Aw, look how cute! Diablo 3 fans might be a little surprised to see that as powerful as Tyrael is in the world of Sanctuary, he's just a little noncombat pet in the World of Warcraft. Look at his cute little hood! Fortunately for you, Joystiq's sister site WoW Insider is rolling like a raid boss in Azeroth -- we've got every little bit of WoW news you need, from Wrath of the Lich King rumors to biting commentary about the biggest online game in the world. Here's our best from the last week.

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.

• Hands-On Space Siege: We get to play with a late build of the sci-fi action-RPG from Gas Powered Games and Sega
• Hands-On Bionic Commando: We swing to new heights with this preview of the third person action game revival from GRIN and Capcom
• Hands-On Civilization IV Colonization: We check out this (sort of) remake of Sid Meier's classic strategy game from Firaxis and 2K Games
• Hands-On American McGee's Grimm: We play through the first portions of this episodic action game that's coming from Gametap.
• Preview: Call of Duty World at War: We check out a live demo of the upcoming WWII shooter from Treyarch and Activision.
• Interview: Strong Bad's Cool Game For Attractive People: We chat with members of Telltale Games to find out more about their upcoming episodic adventure game.
• Alone in the Dark: We compare the PC version of the Atari survival horror game to its Xbox 360 counterpart in our latest Big Versus article and go more in-depth with the game as well.
• Guide to TF2 Pyro Achievements Part 6: We have the final part of our series of articles looking at the new achievements for the Pyro class in Team Fortress 2.
• Big Ideas: Our new weekly column on gaming's major themes takes a look at story in games.
• Freeware Friday: Our weekly look at free games talks about the scrolling shooter rRootage
• Big Iron: Our hardware column takes a look at the new 4800 series of Radeon graphics chips from AMD/ATI
• Mac Monday: Our regular look at Mac gaming takes a look at the Mac exclusive arcade game Neon Tango
• BigCast: Members of Big Download chat about the week of PC games in our latest podcast.

Continue reading The Best of Big Download; June 29-July 5, 2008

• Alexander Sliwinski: Metal. Gear. Solid 4. And Ticket to Ride, which is strangely addictive.
• Andrew Yoon: Ludwig's coming over! YAY!
• Chris Grant: Having finished Metal Gear Solid 4 (finally!), I've taken up arms with Battlefield: Bad Company. I find the destructive elements vaguely cathartic and, though I'm not very far yet, the storytelling well done. How's multiplayer? I totally skipped the beta.
• Griffin McElroy: (See: Justin's answer)
  
• Kevin Kelly: I'm out of town, and it's all board game action for me: Ticket to Ride, Zombies!!!, and the new Risk: Revised Edition.
• Kyle Orland: Finally going to dive into Metal Gear Solid 4 in the serious way it deserves.
• James Ransom-Wiley: In lieu of playing I'll be watching another friend take his walk down the aisle. And then I'll try out that game McElroy suggested a few weeks back: drinking.
• Jason Dobson: I've recently had an itch to play games of the tabletop variety, and with family all gathering to set off small explosives in celebration of our nation's birthday, we'll all be dabbling with the dark arts (and stabing each other in the back) playing Betrayal at House on the Hill.
• Justin McElroy: (See: Griffin's answer)
  
• Ludwig Kietzmann: I'll be on a plane for most of my Friday, so I'm stuck with playing portable games. Which is just as well, since I have gems like The World Ends with You, Contra 4, Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles and Mega Man: Powered Up to keep me busy.
• Randy Nelson: Since my PS3 still works, I figured I'd take the opportunity to unlock all of the Trophies in Super Stardust HD. Then I think I'll go back and find all the secrets (and get all gold stars) for the first three episodes of American McGee's Grimm. I just can't resist a game that implores me to "make it nasty!"
• Ross Miller: Drums - real drums, that is. And some guitar, piano and mandolin at a 4th of July concert tonight in downtown Athens (woo-hoo!). Otherwise, I'm planning to go crazy on Diablo 2 and FIFA 08.
  

Where can the world's biggest World of Warcraft fans go to talk with Blizzard devs, hear news about upcoming games, and dress up like Murlocs? Paris' Worldwide Invitational 2008, of course -- that's where WoW Insider was last weekend, and we've got a ton of news about everything WoW from the event, including Death Knight exclusives, new talents for Wrath of the Lich King, and coverage of all the panels and ceremonies. If you've ever played World of Warcraft, now's the time to go check WoW Insider -- odds are there's something new that'll remind you why you liked the game in the first place.

