Lich King Wow Update

I
n the Fall of the Lich King content update (patch 3.3), Arthas Menethil, one of the most sinister and iconic antagonists of the Warcraft universe, concludes his tragic tale in a final confrontation with the Horde and Alliance.

To gain more insight into this epic moment in Warcraft history, the Insider sat down with World of Warcraft Lead Encounter Designer Scott Mercer and Lead Systems Designer Greg Street. Read on to learn more about how Arthas evolved, how his fall from the Light influenced the history of Azeroth, and how the end of his tragic character arc could shape the game going forward.

Can you give us any teasers about the final Lich King encounter from a gameplay standpoint? How difficult will he be? Any insight into how his skills and powers from Warcraft III will carry over into the final Lich King raid event?

Scott Mercer: We’re going to keep those cards close to the vest, as players will be toe-to-toe with the Lich King soon enough, but I can say that he will pose the greatest challenge yet found in World of Warcraft. Beyond that, I can only share a few additional details. The battle against the Lich King takes place at the top of Icecrown Citadel where the Frozen Throne protrudes from the citadel’s tallest tower.

Throughout the fight, players will have an epic view of Icecrown Glacier, and falling off the tower will be a real danger, especially as the fight progresses. Also, I’ll just say that Frostmourne serves as more than just a weapon wielded by the Lich King during the encounter; it will actually provide a core mechanic of the fight itself, a mechanic which we hope will resonate strongly with all players -- especially the lore buffs.

Could Evony beat World of Warcraft

Some spoke of it and were laughed at, but could the new Evony Free Forever web-based gaming model eventually beat World of Warcraft for earnings in future years?

Short answer is yes, but it would take a long time.

There is no question that the web based gaming market is much hotter than offline / installer based games.

With web browser based games, anyone can signup and play from anywhere, they don't need powerful computers and they can get started right away.

In the evony vs Wow debate, blizzard has built a huge market that will take years to topple. But they aren't increased at a rapid rate - unlike Evony, who are surging ahead in new accounts.

The next few years will be very interesting to see developments in this free browser based MMO niche.