Quote from: Blizzard (Source)

We want to provide some information about the direction of the Arena system. Upon the release of Wrath of the Lich King, players will find they are still able to access the Arena system at level 70 for rated matches. Those competing in the Arenas at 70 will still be able to attain items using Arena points and rankings; however, we do not currently plan to offer new items or titles for this bracket. Players who level past 70 will have their Arena points reset to 0 and be removed from all Arena teams in the level-70 bracket.

Two new skirmish brackets (71-75, 76-80) will be available for players who wish to hone their Arena skills while leveling in Northrend. Those who reach level 80 will once again have the opportunity to create new Arena teams and play in rated matches once a new season starts. New items, titles, and end-of-season rewards will be offered to the most successful teams at level 80. Additionally, the sets released for the Arenas in Wrath of the Lich King will no longer share aesthetic similarities with tiered raiding gear. We want those equipped with the best PvP rewards and those with the best raiding sets to stand out from each other. Players at level 80 will also have the opportunity to compete in two new Arenas featuring challenging new layouts, terrain hazards, and moving obstacles.

Quote from: Blizzard (Source)

The 2008 World of Warcraft Arena Tournament Taiwan Regional Final will be taking place this weekend, August 2-3, at the World Trade Center in Taipei, Taiwan. This event will feature the top eight teams who advanced from the online qualifiers. The eight teams that will be competing are:

- Made In Taiwan (priest, warrior, druid)
- 小嵐洛 (priest, rogue, mage)
- 黑貓是白目 (warrior, rogue, druid)
- 十粒證明一切 (rogue, warlock, druid)
- 我們來娛樂的 (shaman, priest, warlock)
- 豐原駭客 小德撲會玩 (warrior, priest, druid)
- 屠魔英雄大爺集團代表隊 (rogue, hunter, priest)
- Cydonia (priest, rogue, rogue)

Be sure to follow the action at http://www.wowtaiwan.com.tw/action/2008show/index.html#over05

The event is set to run during the following times:

Friday, August 1, 7:30pm PDT to 3:00am PDT
Saturday, August 2, 7:30pm PDT to 10:00pm PDT

Quote from: Blizzard (Source)

There have been a number of questions recently on what exactly falls into the category of Win Trading in Arena matches, and therefore what is and is not considered acceptable, so we would like to provide some clarification on what is considered fair gameplay in Arena matches.

The act of Win Trading may be described as the carrying out of premeditated plans to rise in arena rating by means of determining the outcome of a match prior or during its taking place. Win trading goes against the spirit of World of Warcraft and devalues the enjoyment of the game for all players who earn their victories by competing in a fair environment.

Win Trading includes players tampering with, or otherwise abusing the queue system as well as colluding to enter into an arena match with a specific opposing team. In the case of arena collusion, we consider any situation where the standard queue possibilities are bypassed through an abuse of mechanics to be a violation of policy. This includes, but is not limited to, the act of tampering with one’s team roster with exploitive intentions as well as setting up a situation that bypasses the randomness of our queue system where a team has a specific and predetermined opponent and repeatedly faces that team. Queuing against a known and affiliated opponent gives a competitive advantage over players who are entering the queue at random. We have measures in place to take action against any account found to be using these practices to advance their characters.

These described actions all fall in line with our fair use clause in the Terms of Use, which specifically states:

Nonetheless, certain acts go beyond what is “fair” and are considered serious violations of these Terms of Use. Those acts include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:

1. Using or exploiting errors in design, features which have not been documented, and/or “program bugs” to gain access that is otherwise not available, or to obtain a competitive advantage over other players;

With that being said we are aware that players will often face the same team multiple times in succession due to a lack of similarly rated teams in the queue. Naturally this is not in violation, nor should players worry if ever they happen upon a situation such as this, but we will invoke action against any team when the team in question creates an agreement to exchange matches or tamper with the queuing system. Regardless of the content of these games, this presents a conflict of interest that we wish to deter in order to keep our arena system competitive.

In our continued efforts to support fair gameplay we have taken steps to ensure fair and enjoyable competition in the Arena by taking action on players who are found to be involved in Win Trading. Actions for violations may include not only penalties to the account but also confiscation of any gear that has been won if deemed necessary. Our Support staff will continue to enforce fair gameplay in Arena matches and all aspects of the game and will continue to address any new concerns to ensure that the playing field is kept fair.

Quote from: Blizzard (Source)

Arena Season 4 has now officially begun, and players can immediately begin competing for the new Brutal Gladiator and Guardian PvP item sets. Players will now also be able to purchase Arena Season 2 items using the honor system. Please note that we have reset all Arena team and personal ratings, though players retain their Arena points and teams. The team and personal rating have simply been reset to the default 1500, allowing all teams to once again compete for top honors with a fresh start. Also, with the end of the third season, players on the top teams from each battlegroup will be receiving their end-of-season rewards approximately one week from today. These include Arena-specific titles that they can display proudly until the end of the new season, and, for the best of the best, an Armored Nether Drake.

It’s very important for players who feel that they may be eligible for the Arena-specific title and/or Armored Nether Drake to refrain from transferring their character to another realm between now and when these end-of-season rewards are physically awarded, otherwise they will become ineligible to receive either.

Quote from: Blizzard (Source)

We’re currently planning to end the third Arena season and begin Arena Season 4 on June 24, 2008. This exciting Arena season will introduce the Brutal Gladiator set, and will also allow players to purchase Arena Season 2 items using the honor system. Please note that we will be resetting all Arena team and personal ratings. Players will still retain their Arena points and teams with this reset. The team and personal rating will simply be reset to the default 1500, allowing all teams to once again compete for top honors with a fresh start.

Also, with the end of the third season, players on the top teams from each battlegroup will receive their end-of-season rewards. These include Arena-specific titles that they can display proudly until the end of the new season, and, for the best of the best, an Armored Nether Drake. Please also be aware that with the end of the current season, all previous end-of-season titles will be removed.

Quote from: Blizzard (Source)

The seasons match PvE progression.

The final door in Sunwell Plateau just opened up on May 20th. We want that gear to begin circulating a bit before the next season starts. That’s how every season works, we wait until a reasonable number of people are able to grab gear from the highest raid before kicking off a season.

How much and when, we’re not saying yet.

Quote from: Blizzard (Source)

We don’t provide release dates far in advance, this should come as no surprise really. We also feel that providing a 2 week warning is sufficient time for players to prepare for the end of the current season and the beginning of a new one.