Cataclysm Digital Presale Available

[KysenMurrin]

The online Cataclysm purchse is now available.

http://us.battle.net/en/info/presale

http://eu.battle.net/account/management ... e-wow.html


I just bought mine. Your account is immediately upgraded to Cataclysm, and you will be able to begin downloading the content as soon as it is available. Then, you just wait until it launches at 12.01 on the 7th and all the content is unlocked.

[Raivnor]

The battle.net site actually says that content for digital presales unlocks at 9:00, though I think they'll probably change that. If they stuck with that though it would be a huge advantage.

[Brutalicus]

Bought... and downloading. I think. Why does this damn game have to come out during finals?

[Shamora]

Is there any way to DL and install without having to buy the digital version? I have a collector's edition pre-ordered that I'll be picking up at midnight. I'm hoping I can preinstall it, pick up my box, put in my code when I get home and be all ready to roll.

[Ezharon]

Is there any way to DL and install without having to buy the digital version?

Download start only after upgrading you account and login into the game. I think buying the pre-sale digital version is the only way to upgrade your account currently.

[Pizbit]

How big is the download?

[Ezharon]

700 MB

[Dhalphir]

How is the release of Cata going to work for those in Australian and similar timezones?

I don't remember how it worked with Wrath.

When there is maintenance on Tuesdays, its at 3-5am PST on a Tuesday. For Oceanic servers, thats usually at 8-10pm (9-11pm with daylight savings as right now) on the same Tuesday.

So a midnight release of the digital download on Tuesday 7th would mean it wouldn't be available until about 3-4pm Tuesday afternoon for Oceanic players, several hours AFTER our shops open on Tuesday morning to sell the retail game, and thats discounting midnight releases held in Australian servers. Basically making the digital purchase the height of stupidity for an Oceanic player.

Are we going to be barred from playing until the US timezone catches us? Or are we going to be getting a significant head start on levelling? I honestly don't remember how the launch worked for Wrath with the timezones because this issue isn't solely down to digital downloads...a midnight release for a US title is going to be a lot lot later than a midnight release for an Australian title unless it drops a day earlier for the US.

Anyone have any input or able to clear my head with this?

[rodos]

As far as I understand it, the Cataclysm content will be "unlocked" on the server side at 0:01 am PST on the 7th. That means people in Oceanic timezones will be able to go to the store, buy the box, come home, install it, and then do nothing until the servers unlock the new goodies some time in the afternoon.

This is different from previous xpack launches, I think, probably due to the new streaming updater and the availability of the digital download.

Based on that, I'm planning on buying the digital download. Note, at current exchange rate to AUD, the digital download is significantly cheaper. UD$40, as opposed to AU$50 - $58 retail for the boxed version.

[Ryyu]

just spent all my money on Fable3, Arse.

[Pizbit]

700 MB

Huh, that all, for some reason I was thinking it would be far bigger than that (going by the recent massive patch heh), probably go cancel my pre-order tomorrow, the digital version is cheaper even if I lose my deposite.

[Dhalphir]

As far as I understand it, the Cataclysm content will be "unlocked" on the server side at 0:01 am PST on the 7th. That means people in Oceanic timezones will be able to go to the store, buy the box, come home, install it, and then do nothing until the servers unlock the new goodies some time in the afternoon.

This is different from previous xpack launches, I think, probably due to the new streaming updater and the availability of the digital download.

Based on that, I'm planning on buying the digital download. Note, at current exchange rate to AUD, the digital download is significantly cheaper. UD$40, as opposed to AU$50 - $58 retail for the boxed version.

the digital download is irrelevant to the issue, it merely complicates it

the core issue remains, I can't remmeber, did the US get Wrath a day earlier than the Oceanic timezones?

[Chicken]

700 MB

Huh, that all, for some reason I was thinking it would be far bigger than that (going by the recent massive patch heh), probably go cancel my pre-order tomorrow, the digital version is cheaper even if I lose my deposite.

A good bit of the data was already downloaded in the recent massive patch. I'd guess the pre-order download is mostly stuff that you'll never see if you don't have the expansion, which is, well, relatively little compared to previous expansions.

[Pizbit]

A good bit of the data was already downloaded in the recent massive patch. I'd guess the pre-order download is mostly stuff that you'll never see if you don't have the expansion, which is, well, relatively little compared to previous expansions.

Yeah that makes a lot of sense

[culhag]

700 MB

Huh, that all, for some reason I was thinking it would be far bigger than that (going by the recent massive patch heh), probably go cancel my pre-order tomorrow, the digital version is cheaper even if I lose my deposite.

Just like patches come in multiple parts, there may be more to come.

I'm still debating wether I'll get the digital download.
I wanted to have the box sit next to the previous ones, but realistically I'll never use the discs again after installing it. That and there's the uncertainty of having the box before the server opens vs. the guaranty that the download will be ready at that time.

Shit. Looking at things rationally, the download really makes a lot more sense.