The friends and family alpha has begun, and character copies for those few that actually gotten in are open.

Not really a big deal since probably none of us are in this phase, but it means beta is pretty close.Prepare for a huge influx of phishing emails, and client leaks.

http://www.mmo-champion.com/news-2/cataclysm-friends-family-alpha/

It may be the actual beta, but it's not certain

Just Alpha?  It's halfway through 2010.

Well some people were saying that freinds and family alpha has already been going on, and thier just preparing for the beta phase now. But i think if there was a alpha we would have heard about it already.

edit: actually, this may be the beta, its uncertain right now.

blizzard doesnt test as long as other game since wow as been going on so long they only test what need testing so their test are way shorter!but even then when beta start probably end of next month(after school is finished!you can be sure only the top dog in wow will gain access to beta !they are pretty much always the same so test is pretty reliable!

wow will probably release the story needed to link wotlk and cataclysm  at end of school so expect release around september!

Well unless im mistaken, there last two betas were around 6 months, but after thinking about it again, i really don't think they have that kind of time frame now.

Lich king is done, they can probably get another 1 or 2 if they really push it out of the current content, then there is another raid coming, but its a short one. Then the gnomergan and echo islands thing were trolsl/gnomes reclaim there cities, will probably last a month. So, if alpha really started in January like some people are saying, and this is closed beta, maybe it will see a summer release.

Yay! More publicity and non-news!

Let's drag out release but stay in the limelight. Let's make a big deal about every step we take.

Originally posted by pojung

Yay! More publicity and non-news!

Let's drag out release but stay in the limelight. Let's make a big deal about every step we take.

Betas are publicity stunts that have nohing to do with the game or cataclysm, i agree.

Originally posted by pojung

Yay! More publicity and non-news!

Let's drag out release but stay in the limelight. Let's make a big deal about every step we take.

doesnt matter!forsaken world will be its main competition (maker is perfect world)and by the look of it,it looks like they are timing fw release very close to wow release!(random luck!ya right!)