lady Vashj and Kael'thas.

We're always on the lookout for new fan art and you can submit your work to us here for addition to our Gallery. We update the Gallery regularly and encourage you to check regularly to see what new and talented submissions are on display.

We're pleased to announce that additional tickets for the 2008 Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational will be available on the Worldwide Invitational website from Thursday 29 May, onwards.

This year's Worldwide Invitational will be held here in Europe, at the Porte de Versailles Exposition Centre in Paris, France, on the 28th and 29th of June. Both days of the event will feature a variety of activities including hands-on play with the latest versions of World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King and StarCraft II, the chance to meet Blizzard executives and developers in discussion panels and signing sessions, participate in community tournaments, dance, costume and machinima contests, watch top eSports competitors from around the world play in exciting invitational tournaments and much more! Tickets are priced at 70 € / £55 for the two-day event and can be purchased by credit or debit card.

You can find additional information about the event on our official website, including a comprehensive F.A.Q. and an interactive map of Paris, France, where the Worldwide Invitational will take place. Don't miss out on your chance to experience two days of Blizzard in one of Europe's most renowned and remarkable cities.

Check back here often to keep yourself updated on the topic.

Please note that you must be 16 years or above to attend the Worldwide Invitational, unless accompanied by a consenting parent, guardian or responsible adult of 18 years or above. The event is open to attendees of ages 4 years and above.

We will hold four different contests before and during the 2008 Worldwide Invitational: the machinima, fan art, costume and dance contests! You will now find information about all of them on our dedicated contest information page, including detailed rules, participation instructions, and prize lists!

Don't miss out on the chance to show your talent to the world and win great prizes!

While the opening of the Dark Portal and the scandalous return of Kael'thas to the Sunwell Plateau might have been good for adventurers all over Azeroth, they haven't been good for the goblins at the Gadgetzan Times. Known for their interest in all things explosive, there has been a significant shortage of reliable, sensible goblins to report on the events and news for this illustrious newspaper. When crisis looms, goblins get creative, and when the first ‘all-purpose automated author' self-destructed, there was only one solution - call in the experts.

We are proud to present the new and improved Gadgetzan Times, containing fan fiction written about the World of Warcraft by the people who know it intimately – the players. Featuring a selection of stories in different languages, it's the perfect place to share your stories with the world. You can find out how to submit your own story to the editors here.

The Gadgetzan Times – now with 100% more adventurer!

Do you think they saw her?

Check out our latest piece of fan art from Lynxia here, and view our previous fan art entries in the Gallery.

We're always interested in 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.

After several weeks of fierce competition, the 2008 World of Warcraft Arena Tournament's first qualification round has come to an end. Registration for the second qualification round will soon open, and you can check out the phase schedule for it here. For more information, please visit our Arena Tournament information page. Thank you to all of the participants and good luck to everyone in the second qualifier!

The fearsome death knight, World of Warcraft's first Hero class, is not your average adventurer seeking to prove his or her worth on Azeroth's fields of battle. No longer servants of the Lich King, they begin their new calling as experienced, formidable adversaries, heavily armed and armored and possessing an arsenal of deadly and forbidden magic learned in the Lich King's thrall.

Check out our new articles to uncover some of the death knight's core gameplay mechanics and abilities, and more information about the many gameplay changes going into our next expansion, Wrath of the Lich King!

His staff held high, the very Nether itself twisting at his feet, The Warlock, is our latest submission from talented artist Slinkyonion. You can take a look at this amazing piece, and view our previous fan art pieces in the Gallery.

We're always interested in 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 Nexus War has begun.

The blue Dragon Aspect, Malygos, was charged ages ago by the titans as the guardian of magic. More than ten millennia ago, he watched in horror as Deathwing all but wiped out the blue flight. Maddened by grief, Malygos withdrew to his lair and paid little heed to the rest of the world, emerging only when it finally seemed possible to avenge Deathwing's terrible crime.

Take a moment to check out our Wrath of the Lich King site to learn more about the Nexus, a new dungeon in Northrend! You can also view a trailer giving you a tour of this exciting new dungeon!

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.

Back by popular demand, and now with 50% more hall space for your convention-going enjoyment, BlizzCon officially returns to the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA, on October 10–11. Join us for another epic celebration -- meet your guildmates and fellow gamers from around the world; spend some quality time with current and upcoming Blizzard games; and partake in the contests, tournaments, and developer discussion panels that make up BlizzCon. Check out the press release to learn more, and stay tuned for further updates.

You've seen the icy, menacing eyes, and gleaming metal and heard the ominous names of Arthas holding Frostmourne. Now we are calling all artists to bring these images to life with their vision of Arthas with Frostmourne!