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?

• Games for Windows Press Conference: We attend Microsoft's press event where they give their views on the future of PC gaming.
• Guide to TF2 Pyro Achievements: Want a details look at all of the new achievements you can get while playing the Pyro in Team Fortress 2. Then check out the first five parts of our series: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, and Part 5.
• Shattered Suns Interview: We have an extensive interview with Chas. Cooper of Clear Crown Studios about their upcoming space based RTS game.
• Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford: We chat with the head of the extremely busy game developer on Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway and their other projects.
• Alone In the Dark Interview: We chat with Atari US producer Todd Slepian about their just released survival horror game.
• Hands-On: Deer Hunter Tournament: We get hands-on with the newest entry in the hunting sim series from Atari.
• In-Depth: Armaggedon Empires: We take a detailed ook at this acclaimed indie strategy game.
• In-Depth: The Political Machine: We offer a look at the just released political strategy game from Stardock
• Big Ideas: Why do we play video games?: Our editorial takes a look at why we need playtime with games anyway.
• BigCast 001: Our debut podcast has three of our team members chatting about, what else, PC gaming
• Freeware Friday: Our weekly look at free games has a look at Freeciv, a free tribute to the great Civilization games.
• Spore Creature Creator contest: You still have time to participate in our contest; make the best creatures and win some cool prizes

Continue reading The Best of Big Download; June 22-28, 2008

News

• Patch 2.4.3 patch notes
  Level 30 mounts? A new bag from Haris Pilton? Cheat Death nerfed? It's the patch we never saw coming.
• Upper Deck announces new loot items, including an Ethereal vendor pet
  New items to drool over from the WoW TCG.
• WotLK Wiki is back in action
  After suffering a C&D late last week, the fan-run wiki covering all the alpha leaks is back and running.
• GotFrag releases videos of the MLG 3v3 Tournament
  What's almost as exciting as playing WoW? Watching other people play it.
  
• Blizzard's Icy splash screen changes, hints at Diablo and Wrath of the Lich King for WWI
  What's behind the icefield? WoW Insider wraps up all the rumors (here's hoping for Diablo 3, since, as you can see above, Diablo is clearly hidden in the ice. Clearly.).

Features

• Lord Ahune strategy and walkthrough
  We tell you exactly how to take down the new event boss (and nab his tabards, if you know what we mean).
• Azerothian Spore creatures continue to crawl in
  Creatures from Azeroth have invaded Spore -- here'a gallery of some of the best.
• Midsummer Fire Festival quest guides
  Everything you need to know about getting the most out of Blizzard's mid-Summer event.
• Patch 2.4.3 gallery of eye candy
  Construction in Stormwind! New TCG items! Feast your eyes on everything there is to find in the new patch.
• The Art of War(craft): Farewell to season 3
  Season 4 starts today -- before you get to all the good stuff, take a look back at what just happened.

• Spore Creature Creator: Not only did we chat briefly with Spore's executive producer Lucy Bradshaw, we launched a Spore Creature Creator contest that will give the winners some cool prizes.
• Interview: Brad Wardell of Stardock: We chat with the CEO of Stardock about The Political Machine 2008, Sins of a Solar Empire, their new Impulse game delivery system and lots more.
• Interview: Randy Stude of The PC Gaming Alliance: We quiz the president of the non-profit organization on their plans to promote and improve PC gaming.
• Freeware Friday: Our latest free game spotlight goes to the sci-fi action strategy game Battleships Forever.

Continue reading The Best Of Big Download: June 15-21, 2008

• Alexander Sliwinski: I will be getting in some Sins of a Solar Empire and messing around some more with the Spore Creature Creator. I've also had a Rock Band hankering again.
  
