News

• WWI attendees get their own pet, Archangel Tyrael
  Turns out the folks at WWI were even luckier than we thought.
• Rumor: Wrath of the Lich King box revealed
  See what the game you'll be buying later this year actually looks like.
• US registration for Wrath beta now open
  Blizzard has opened up an opt-in for players in the US and EU, and we're that much closer to release.
• Rumor: Wrath of the Lich King collector's edition box
  But what we really want to know is what's inside it.
• Kisirani implies the return of the Scourge Invasion event
  Looks like Arthas and his cronies will step foot back in Azeroth at least once more.

Features

• Things that annoy me
  Allison Robert open up a legendary can of rant for the Fourth of July weekend.
• Ask a Lore Nerd: The swirling vortex of death
  The Lore Nerd ruins his cool forever by knowing so much nerdy history about Azeroth, but you get to reap the benefits!
• The Creamy GUI Center: Big bag blowout
  Our UI column tells you how to make the most of those bags in your inventory.
• WoW Crossword
  We premiere a brand new Sunday morning feature on WoW Insider for you xword fans.
• Archangel Tyrael pet revealed
  The world of Diablo visits the world of Warcraft yet again.

Max Schaefer, co-founder of Flagship Studios, admits that things didn't go exactly as planned with its first title Hellgate: London; however, he believes the developer's sophomore effort, Mythos, is coming together much better. Schaefer tells Eurogamer (via GI.biz) that Flagship was "probably biting off too much" as a new developer with Hellgate and was rushed at the end, but with Mythos it's focusing on core features and taking time to polish.

Schaefer hopes Mythos can "put a dent" into some of the big MMOs out there and he believes the free-to-download-and-play model of the game -- with item sales bringing in money -- gives the developer a chance against the boxed subscription-based MMOs.

Blizzard has opened US registration for the Wrath of the Lich King beta. American World of Warcraft players should probably head over to this page now and register for a chance to opt in. Two helpful reminders:

1. Registering for the beta does not guarantee you a chance to play. It just adds your name to a pool of potential players that Blizzard will choose from.
   
2. Beware of e-mail scams. This is the official URL: https://www.worldofwarcraft.com/account/beta-opt-in.html

Whether or not you get into the beta, be sure to check out WoW Insider for up-to-date coverage.
[Via WoW Insider]

The comic-geeks over at Big Download followed the clues left in DC comic books this week and have found a MySpace page for DC Universe Online. The site contains the painfully small first screenshots seen in the gallery below.

The MySpace page also showcases several concept drawings for the game and wallpaper downloads. Also, those who make the game's MySpace page their top friend, may get invited to Sony Online Entertainment's big reveal party later this month at Comic-Con in San Diego.

[Via BigDownload]

News

• Worldwide Invitational Paris: The roundup
  Everything we posted from and about Blizzard's Worldwide Invitational event in Paris this last weekend. If you weren't there, read this, and you'll feel like you were (and it's a lot cheaper than a plane ticket).
• Hands on with WWI '08 Death Knight demo
  We actually play, for the first time, the first new class implemented in the game since launch.
• WWI '08 Costume Contest gallery
  Let's face it, the real reason you go to these nerdy events is to see the wacky cosplayers. Here they are.
• Blizzard unveils Diablo 3
  What were you doing last Saturday morning at 4:30am? Sleeping? We were compiling information on Blizzard's newest game.
• Blizzard's splash screen changes for June 27th
  Of course now, we know it was all for Diablo 3, but last week, we were still guessing our hearts out as to what the splash screen ice meant.

Features

• Arena Season 4: Brutal Gladiator
  Season 4 started last week, and we've got the most definitive guide on the Internet for what to spend your Honor on.
• Midsummer Fire Festival quest guides
  All the news coming out of Paris might have distracted you, but we didn't forget: the Midsummer Fire Festival is live on the realms.
• The Care and Feeding of Warriors: Titan's Grip!
  Yes, Warriors can do in Wrath what we never though possible: wield a two-hander in one hand.
• Blizzard Authenticator introduced at the Worldwide Invitational
  Blizzard is selling a physical key, to make sure the only person who signs into your account is you.
• Two talent trees for the price of one?
  We dip into one of the most underrated pieces of news coming out of WWI: could Blizzard be making it easier for players to respec?

The MMO-obsessed at WoW Insider managed to get some hands-on time with Wrath of the Lich King's Death Knight class while at this weekend's Blizzard Worldwide Invitational. Take a look for impressions and information on the gameplay, skills and talents of this soon-to-be overused class.

• General gameplay impressions
• Blood spells and talents
• Unholy spells and talents
• Frost spells and talents

Don't forget to check out all of Worldwide Invitational coverage, from World of Warcraft to Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3.

Funcom announced today that Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures has entangled 700,000 players in its breast-reducing web. GameDaily reports that Funcom believes this makes Conan the #2 subscription MMO in the western world -- yeah, World of Warcraft is still #1 ... by a long shot.

According to NPD, Conan remains the top selling PC title in the US since its launch May 20. Funcom reported early last month it had shipped a million copies of the game to retail and now believes its current subscription numbers give it "significant development resources" to evolve the game over time. Hopefully this also means bugs that reduce anatomical parts will be caught in the future.

