While exploring the mysteries of an exotic new land and advancing to the new level cap of 90, players will experience a range of new content and game features, including new quests and dungeons, group scenarios and “challenge” modes, pet battles, and more.

In the upcoming expansion, players will be able to explore the long-lost continent of Pandaria, which has remained hidden from the world since the sundering of Azeroth over ten thousand years ago. In the aftermath of the Cataclysm played out in World of Warcraft’s third expansion, Pandaria’s heroes are emerging from their land’s lush forests and cloud-ringed mountains to choose sides in the escalating war between the Alliance and the Horde and to share the extraordinary secrets of their ancient martial arts. As tensions between the factions near a breaking point following the discovery of this new world, players will be called upon to explore Pandaria’s exotic expanses, make contact with its strange indigenous creatures, and unlock the world-changing secrets that have been hiding in the mists for millennia.

Beginning on the evening of September 24, key retail partners in the US, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain, Sweden, the UK, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, and the region of Taiwan will welcome gamers who will be among the first to purchase and play the highly anticipated fourth expansion for the world's most popular subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game. Members of the World of Warcraft development team will be on hand at many of the official launch events to meet players and sign their copies of the game.

In the US, the launch event will take place in Southern California, near Blizzard headquarters:

Where:						Giant Wheel Court at the Irvine Spectrum Center
						71 Fortune Drive
						Irvine, California 92618
When:						9:00 p.m. PDT on September 24

Attendees will be treated to a stage presentation featuring an evening of activities, special guests, giveaways, and entertainment -- including a "challenge-mode challenge" between Blizzard employees and members of the community -- before the expansion goes on sale at midnight. For further details on each of the global launch events check here.

"We can't wait to meet up with players around the world and celebrate with them at the official launch events," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "A lot of hard work and long hours went into making Mists of Pandaria a truly epic expansion, so we're really looking forward to coming together and having some fun with the community before everyone takes off for the new continent."

In addition to the official US launch event, other retail locations around the country will open at midnight local time to support gamers eager to pick up the expansion as soon as it's available. Check with local retailers for further details.

Attendees at the Mists of Pandaria launch events will be able to purchase the standard edition of the expansion (suggested retail price $39.99) as well as the retail exclusive Collector's Edition (suggested retail price $79.99), which contains the following bonus items in addition to the game disc:

• A World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria behind-the-scenes DVD and Blu-ray two-disc set including over an hour of developer interviews and commentary
• The World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria Collector's Edition soundtrack CD
• The Art of Mists of Pandaria, a 208-page hardback tome including never-before-seen artwork from the development process
• World of Warcraft Imperial Quilen flying mount and Lucky Quilen Cub pet, StarCraft® II Battle.net® portraits, and Diablo® III banner sigil and accent
• A special-edition World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria mouse pad featuring Chen Stormstout, the legendary pandaren brewmaster

Players will also be able to purchase an activation code for the Digital Deluxe edition of the expansion (suggested retail price $59.99) at select retailers. The Digital Deluxe edition includes a full digital copy of Mists of Pandaria as well as the digital items from the retail exclusive Collector's Edition.

New features coming in the game’s fourth expansion include:

• New Playable Race -- Pandaren: Adventure through Azeroth as World of Warcraft's first neutral race and decide whether to side with the Alliance or the Horde.
• New Playable Class -- Monk: Unlock the secrets of pandaren martial arts and do battle as a damage dealer, healer, or tank.
• Level Cap Increased to 90: Learn potent new spells and abilities while exploring uncharted zones and taking on challenging new content.
• New Zones: Explore the lush Jade Forest, treacherous Kun-Lai Summit, and other exotic areas of Pandaria designed for high-level characters, and uncover the mystery of the Wandering Isle.
• Scenarios: Join up with some friends to achieve a common goal, such as mounting a defense against invading monsters, in a flexible new type of PvE challenge.
• Dungeon “Challenge” Modes: Master the ultimate five-player time trial to earn prestige rewards in a new dungeon mode that will put your resolve and coordination to the test.
• Pet Battles: Challenge other players’ companion pets with your own collection in a new tactical mini-game, and find out who's king or queen of the pint-sized battlefield.
• New Talent System: Customize your character to suit your play style with the newly overhauled and improved talent system.

Mists of Pandaria will be available at a suggested retail price of £29.99. The expansion will also be available digitally directly from Blizzard’s World of Warcraft website, also priced at £29.99.