BlizzCon '09: Dungeons and Raids Galore
2009-10-17 00:00:00
Big changes are on the way for World of Warcraft's instance runners and raid enthiusiasts. You won't necessarily have to wait for World of Warcraft: Cataclysm either, if you want to take advantage of these sweeping changes.

Cross-Server Instance Queues

The most game-changing new feature is being planned for patch 3.30, before Cataclysm launches. Cross-server queuing is coming to World of Warcraft's PvE. It starts with a queue for five-player instances across servers. This is an expansion of the current arena cross-server matchmaking functionality. While this new feature will start with five-man content, the WoW team is looking to expand this to eventually include raids. Designed with the PUG (pick-up group) player in mind, cross-server queuing should allow players to find groups more easily, particularly those without a large guild available to them.

To provide an incentive for experienced group leaders to take these PUGs through the content, a rewards system will be put in place, hopefully making it so ill-equipped and inexperienced groups will get an experienced and savvy leader that can help them get through those boss fights.

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Icecrown Dungeons and Raids

As you'd expect from a new content expansion, there will be plenty of new dungeons and raids to conquer. Starting with the frozen north, Icecrown (which some may have considered unfinished in Wrath of the Lich King) will be home to a series of dungeons. Icecrown Citadel will be home to twelve new bosses, laid out similarly to Ulduar with teleporters to take you from area to area. Getting to the top of the Citadel will be accomplished with help from the faction's airships, but as you'd expect, the opposing faction's airship is also racing to face off with the Lich King. With the help of cannons and jetpacks, you'll be able to actually board the opposing airship to slow them down and other...