Blizzard’s World of Warcraft is easily the most popular MMORPG video game in history.
The online version of the popular franchise was first announced in September of 2001 and went live on November 23, 2004, marking the the 10th anniversary of the Warcraft property. As you may recall, the very first video game set in the Warcraft realm launched in 1994 and was titled Warcraft: Orcs & Humans.
Since the launch of World of Warcraft online, the game has been updated with three expansion packs, including The Burning Crusade (January 16, 2007), Wrath of the Lich King (November 2008) and Cataclysm (December 7, 2010).
Blizzard Entertainment recently announced the launch date for the long-awaited fourth expansion pack which has officially been dubbed WoW: Mists of Pandaria. The expansion pack – slated to roll out on September 25, 2012 – will allow gamers to set foot on the shores of the lost continent of Pandaria. The expansion pack will be available for Windows and Mac gamers on DVD for $39.99, or as a digital download at the same price.
Blizzard will also offer a special Collector’s Edition of the expansion with bonus items for $79.99 in retail locations and for $59.99 as a digital download. Players who purchase the standard version of the game can upgrade to the digital deluxe version for an additional $20. The expansion pack is up for pre-order right now.
“Mists of Pandaria contains the biggest variety of new content we’ve ever created for a World of Warcraft expansion, with features that will appeal to new players, veterans, and everyone in between,” said Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaim. “We’ve received a lot of great feedback from players during our most extensive beta test yet, and we hope they enjoy exploring everything Pandaria has to offer when the expansion comes out in September.”
