Wednesday September 01, 2010
The on-going storyline of the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game continues with two new planned expansion releases: Icecrown and Worldbreaker. Icecrown is the conclusion of The Wrath of the Lich King block of cards, and will release in September. Worldbreaker begins the next block, and is scheduled for a late November release. The new expansions follow on the heels of this week’s release of the hobby exclusive Archives card set;

World of Warcraft Archives, a hobby exclusive product is a 10-card premium pack retailing for $5.99. Each pack will include nine foil cards chosen from the 190 mightiest cards from the first three years of the game and a bonus crafting cards. One pack in 11 will include one of twelve of the top Loot cards from past sets, including Spectral Tiger, X-51 Nether Rocket, Red Bearon, and Saltwater Snapjaw.

This is the second hobby exclusive WoW product; released recently World of Warcraft Class Starter Decks, which are available exclusively from hobby retailers in North America and Europe. The Class Starter Decks feature cards from both recent and older decks. These cards help form the brand-new “Core” format: a compacted, new-player-friendly format that prioritizes game time and minimizes down time. Each deck, which will have a retail price of $10.99 (10.99 euros in the E.U.), can be played right out of the box, which makes them especially attractive to new players.

There are 18 decks in all, each catering to a specific class and faction, and the packaging informs the customer exactly what combination of cards is being purchased. Players used to the online WoW game, but unfamiliar with the WoW TCG will be able to choose a pack that echoes their online character. Players will also have a chance to crack the best loot cards from the first three years of the game including the “Spectral Tiger.” Loot cards will be inserted randomly into the Class Starter Decks to give customers a chance a getting a real bonus in addition to the cards designated on the packaging. Not all Class Starter Decks will contain loot cards.

The Icecrown expansion features a new master hero, the Lich King himself, and new evils to tempt players. Players can remain loyal to the light, or embrace the darkness. Three new Loot cards are included in the expansion for use with the on-line game: “Paint Bomb,” “Ethereal Portal,” and the rare “Wooly Rhino” mount. There are 220 unique cards in the set. Each booster includes 19 game cards and one crafting card. Display holds 24 booster packs. The suggested retail price is $3.99 per pack.

The Worldbreaker expansion coincides with the upcoming changes to the on-line game and the new Cataclysm expansion. The world of Azeroth is fractured by the arrival of a new, terrible evil and new factions appear to join the Alliance and the Horde. Worldbreaker will feature Goblin and Worgen heroes and allies as well as new race and class combos. There will be three new Loot cards in this 270-card set. Each booster contains 19 game cards and one crafting card. Display holds 24 booster pack. Suggested retail price is $3.99 per pack.