Case 1:15-cv-00228-RGA Document 7-10 Filed 03/31/15 Page 1 of 4 PageID #: 859
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`Exhibit 10
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`Ashran Preview: Prepare to Engage - World of Warcraft
`Case 1:15-cv-00228-RGA Document 7-10 Filed 03/31/15 Page 2 of 4 PageID #: 860
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`Ashran Preview: Prepare to Engage
`Nethaera 7/17/2014
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`Built upon the remnants of an ogre civilization, Ashran looks deceptively like a nice enough island just off the
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`coast of Tanaan Jungle. And it probably would be a lovely place to visit if not for the never-ending tug-of-war
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`between the Horde and Alliance taking place in the central region of the zone. Then again, this might just be
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`just your kind of excursion.
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`Ashran offers tons of opportunities for players to engage in a variety of activities, whether they want to go it
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`solo or join a group, slay monsters, or engage in PvP with their rival faction.
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`Building World PvP into Ashran
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`Over the years, players have been asking for more opportunities to engage in world PvP, and we’ve
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`experimented with a variety of approaches to that in places like Halaa and Wintergrasp. Creating opportunities
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`for unscripted, unexpected skirmishes might seem simple on the surface, but they’re often difficult to engineer
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`without sacrificing the unpredictable nature of these encounters. In its purest form, world PvP means no
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`boundaries or limitations on when skirmishes break out. When creating areas specifically designated for PvP
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`encounters, gameplay objectives will always have an impact on how people play and engage with each other.
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`In the end, many will choose the path of least resistance to achieve their faction’s win condition, and
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`sometimes that path involves simply ignoring other players.
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`In order to create the type of atmosphere that encourages more free-form world PvP in Ashran, we decided to
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`apply lessons we’ve learned from the Timeless Isle. By giving players more personal goals and opportunities—
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`such as killing creatures—players are more likely to find themselves spontaneously engaging in PvP to
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`compete for them. We want players to get caught up in the moment and become emotionally invested in the
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`outcome of each new encounter, whether it’s just getting the drop on a member of the opposite faction player
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`or getting revenge for a stolen kill. While Ashran still has plenty of objective-based conflict (more on that in a
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`bit), if you want that distinctive flavor of world PvP, the island has that for you too.
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`This Island is No Fantasy
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`Located off the coast of Tanaan Jungle, Ashran is a large, open PvP zone for players who have reached the
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`http://us.battle.net/wow/en/blog/14833872/ashran-preview-prepare-to-engage-7-17-2014[3/10/2015 5:18:51 PM]
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`Ashran Preview: Prepare to Engage - World of Warcraft
`Case 1:15-cv-00228-RGA Document 7-10 Filed 03/31/15 Page 3 of 4 PageID #: 861
`max level of 100, and it offers a little something for everyone. Players can reach the island easily a few
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`different ways, including using a flight path or by unlocking quick access within their Garrison once it reaches
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`Tier 3. The more daring—or foolhardy—adventurers could also try doggy paddling to the island, but we don’t
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`recommend it. (Seriously, we wouldn’t try it if we were you. You’ve been warned. In a world where pretty much
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`everything wants to kill you, you’re best off traveling to an island of pure conflict the safest possible way. We
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`really wouldn’t steer you wrong on this one.)
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`Unlike previous PvP zones, such as Tol Barad or Wintergrasp, no raid group is required to take part in the
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`excitement, and the zone will cap out at approximately 100 players per side, opening the door to some truly
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`epic-sized confrontations. To keep the action amped up, the same large group of regular realms will feed into
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`the zone, so it’s likely you’ll run into some familiar faces whenever you visit, both friend and foe. There will be
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`plenty of room to roam, as Ashran measures approximately the size of the Isle of Thunder. The intention is to
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`provide as much of a true world PvP experience as we possibly can to those who choose to frequent the
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`island. The odds may not always be in your favor, but with so many places to hunker down to either hide or lie
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`in wait, there are plenty of opportunities to achieve whatever goals you’ve set forth for yourself.
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`The Lay of the Land
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`At each end of the island, separate from the conflict enveloping the isle, players will find a small sanctum of
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`relative safety. Full-sized Horde and Alliance hubs sit behind each faction’s base, offering pretty much
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`everything a regular city would.
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`Ready to dive into the fray? One main artery runs through the center of the zone, and it’s here that you’ll
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`engage in an endless faction tug-of-war. At opposite endpoints, Horde and Alliance bases wait to be captured,
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`and you’ll be fighting for control of five additional capture points as you make your way down the lane.
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`Capturing these points along the way will push you and your faction toward the enemy base, making it possible
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`to take the battle all the way to the opposing faction’s base. To effectively hamstring your opponents and
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`hobble their efforts for a time, you’ll just need to take down their General within their base. Doing so will not
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`only garner you bragging rights, but will also deny the opposing faction access to their General, who serves as
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`a Conquest vendor.
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`At the central hub, the Ogre King stands waiting, flanked by his two bodyguards. Engaging one of the
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`bodyguards and proving your worth in combat will win the Ogre King to your faction’s side, and he will fight for
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`you for a time. But beware! His endurance is limited, and the longer he goes undefeated, the more susceptible
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`to damage he becomes.
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`As in many Battlegrounds, each faction will have a Resource count available to them. Once a faction’s
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`Resources drop to 100, they’ll get a little extra help via a randomly spawning Captain who will begin to fight for
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`their side. Many of these will bear familiar names such as Swifty, who will fight for the Alliance, or Talbadar,
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`who will fight for the Horde. There’s no guarantee who will ultimately come to your aid, however. Each time a
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`side reaches this Resource count, a new random captain will join the fray.
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`Beyond the Tug-Of-War
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`There’s more to Ashran than the conflict in the central lane. Around Ashran there are additional points of
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`interest (POIs) and monsters to slay. The various POIs offer a variety of random events which will allow players
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`to win awards for the Horde or Alliance. Buffs can also be earned by killing other players or NPCs. There are
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`currently seven POIs set around the edges of Ashran—we’ll go into detail on each of these later on down the
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`line.
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`Righteous Rewards
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`As you make your way around Ashran, you’ll be collecting currency from other players and from monsters
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`you’ve slain. This currency can then be turned in at your base for additional bonuses for your faction, such as
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`Mage Portals or a Warlock Gateway. Or you can choose to summon a random—and truly epic—NPC to join in
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`the fight. You’ll want to take care, though, and plan your turn-ins accordingly. One losing encounter with a
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`player of the opposite faction can strip you of your hard-fought treasure and have it wind up in their pockets
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`instead.
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`You’ll also be able to collect zone-bound items (usable only on the island) to give yourself a little extra
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`advantage as you take on the various challenges around Ashran.
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`For those looking for the next step in gear, Ashran will provide access to Conquest-quality gear that is
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`http://us.battle.net/wow/en/blog/14833872/ashran-preview-prepare-to-engage-7-17-2014[3/10/2015 5:18:51 PM]
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`Ashran Preview: Prepare to Engage - World of Warcraft
`Case 1:15-cv-00228-RGA Document 7-10 Filed 03/31/15 Page 4 of 4 PageID #: 862
`unavailable elsewhere.
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`Building on lessons learned from the Timeless Isle and Alterac Valley, we want players who make their way to
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`Ashran to always have something exciting to do, and to offer them a true world PvP experience. Whether your
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`aim is to engage in PvP or take on the various points of interest, there’s bound to be something to get your
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`adrenaline going.
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`http://us.battle.net/wow/en/blog/14833872/ashran-preview-prepare-to-engage-7-17-2014[3/10/2015 5:18:51 PM]