Mists of Pandaria rolls out the keg on Sept. 25

If you have been chomping at the bit to create a new Pandaren monk in World of Warcraft, you'll get you chance when the expansion launches on September 25. Pre-orders have also started for the game with some interesting in-game rewards for Diablo 3 and StarCraft 2 as well.

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If you have been chomping at the bit to create a new Pandaren monk in World of Warcraft, you'll get you chance when the Mists of Pandaria expansion launches on September 25. If just having the game isn't enough, Blizzard also detailed the tschotskes available in the special editions.

The Digital Deluxe edition, which sells for $60, will include an Imperial Quilen flying mount and a Lucky Quilen Cub pet. If you play StarCraft 2, you'll get access to an Infested Orc and Night Elf Templar portrait on Battle.net, and a Diablo 3 sigil and banner accent showing Pandaren markings.

If you want to fork over $80 for the Collector's Edition boxed set, then you'll get all the digital stuff listed above as well as some of Blizzard's usual collectible fare: a behind-the-scenes DVD, a soundtrack CD, an art book and a mouse pad featuring famed Pandaren brewmaster Chen Stormstout.

The expansion adds new starting ares for the Pandarens, as well as the new monk class, while raising the level cap to 90. And if you are getting tired of beating on the other races in PvP, then you can start having your pets whack each other in a new pet battle system.

A standard version of the game is also available for pre-order for $40. Digital pre-orders, which will allow access to the game the minute it launches at midnight on launch day, will be handled on Blizzard's site, while Collector's Editions can be pre-ordered at most retail outlets.

Contributing Editor
From The Chatty
  • reply
    July 25, 2012 6:36 AM

    John Keefer posted a new article, Mists of Pandaria rolls out the keg on Sept. 25.

    If you have been chomping at the bit to create a new Pandaren monk in World of Warcraft, you'll get you chance when the expansion launches on September 25. Pre-orders have also started for the game with some interesting in-game rewards for Diablo 3 and StarCraft 2 as well.

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      July 25, 2012 6:44 AM

      [deleted]

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      July 25, 2012 6:47 AM

      I'll give it a try. I played the beta for a bit and the pet battles were kinda fun believe it or not.

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      July 25, 2012 6:54 AM

      i thought this already came out

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      July 25, 2012 8:00 AM

      I'll definitely be picking the CE up. Just have to wait until Gamestop gets the SKU in their POS systems. I've been playing MoP beta since April and honestly....this expansion will blow Cataclysm out of the water by leaps and bounds in terms of style, questing, features, etc.

      May not sell as well due to significant drop in subs, but quality >> quantity at this point.

    • Zek legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
      reply
      July 25, 2012 8:27 AM

      I don't see myself touching this. I'm sort of in the mood for an MMO but that's what GW2 is for, and if that doesn't work out I think I'll be burnt out for a while. There really aren't any others that even look promising right now.

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      July 25, 2012 8:30 AM

      I'd love to get back in to wow, but I'd want to see a big graphical overhaul and a lot of new high level content to explore - I guess that won't happen any time soon.

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      July 25, 2012 8:32 AM

      [deleted]

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        July 25, 2012 8:34 AM

        Looks fine to me. I'm not sure what's so wrong with the concept or the art that you're laughing.

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          July 25, 2012 8:38 AM

          [deleted]

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            July 25, 2012 8:48 AM

            Well I just mean that I have played Warcraft RTS games and WoW and they've always had a bit of goofiness to them. I mean Taurens are giant fucking walking cows... we are more used to them but that doesn't make them any less silly than giant walking pandas.

            It's just a video game and the WoW theme and aesthetic is pretty consistent and pandas seem to fit into that fine. If this was something gritty like Max Payne it'd be laughable but not really here.

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              July 25, 2012 8:51 AM

              huge bulls are way awesomer looking than soft ass pandas with silly hats.

              i think it's been over a year since i touched wow. can't remember.

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            July 25, 2012 10:20 AM

            wtf are you on about? there is Space Goats in the fucking game now and you are worried about a panda?

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              July 25, 2012 11:18 AM

              [deleted]

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                July 25, 2012 11:50 AM

                Are pandas somehow going too far? Have you paid attention to the other shit in the game?

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                  July 25, 2012 12:19 PM

                  [deleted]

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                    July 25, 2012 12:25 PM

                    What makes pandas too much?

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                    July 26, 2012 2:23 PM

                    Totally agree, moreso given that Panda's were originally made as a joke in Wc3 with no basis in the lore, and now they're retconned them in and based an ENTIRE expansion around them? WTF.