• Andrew Yoon: Doing some traveling this weekend, so it's all about the PSP. I'm going to keep on playing Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, and I have to finish Secret Agent Clank so I can review it. I'll also be playing a hotly anticipated PS3 game.
• Chris Grant: As soon as this pre-E3 week is over and I'm back in the comfort of my home (not to mention my Coast) I'll thrust myself back into the waiting and capable arms of Old Snake and Metal Gear Solid 4.
• Griffin McElroy: I'm actually playing through BioShock for the second time. I know it's a little early to break that one out again, but with the proverbial well being dry until next Tuesday (Final Fantasy Tactics A2, which should keep me entertained until about this time next year), my weekend gaming options are somewhat limited.
• Jason Dobson While most of my time this weekend will be looking for a roof to put over my head in the Beaver State, I'll also be trying to discover who framed Ratchet for theft in Secret Agent Clank. Bizarrely, the PSP has been getting the lion's share of my portable love of late, but I just can't resist a robot in a bow tie.
• Justin McElroy: I finally broke down and got Metal Gear Solid 4, so I'll be playing that. Also, I'll be playing my favorite drinking game: Drinking.
• Kevin Kelly: I'm finally revving up some GRID action, and I'm playing some board games I've been finding at thrift stores lately: Lost Treasure, Arch Rival, and Zombies!!! (the !!! is part of the name, not just me being a geeky fanboy).
• Ludwig Kietzmann: My plan is to continue inching my way through Condemned 2, but I'm certain I'll just end up playing Metal Gear Solid 4 again. No alerts this time!
• Randy Nelson: I have this problem, you see. I want to finish MGS4 ... but I don't want it to end. I think my only choice is to just bite the bullet and beat it over the weekend, then play through it again. And again. Then it's back to my considerable backlog until Alone in the Dark hits next week.
• Ross Miller: I beat Metal Gear Solid 4 last week, but I feel the urge to go no-kill this time. Instead, I'll be giving my PC some love. Free Team Fortress 2 via Steam this weekend (I regret buying Orange Box for consoles now), and time to revisit some classics: Deus Ex, Thief and Grim Fandango.
• Scott Jon Siegel: Hopefully Key Largo, and also crossing my fingers to get a little Risk: Black Ops going on. I WOULD be playing Space Invaders Extreme, if any retailers were actually carrying the game within a week of its release. Grumble grumble.

You can almost hear David Bowie singing around the realm of Azeroth lately: ch-ch-ch-ch-changes are in the air. Blizzard decided to do PvE to PvP transfers for the first time this week, Season 4 is coming soon in the Arenas, and lots of changes are coming to old Azeroth (including the Dalabubble, above). But don't let change worry you -- Joystiq's sister site WoW Insider has you covered, through all the changes coming in Wrath of the Lich King. You can turn and face the strain -- we got your back.

News

• WoW player more ashamed than porn addict
  Addiction is out there, and people suffering from it need to get help.
• Combat stats and spellpower consolidated on Alpha
  A huge change to the way talents and gear will work hits the expansion's Alpha servers.
• Seven graphical WoW generators, and one for your car
  Seven different ways to put your World of Warcraft character into graphical form.
• Starting from scratch with two weeks to Season 4
  The new arena season was announced this week, and even if you weren't prepared, we've got you covered.
• Reading between the lines: are more PvE to PvP transfers possible?
  Blizzard broke their precedent for the first time this week to save a dying server -- will they do it again?

Features

• Ask WoW Insider: /roll abuse?
  The number one way to cause drama in the game? Be unfair with loot.
• Tank Talk: The better (and lesser) angels of our nature
  Our raid Tanking column talks about that little DPS devil on your tanking shoulder.
• Ask a Lore Nerd: The evil-o-meter
  Lots of players know some things about lore, but the Lore Nerd knows all.
• Changes to old Azeroth coming in the next expansion
  What's changing in the old world when Wrath of the Lich King releases? A lot.
• 'Tis the Season 4 making money
  Zach Yonzon tells you exactly how to cash in on the news that Season 4 is coming soon.

• Name: Kevin Kelly
  
• Job Position: Contributing Editor, Los Angeles Area Monkey For Hire
  
• Past Experience/Education: I studied radio, television and film production and writing at The University of Texas in Austin, and although I never planned on moving to Los Angeles, I've now been here for umpteen years. To think, it all started with one simple internship.
  
• Life Outside of the 'Stiq: There's life outside the 'Stiq? What the?! In the spare time I'm able to muster up, I also write about movies, television, and other pop culture things for various sites around the web. I also hike a lot in the Los Angeles area, hit the beach (literally, with my fists) and try to be a well rounded dude. And no, I haven't tried surfing out here yet.
  