Starting May 7, 2008, Epic Weapons and Blizzard Entertainment will be looking for the best original pieces of artwork that show the Lich King Arthas Menethil wielding his trusted runeblade Frostmourne and the Grand Prize Winner will receive a full sized 47" long replica of the Frostmourne sword courtesy of Epic Weapons and a guaranteed entry into the beta test of Wrath of the Lich King! Two runner up winners will also be selected for entry into the upcoming Wrath of the Lich King beta test.

We'd like to extend our thanks to Epic Weapons for the generous donation of the Frostmourne replica for this event, and for more information about Frostmourne, you can head over to www.epicweapons.com.

Visit the contest page to learn more about the contest!

Creeping through the shadows to eliminate his mark, Opex the Rogue, is our latest submission from talented artist Opex. You can take a look at this amazing piece, and view our previous fan art pieces in the Gallery.

We're always interested in 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.

After two weeks of intense training - not to mention the beginning of the second phase of the qualifiers - registrations for the World of Warcraft 2008 Arena Tournament will be closing soon! Hurry up and register before tomorrow midnight (11:59 CET, May 6) if you want to join other gladiators in this epic battle for fame and fortune!

You will be able to track the progress of your team on the World of Warcraft Armory. Simply select the Coliseum 1 battlegroup. You can also find more information about the tournament on the Arena Tournament information page.

Don't wait until it's too late! Register now!

Children's Week is celebrated once a year in Orgrimmar, Stormwind, and Shattrath City. The week-long celebration is a time to give back to the innocents of war: the orphans! Learn more about this special in-game event and its new rewards on our updated Children's Week information page.

As the first day of May is a Labor Day holiday in France and working on this specific day is subject to stringent legal restrictions, Blizzard Europe will be providing limited support on Thursday, May 1st. All the realms will be available for play as usual, however our Technical and Billing Support teams will not be able to respond to your queries on this day.

Our Game Masters will be working all day and night, but in a reduced capacity so you may experience a slight delay in the response time to your in-game tickets. We apologize for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your understanding.

Self-assured and able to summon mighty demons to her aid, the human Warlock is our latest submission from talented artist Brachypelman. You can take a look at this amazing piece, and view our previous fan art pieces in the Gallery.

We're always interested in 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.

Phase 2 of the 2008 World of Warcraft Arena Tournament's first qualification round has begun. Tournament participants have had ample time during the practice phase to hone their strategies, try various team compositions, and gain experience playing with their team. It's now time for the real games to begin!

To track the progress of your team and competition, please visit the World of Warcraft Armory and select the Coliseum 1 battlegroup. If you haven't signed up yet, registration for the First Qualification Round is still possible until May 6, 2008!

For more information on the tournament please visit our Arena Tournament information page. Good luck to all competitors!

We recently sat down for an interview with World of Warcraft lead producer J. Allen Brack and art director Chris Robinson to discuss some of the ideas that influenced the development of Fury of the Sunwell, the most recent content update for The Burning Crusade. While we were at it, we also picked the development team's brains about the lessons learned from The Burning Crusade and how they're influencing the design approach for Wrath of the Lich King... Check out the full interview here!

This feature originally appeared in the Blizzard Insider. This regular newsletter of all things Blizzard is full of previews, interviews, special features, and other exclusive content. Each issue is delivered to you by email before the content appears elsewhere. View the latest issue, and sign up to receive the free Blizzard Insider.

Strong and primal, this mighty tauren warrior is our latest submission from talented artist Fasit. You can take a look at this amazing piece, and view our previous fan art pieces in the Gallery.

We're always interested in 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 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 Graccus, the human paladin, his melancholy gaze surveying the desecrated land around him.

The Level 70 Elite Tauren Chieftains have just released their latest hit: Rogues Do It From Behind! In honor of this occasion, they would like to invite you to create a music video for their newest song. So, grab your movie cameras, head out into the wilds of Azeroth and Outland, and film some sneaky rogue action!

Check out our Level 70 Elite Tauren Chieftain Contest page and our Terms and Conditions for more information!

Darkly appealing, a champion of nature, the Draenei Shaman, is our latest submission from talented artist Lier. You can take a look at this amazing piece, and view our previous fan art pieces in the Gallery.

We're always interested in 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 updated our Game Guide with a section covering the Dungeons and Raids of the Burning Crusade. From the misty peaks of Mount Hyjal to the burning wasteland of Hellfire Peninsula, you can learn more about the lore, the bosses, and the kinds of things to expect from a visit to any of the dungeons of the Burning Crusade.

Take a moment to check it out!

We 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 Mias, the warlock, preparing to let loose with a lethal spell.

We're pleased to announce that our agreements with The9, our World of Warcraft partner in mainland China, and Soft-World, our World of Warcraft partner in the regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau, have been updated to include the lo