Blizzard's Worldwide Invitational is now officially over! In case you missed all of the excitement this weekend (or just want a handy recap), here are the highlights:

	Diablo 3 Yes, it's really official. Here's everything there is to know about the game so far: Blizzard introduces Diablo 3 Watch Diablo 3 teaser and gameplay footage Here are the first Diablo 3 screenshots Highlights from the Diablo 3 FAQ Diablo 3 information overload Joystiq chats with Jay Wilson on Diablo 3 Poll: What classes would you like to see return in Diablo 3? WWI08: Diablo 3 design fundamentals WWI08: Lore and art in Diablo 3
	Starcraft 2 There was only one Starcraft 2 design panel, but boy was it a doozie. Part 1: Zerg Part 2: Protoss Part 3: Terran Part 4: Q&A with Rob Pardo
	World of Warcraft Let's not forget about the MMO behemoth, whose presence comprised about 80% of the WWI. Blizzard's WWI 2008 costume and dance contest All World of Warcraft classes dissected at WWI 2008 WWI08: New WoW arenas, nonlinear dungeons and goodie bags A lot more information can be found at WoW Insider

For the World of Warcraft fans who might've missed some coverage today, here are some of the highlights, care of WoW Insider:

• Check out these awesome goodie bags
• A look at Lake Wintergrasp, a non-instanced Battleground, as well as new arena maps from the PvP panel
  
• From the Dungeons and Raids panel, we learned about the return of nonlinear dungeons in Wrath of the Lich King.
• A video recap of the first day of WWI, with some good footage of the costume and dance contest (start at 1:45 for that)
  
• Did we mention awesome goodie bags?

At this weekend's Blizzard Worldwide Invitational, you too could be a Lich King for a fleeting moment ... we just wish the rest of him dressed more appropriately. Check out the highlights (and there are quite a few!) for the weekend:

Blizzard Worldwide Invitational
All World of Warcraft classes dissected at WWI 2008
Blizzard's WWI 2008 costume and dance contest
Joystiq chats with Jay Wilson on Diablo 3
News from the Starcraft II panel at the Blizzard Invitational

Joystiquery
The Best of Big Download; June 22-28, 2008
Echochrome: The PSP's philosophical answer to Brain Age
Japanese hardware sales, June 16 - June 22: Summer blockbuster edition
Poll: What classes would you like to see return in Diablo 3?
Poll results: 43% of Joystiq readers were right about Diablo 3
PS Fanboy Week in Review: 6/23 - 6/29
Scared Stiff: Why should we care about Resident Evil 5?
Weekly Webcomic Wrapup announces Lost Vikings

News
Blizzard introduces Diablo 3
Watch Diablo 3 teaser and gameplay footage
Diablo 3 shipping simultaneously on Mac
Highlights from the Diablo 3 FAQ
Diablo 3 information overload
First super details on Sony's DC Universe Online
Japanese classrooms using Nintendo DS to teach English
Rainbow Six Vegas 2 trailer explains Fan Pack contents
Sony granted patent for handheld with touchscreen and 'digital tactile pixels'
Bill Gates officially retires
Get your daily dose of murder with this Gears of War 2 Multiplayer preview

Rumors & Speculation
Rumor: Team Fortress 2 Spy update details leaked

Culture & Community
Blizzard Splash Screen Update for June 28 -- still inconclusive
David Hayter needs your help to write Metal Gear Solid movie
Guitar Hero: On Tour peripheral lends a hand to homebrew painting app
Floridian anti-smoking ad looks very familiar

You can't escape World of Warcraft at Blizzard's Worldwide Invitational. Between class-specific panels and the giant WoW dev panel. Here's a look into the future of each of the classes, including a ton of information on the upcoming Death Knight class:

• Death Knight
• Druid
• Hunter
• Mage
• Paladin
• Priest
• Rogue
• Shaman
• Warlock
• Warrior

The Murloc costume above only placed second in Blizzard's Worldwide Invitational 2008 costume contest. Interested to see what came in first? Check out WoW Insider's gallery of the costume (and dance!) contest, complete with their own colorful commentary.
When you get through with that, be sure to check out their major gallery of the WWI event, including some hawt ogre-on-ogre action.

Breaking a new title into the MMO market is difficult, as any game developer whose name isn't synonymous with an overabundance of frosty precipitation will attest -- especially when your title fits into a particular niche already explored by another developer. For instance, NCSoft's City of Heroes cornered the super hero MMO market when it debuted in 2004, creating an intimidating hurdle that other online vigilante simulators have yet to attempt to vault.

The latest issue of Edge magazine features an interview with Jim Lee, creative director for Sony's upcoming DC Universe Online, who reveals the steps Sony is taking to set their title apart from NCSoft's. With their inclusion of a number of recognizable faces from DC's voluminous roster, and their focus on making the title a "kick-ass hybrid between a traditional MMO and a first-person action console game", the apparent differences between the two games are clear. As long as there's a rich, intricate fish-controlling engine, we'll give it a shot.

38 Studios has added a seasoned artist to its ranks, announcing the appointment of Thom Ang as the company's new director of art. In his new role, Ang will oversee the art management and direction of 38 Studios' projects, including "Copernicus," the outfit's ever-mysterious MMO undertaking.

A 15-year digital art and illustration vet, Ang joins the Curt Schilling-founded developer from THQ, where he handled things both artsy and fartsy for more that 25 of the company's titles. In addition, he also worked on TV shows such as The X-Files, and spent time in the trenches at EA Los Angeles handing art and team management for the Medal of Honor franchise. We're still in the dark as to what the studio is up to with Copernicus, though it's good to know the company has someone on board with the chops to help steer the ship down a more artistic path.