                    Killing Arthas and Illidan off was tolerable, hell, even fun the way they did it. After Wrath, WoW died for me. Ain't played in near 2 years now, doubt I will again.

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          July 25, 2012 9:28 AM

          I find it silly that a race that basically started out as a joke is now the focus of an entire expansion.

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        July 25, 2012 9:05 AM

        It's pretty terrible. I'm still tempted to do Deathwing on LOL mode before this comes out, then move onto GW2.

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          July 25, 2012 9:35 AM

          if the content has been nerfed anywhere near as badly as previous tiers, deathwing will be a joke. even to pug.

          firelands was the last tier I actually raided. its hardmodes, except ragnaros, were not that hard.

          heroic rag was nuts.

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            July 25, 2012 11:44 AM

            My guild beat pre-nerf regular Rag, we were only semi-hardcore though really. Twice a week, 50% rather good players and the rest not so much.

            I've heard PUG Deathwing is faceroll though, ya.

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          July 25, 2012 1:20 PM

          I've never actually killed the final boss of any version of WoW prior to burning out. I always have hoped to do it, but never have. The closest I came was working on Arthas for quite a while with a guild, and I didn't burn out actually, they all just up and quit one day. Then, I moved on to another guild and when I realized how far behind they were, I just couldn't stomach another month of gearing and ended up quitting.

          Blah!

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        July 25, 2012 4:09 PM

        [deleted]

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          July 25, 2012 4:37 PM

          Pretty sure he's trolling. He's just really bad at it.

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      July 25, 2012 8:34 AM

      If you buy the expansion, do you get a month of playtime?

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      July 25, 2012 9:42 AM

      Yay been needing something to play

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      July 25, 2012 10:46 AM

      Anyone know what the differences between the boxed CE and the Digital CE are?

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      July 25, 2012 12:16 PM

      Surprised at the date, figured they would try to release before GW2 to steal their thunder.

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        July 25, 2012 12:21 PM

        No reason -- everyone will be bitching about how terrible GW2 is by then.

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          July 25, 2012 12:30 PM

          You think? Wouldn't be surprised since I doubt it can live up to the insane amount of hype its received but not sure it will get hit as hard as AOC, WAR, SWTOR did.

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            July 25, 2012 12:39 PM

            Yeah, it's pretty consistent and predictable cycle for high profile games.

            Plus GW2 does some things with its microtransactions that might be pushing the term "convenience feature" a bit.

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            July 25, 2012 12:42 PM

            Having played a couple beta weekend events, it's legitimately a very good game but takes some getting used to. The initial player shock may put off some people.

          • Zek legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
            reply
            July 25, 2012 12:44 PM

            Without a doubt. It might not get the D3 treatment but there will be a lot of disappointed people who will basically complain that it's "just an MMO."

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              July 25, 2012 4:24 PM

              It's "just and MMO" isn't enough to earn the D3 treatment.

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            July 25, 2012 2:48 PM

            The nice thing about GW2 is that even if it's "terrible", there's no monthly fee, so people can consistently return as it improves without having to throw down cash or worry about getting their "money's worth" out of each month they are subbed.

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              July 25, 2012 6:58 PM

              Well the good news is, GW2 is badass =) Worth every penny. I'm not a fan boy either, I never played the first GW.

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          July 25, 2012 5:07 PM

          [deleted]

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        July 25, 2012 12:34 PM

        [deleted]

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        July 25, 2012 12:40 PM

        They'll release the big 5.0 patch right before GW2's release in all likelihood. Gotta level up those pokemon!

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          July 25, 2012 1:15 PM

          Yeah, the release of GW2 is 28th but preorders get a 3 day headstart so this release day was most propably planned considering that. Oh well, Blizz lost my bucks for now

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          July 25, 2012 1:16 PM

          Oh yeah forgot about the usual pre-expansion patch. That is when I usually come back not sure this time. So many other options around this year.

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      July 25, 2012 5:06 PM

      [deleted]

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      July 26, 2012 6:54 AM

      Warcraft is now a crappy fairy fart world. Actually, it has been that a super long time now. Now it's just comical. This looks like it's aimed for a sesame street audience. Looks stupid.

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        July 26, 2012 5:30 PM

        Funny thing is this was one of Blizzard's April fools jokes years ago.

        Guess they're running out of good ideas when they have to resort to what they intended to be a joke on it's customers.

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