Bringing Arena PvP to Wrath Classic

In original World of Warcraft, Arena matches were first introduced during The Burning Crusade. This became a major way for players to test their skills against one another, and to expand and master their knowledge of their classes. Years later, during the development of Burning Crusade Classic, the Classic development team sought to reintroduce this game mode in a way that provided Arena contenders with an authentic recreation of the Arena experience.

We enjoyed watching players enter the Arena each season and experience the rush of competition. We got to see the first Infernal Gladiators – recognizing the top players of Season 1. We also saw a lot of feedback from the community, and we gathered and analyzed a great deal of data about Arena play. This gave us the information we needed to implement Arenas in Wrath of the Lich King Classic, and importantly, to make some key modifications to how the Arena system works. In addition to removing Arena Teams, we’re testing several improvements to how Arenas look and feel.

Updated UI

The Arena user interface will look much like it did in Burning Crusade Classic, with some modifications:

• You’ll find your bracket listed in the place you used to see your team name.
• Banner colors and icons will update based on your current rating and ranking.
• If you’re a top ranked player, you’ll see your ranking.

Entering the Arena

Now that teams have been removed, you can queue with any other member(s) of your faction from your realm. Simply form a group, travel to your Arena battlemaster, and queue for the Arena size you desire.

Arena Points

Like Burning Crusade Classic, each week you’ll receive Arena Points based on your rating and participation. To receive Arena Points each week, players must participate in at least 10 games that week.

End of Season Awards

Arena rewards should look very much like they did in Burning Crusade Classic and the original Wrath of the Lich King. The Arena ladder will be calculated based on each player’s personal rating:

• Rank 1: End a PvP season in the top 0.1% of the Arena ladder.
• Gladiator: End a PvP season in the top 0.5% of the Arena ladder.
• Duelist: End a PvP season in the top 3% of the Arena ladder.
• Rival: End a PvP season in the top 10% of the Arena ladder.
• Challenger: End a PvP season in the top 35% of the Arena ladder.

To receive the rewards for the ranks above, you must:

• Participate in at least 50 games during the Season.
• Not be disqualified for breaking the Blizzard End User License Agreement.

Thank you for testing with us in the Wrath Beta!