• Why I'm Blogging: I still don't know the answer to this, because it happened by accident. I worked in the movie industry for ten years, and a good deal of those were at The Jim Henson Company. When Disney bought the Muppets, I went into limbo. Somehow I emerged into the realm of blogging, as if from a wormhole.
  
• First game experience: Pong. The original version, so very long ago. I still remember bouncing between friend's houses because one had a ColecoVision, an Odyssey, an IntelliVision, and we had the Atari 2600. Ah, the heady days of practically no-bit gaming. A few years later, and I had a subscription to Coin-Op Monthly. It was a good day when you'd come home from school and that was in the mail.
  
• Favorite games: Literally anything from Infocom (interactive fiction, ftw!), Full Throttle, King's Quest, The Last Express, Myst, Alternate Reality, The Bard's Tale, Ultima III, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, The Dig, Day of the Tentacle, Elevator Action, Cliffhanger, Dragon's Lair, Halo (1, 2, and 3), Catan, Um Jammer Lammy, LocoRoco, Super Mario Galaxy, and tons and tons of board games. I have a closet full of 'em, almost like that scene in The Royal Tenenbaums.
  
• What the hell kind of clown are you?!: The crying on the inside kind, I guess.
  

• Interview: Vic Davis of Armaggedon Empires: We chat with the creator of the acclaimed indie turn based strategy PC game.
• MODverlous Monday: This week we examine two custom mad maps for Blizzard's classic RTS game Starcraft.
• Casually Speaking: We take a look at the "death" of the video arcade.
• Freeware Friday: This week's free featured game is the nearly graphics-free RTS/RPG title Dwarf Fortress
• Big Iron: Our regular hardware column takes you through some video card basics

Continue reading The Best Of Big Download: June 8-14, 2008

• Alexander Sliwinski: I will be hunkering down with some Sins of a Solar Empire. I'm also going to test the Civilization Revolution demo a little more, which will get me itching to play some Civ IV, so then I'll probably do that.
• Andrew Yoon: Depending on how devastated I am by tonight's Battlestar Galactica finale, I'll be playing Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3). For my multiplayer fix, I'll be back in Team Fortress 2 (Xbox 360) and Grand Theft Auto IV (Xbox 360).
• Chris Grant: Unfortunately my $20 bid for BenHeck's portable PlayStation 3 wasn't a winner, so that means trying to cram the entire epic Metal Gear Solid finale into one hurried weekend before heading out to LA next week for some pre-E3 stuff. Go!
• James Ransom-Wiley: My folks are in town for the weekend, but I'll be "sneaking in" some MGS4. Unfortunately, the PS3 (and everything else I hold dear) is in the all-purpose office / entertainment / guest room. No place to hide!
• Jason Dobson: MGS is good and all, but right now I am neck deep in GRID, which honestly is the effing gold standard for quasi-realistic racers. I expected as much given the majesty that was/is DiRT.
• Justin McElroy: Dolphin Olympics 2, obviously. ... What's that? There are other games? I wasn't aware.
• Kyle Orland: My word processor. I've been stealing some moments with Trackmania United, actually, since Joystiq featured a post on it being free. Very frustrating, but the feeling when you actually win a race is the best.
• Ludwig Kietzmann: I'll be playing Metal Gear Solid 4, mostly because I enjoy bowling people over with oil barrels. And, should I get too happy, I'll just play some Ninja Gaiden 2 to remind how disappointing a sequel can really be. I suppose I have to find time for GRID as well (hint: it's excellent!).
• Randy Nelson: It's been a pretty slow couple of months for new releases, so I figured I'd check out this little indie deal called Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. I've heard some good things about it. Once I've watched ... er, beaten that, it's back to that Saint's Row wannabe, GTA 4. If I get a chance, I really want to sit down and get with the silly in the Spore Creature Creator. Sporky needs a friend.
• Ross Miller: Given my new addiction, probably Metal Gear Solid 4 until my eyes bleed. Then Spore while I let them heal. I'm also thinking I'll bring Wii Fit and Rock Band home to my family to play on Father's Day.
• Scott Jon Siegel: Super Mario Galaxy, in the capacity of star-bit collector. Also, hopefully Key Largo and Risk.

