All set of another batch of QJ.NET's World of Warcraft Weekend Warrior? This week's hot news includes a couple of  updates relating to this year's BlizzCon event. There's also the matter of some upcoming changes to the Death Knight's talent mechanics, even as Wrath of the Lich King beta gets treated to some welcome new features.

Blizzard exec Morhaime has also dropped a hint on when WotLK will be launching, though we'll be leaving the pleasure of uncovering this matter to you.

---

Over at the Wrath of the Lich King beta run, players are reporting the presence of a new calendar UI. The function promises all the practicality of some previous addons some of you may remember using, while carrying added functions such as dating WoW's official events. And if you're asking, no - it did not display WotLK's expected launch date.

Link: World of Warcraft: WotLK beta gets a new calendar UI

Here's a good reason for you not to have splurged your life's savings during the Worldwide invitational. Ticket to this year's BlizzCon are expected to launch this August, while the event itself just might reward its visitors with some really sweet swag. Can you say Bear cavalry?

Link: BlizzCon 2008 tickets to be available in August, event coverage provided by DirecTV
Link: Wrath of the Lich King beta: BlizzCon Bear mount and new frost talent effects spotted

 

More theorycrafting is underway for Blizzard, with regard to the ever-changing face of WotLK beta. This week sees some new tweaks for the Death Knight's disease mechanics, even as brainstorming continues for a way for players to carry more than one talent spec.

Link:World of Warcraft: Talent spec storage being considered
Link: WotLK beta forums: changes planned for Death Knight's disease mechanics

One reality many a WoW player lives with is that for some members of the community, the easy way out is the best. Not that this is the best way though, as QJ.NET gets the nitty-gritty on the matter of gold-selling and power-levelling.

Link: Gold selling: A long, hard look at the industry

While it's not exactly related to World of Warcraft, the fans may want to keep a close eye on the recent publisher reports regarding some of Activision Blizzard's other games. These sort of things have a way of affecting other matters that they may not seem to be directly connected to.

Link: Activision Blizzard: Ghostbusters, Brutal Legend, and other games in publisher limbo *Update 2*

Last but not least, Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime recently dropped a hint at when WotLK will be going public. When is it, you ask? Well, let's just way it may coincide with a cold season of our own. Have you been a naughty gamer lately?

Link: Morhaime: Wrath of the Lich King coming Q4 2008

---

Getting WotLK by this year is certainly music to our ears. That aside however, Morhaime didn't specify any specific dates aside from the Q4 2008 tag. If I were to guess, we could be looking at a Christmas launch, when gamers are more than willing to blow cash on something as sought after as this expansion. That, and the cold weather is perfect for preparing us for our Northrend adventures.