Project Lore

As per usual, Boubouille of MMO-Champion has been doing his fair share of digging in the game files, and the last PTR update has revealed some interesting new pets to add to your collection. They're so nauseatingly adorable, that even Elmyra would think twice about snatching up these little guys. Below is the list of cuddle-bums you pet freaks out there will no doubt be scouring the far corners of Azeroth for when 3.2.2 goes live (note: some of these were listed in last week's patch notes update):

• Cute pets... nature's defense against jerks and cynics! Onyxia Whelpling: Most of you already know about this one. It will be available to anyone who logs in during the 2-3 week period that Blizzard considers World of Warcraft's 5th anniversary in November.
• Zipao Tiger: The interwebs tells me that "Zi Pao" is both a kind of purple jade and a style of traditional Chinese carving. The look of the pet certainly seems to fit the color description, but I'm unsure how the tiger fits into the world or where it might come from. Could this have something to do with the impending relaunch of the game in China? A good-will present perhaps?
• Wind Rider Cub: A miniature version of the Horde's flying mount du jour.
• Gryphon Hatchling: A miniature version of the Alliance's flying mount du jour.
• Spectral Tiger Cub: Available only by obtaining a loot card from the upcoming "Scourgewar" trading card game expansion, the vanity version of the very rare Spectral Tiger Mount will no doubt be in similarly large demand!
• Pandaren Monk: This one has kind of come out of left field. Blizzard likes to joke about Pandaren in Warcraft as much as they do about the Cow Level in Diablo, and yet neither is a complete farce (there was a hidden, and very challenging Cow Level in Diablo II). The only in-game representation of the bear-like race so far has been a quest associated with famed brewmaster, Chen Stormstout. Well, at least until now. They may not be playable, and it doesn't mean you're going to start seeing NPCs popping up around Azeroth, but you can have finally have a mini-Pandaren of your very own.
• Lil' KT: Only Blizzard could be capable of making an Arch Lich into a cute, cuddly little pet. That's right. The "KT" stands for the one-and-only Master of Naxxramas, himself -- Kel'Thuzad. Like most of the others, it's currently unknown when or where this one drops.
• Core Hound Pup: Nothing cuter than a tiny, two-headed dog that spews lava all over your shoes, is there? I wonder if you can carry them around in your Gigantique bag.

So there you have it. It seems that with each new patch or expansion, the cadre of available vanity pets continues to grow by leaps and bounds. It makes you wonder why Blizzard hasn't implemented some sort of Pokemon-esque battling game with them yet. "Grunty the Murloc Marine, I CHOOSE YOU!" Anyway, which of these new pets are you readers looking forward to the most?

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According to a government-issued press release, China's Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Commerce (that's right, they've got two Ministries on the job!) have filed an injunction against anybody who would sell or trade virtual currency for real goods or services. This comes as the country's first official ruling on the matter, which defines what does and does not constitute virtual currency (game cards count, apparently), and cites concerns of gambling and illicit trade using the the funny money as a go-between. Now, your average gold seller probably spends at least half his day in a tiny room filled with cigarette smoke and the ambient buzz of a dozen or so computers running non-stop, farming up mobs and resources just so he can earn his meager paycheck. He's the computer-age equivalent of your average "working joe." It almost makes me feel sorry for I wonder if Cash4Gold would accept all of my virtual WoW money? those guys, but hopefully the enaction of this new law will curtail the more malicious brand of online crooks: those that hack and ravage player accounts. Even if you haven't experienced it yourself, we almost all know someone who's fallen victim to the practice, and we understand how much of a pain in the butt it can be to get things squared away again. So, does this mean bye-bye Susan Express? As one of the more noted gold-selling sites, perhaps, as the Chinese government no doubt has their eyes on certain firms. But, as with just about any illegal trade, it will be all but impossible to completely stamp out. Gold farmers will go further underground or move their operations to other countries that have yet to ban the practice, though I believe that the law works both ways, meaning that Chinese players could be indicted for buying, as well as selling. The press release cites "QQ Coins" (yes, they're really called that) from Tencent.com as the most often-traded virtual currency in the country. Originally, they were used to purchase clothes and accessories for online avatars, but have come to be used by a variety of online stores seeking to capitalize on the incredible popularity of the associated online/networking services provided by Tencent. The new law makes exceptions for legitimate content providers, and the company has stated their intent to cooperate with the government in stopping online theft (just look at their "vision:" To be the most respected internet company). According to tech-related business site Information Week, the gold-selling business currently bring in "between $200 million and $1 billion annually." In addition to simply curtailing crime, the regulation seems apt to prevent the virtual trade from becoming too much of a burden on China's real-world economy in the future. I, for one, am glad to see China taking a stance on the issue, especially since the country is purported to house at least 80% of gold-selling operations worldwide. I can guess what most of you think of this development, at least from a WoW player's standpoint. But what about the global economy? These illicit operations may be a thorn in the side of real-world governments and creators of virtual goods (like Blizzard), but is stunting the growthy of a new economic avenue worth it in the long run? Just as digital distribution of products like movies or games is becoming a steady alternative to buying physical copies from the store, is it possible for money to effectively be traded in a similar fashion?

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In press release earlier today, Blizzard announced that, in China, World of Warcraft will be licensed to NetEase.com, who already has the rights to operate both Starcraft II and Diablo III. Once Blizzard's current deal with The9 expires in June, NetEase will take over the operation of WoW in China, with further details to be announced on their website. According to a VentureBeat article, that means Blizzard's cut of revenue from WoW in China will increase from about $50 million per year over $140 million per year, almost purely profit. It will be interesting to see if this means that Wrath of the Lich King will be coming soon for China, because they still have yet to see it released. This is a reminder of how, although WoW is a huge and global game, we aren't even able to interact in game with nearly everyone due to restrictions like different regions, languages, and servers that the game is played on. In the Totally Rad Guild, we have people from all over the United States, Canada, Australia, and probably more that I don't even know about. So how about you guys - where are you gaming from?

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