• Name: Scott Jon Siegel
• Job Position: Blogger / Columnist
• Past Experience/Education: Four years as a Literature and Integrated Arts major at Bard College; Game Politics correspondent from way back in the day.
• Live Outside of the 'Stiq: Just moved to San Francisco, following a six-month stint living it up in the South of France (Bonjour! Où est la bibliothèque?). When I'm not blogging, I'm designing games, and blogging some more. I'm also engaged to an awesome blogger. Imagine that!
• Why I'm blogging: I like writing, I like video games, and I like paying my rent on time, so it made sense. I started as a columnist (Off the Grid's coming back soon, I swear), and graduated into a full-time blogging position once I got out of college.
• First game experience: I really can't remember. Must've been so awesome it erased itself from my consciousness, lest I become incapacitated by its glory. Obviously.
• Favorite games: Rez, Metroid II, Chrono Trigger, and basically everything in this photo.
• What do you really look like? This, plus 16 years or so.

• Name: James Ransom-Wiley
  
• Job Position: Senior Editor / 3,434 posts and counting...
  
• Past Experience/Education: Joystiq plucked me fresh from the "outside" in July 2004. I did manage a BA in Sociology from Wesleyan University a year before that.
  
• Life Outside of the 'Stiq: Is a mostly quiet, mostly Hispanic, quickly gentrifying neighborhood in Brooklyn. (Call it "East Williamsburg," or just plain Bushwick.) Lex and I share an Astroturf'd yard set away from the street between buildings, where she really got her flower pots going this spring and on warm evenings we dine at Brittany Perez's just-painted baby blue (from pink) picnic table. On late nights back from the city we hit up the best sandwich place no one's heard of: T&A Deli. There, Alex greets us with, "Goodmornin! The usual, baby?"
  
• Why I'm blogging: I needed to supplement my income, so I responded to a Craigslist ad for a part-time writing position on a developing video game blog. I submitted three samples in the style of a site I'd never heard of: "Engadget." Five weeks later I got a response. I was hired and began blogging for Joystiq alongside the then only contributor, Ben Zackheim. Coming up on four years later, Joystiq has grown far, far (far!) beyond my naive expectations and completely sucked me up with it.
  
• First Game Experience: Big bro's ColecoVision. I remember Tarzan, mashing the 5-key to set off the monkey-man's signature cry; and thrashing the mini-wheel on the mammoth alternate controller to flicker around the bases in Super Action Baseball; and helping my color-blind brother figure out which blocks he'd changed in Q*bert. Plus: River Raid, Time Pilot, Smurf: Rescue in Gargamel's Castle, Cosmic Avenger, Donkey Kong, Venture, Zaxxon, Front Line, Looping, Mouse Trap -- yeah, they got me hooked young...
  
• Favorite Games: Contrary to what GTA IV reviewers will tell you, there still isn't anything quite as "perfect" as Castlevania: Symphony of the Night -- but I'm gonna go with five close to my heart: The Legend of Zelda, Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, Ninja Gaiden (NES), F-Zero, and Halo ... and five shoutouts to: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Arcade Game, Tecmo Super Bowl, Gitaroo Man, Pac-Man C.E., and Shufflepuck Café.
• Stick or Automatic? Stick.

News

• WoW Insider interviews SK Gaming about downing Kil'jaeden, the Sunwell, and why to stack +haste
  The world first guild to down the last boss of the endgame talks with us about high-end raiding.
• Blizzard changes the description of the Death Knight trees
  Blizz clarifies (or makes more vague, depending on how you look at it) what the Death Knights will do in the expansion.
• No pure +damage gear in Wrath, claims Kalgan
  A fundamental change to the way caster gear improves spell damage and healing stats.
• The Brewfest Kodo and what it may mean for Wrath's release date
  An October holiday mount is hidden in the expansion's files, which means we may see a release before then.
• Ten Druids go on nom spree in Kara
  Half of Karazhan is brought down by ten Druids all on their own.

Features

• Guildwatch: Open your face jellyfish
  A wacky drama queen in our weekly look at guild drama spawns a new catchphrase.
• Illusionary Tactics: Orb of Deception
  Our new weekly column examines items and spells that can change your appearance.
• Know Your Lore: The Scarlet Crusade
  KYL examines the enemy faction that's probably been killed the most in-game (well, except for the Alliance).
• Tank Talk: Do you feel lucky, punk?
  Our new column for raiding tanks covers everything from armor to threat control.
• The Art of War(craft): DotA-style battleground in WotLK?
  Think you've seen the last of Defense of the Ancients (a.k.a. "Dhota")? Think again.