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Consolidation of Personal Data

ith the release of the Expansion just around the corner, we would like to inform you of the way we plan to deal with personal data management, which will help us to provide the best possible customer service.

Moving forward, customer data will be managed by Blizzard Europe, under the direction of Blizzard Entertainment Inc. All customer services provided by Blizzard will remain unchanged: game servers, in-game support, technical & billing support, web & community will all continue to be operated by the Blizzard Europe teams.

In addition, to enhance communication to our players, we have decided to create a global customer management system. This will require part of the personal data of all our players to be stored in one location, and therefore, we will be consolidating personal data at Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. in the United States from the 15th of January.

This process is limited to the transfer of certain personal information, such as your name and contact details, and does not include any banking details. We will continue to treat your personal data with the utmost security and confidentiality in compliance with European data protection laws, which provide a high degree of security.

For further information on the way we collect, store and use your personal data, please refer to our privacy policy at http://www.blizzard.co.uk/privacy.shtml. For further information on this data transfer process, please read our FAQ.

The Dark Portal Opens Midnight January 16th!

o commemorate the opening of the Dark Portal, we will be co-hosting special midnight signing events at four retail locations across Europe!

You can be among the first in Europe to purchase World of Warcraft®: The Burning Crusade™ going on sale at midnight, January 16. Developers from The Burning Crusade team will be on hand to meet you and sign copies of the game.

In the UK, HMV at 150 Oxford Street, London, will open its doors at 23:00 on Monday, January 15th. In Germany, Media Markt at 10627 Berlin-Charlottenburg opens its doors at 21:30, January 15th. France and Sweden's launches will both open their doors at 00.00, midnight January 16 - in Paris, at FNAC, 74 Ave des Champs Elysées, and in Stockholm, at EB Games Gallerian, Hamngatan 37.

If you don't live in these areas, or can't make it to one of these four events, check with your local stores to see if they will be opening early to sell The Burning Crusade, as some other European retailers will also be holding midnight openings.

See you in Outland...

Retailer	Address	Time Line- Up Begins
UK: HMV	150 Oxford Street London W1D 1DJ	11PM, January 15
FRANCE: FNAC	74 Ave des Champs Elysées Paris 8e	12AM, January 16
GERMANY: Media Markt	10627 Berlin- Charlottenburg Krumme Straße 48	12AM, January 16
SWEDEN: EB Games Gallerian	Hamngatan 37 Stockholm	12AM, January 16

Burning Crusade Collector's Edition Preview

n our last issue of the World of Warcraft Insider, we gave you a brief glimpse of the content from the Burning Crusade Collector's Edition. Now, it's time to take you on a detailed Insider tour of all the goodies we're cramming into the limited-edition big green box.

Check out the Netherwhelp, one of the cutest things on either side of the Dark Portal, and the Insider exclusive first look at the extremely rare Burning Crusade Collector's Edition trading cards. Also, in a longstanding tradition for Blizzard commemorative releases, The Burning Crusade Collector's Edition comes with an exclusive CD soundtrack; with this issue of the World of Warcraft Insider, we're able to provide a complete version of one of its many memorable pieces an MP3 of "Silvermoon City". Finally, we have a 60-second preview video of the Behind-the-Scenes DVD for your viewing pleasure.

Head over to our in-depth coverage of the Burning Crusade Collector's Edition now!

World of Warcraft TCG: Deckbuilding 101

he World of Warcraft Trading Card Game allows you and your friends to dive into the fantasy of World of Warcraft wherever you go, and it's also a very engaging and challenging game in its own right. If you're not familiar with the game but would like to learn more about it, our detailed introduction to the basics of the game will pique your interest.

An Inside Look at the PvP Arenas

ot all battles are fought for a noble cause or a greater good; some hard-fought victories are earned in the name of sport. In Azeroth and Outland, you may be fighting to protect the weak, to avenge a comrade, or to achieve some other honorable goal. But in the arenas, you fight for one thing, and one thing alone: glory. How will you fare once the gates of the arena open before you?

Read our new Arena map profiles to learn more about all the ins and outs of the ultimate PvP proving grounds, the Circle of Blood and the Ring of Trials.

Web Spotlight

ur team of web goblins toils away in the Blizzard workshops daily to bring you the World of Warcraft news that shapes your world. Here are some of the past month's biggest stories:

The Burning Crusade Cinematic Intro On Wednesday, December 13, the official cinematic intro for The Burning Crusade debuted during the 2006 Video Game Awards on Spike TV. As a special treat, we've posted the intro on our website for your viewing pleasure. Grab some popcorn, and enjoy the show!
Introduction to the Arenas The arena system is a brand-new PVP system that is designed to reward player skill and teamwork and it has its own set of impressive rewards. Our guide explains the basics of the system, including how to set up your teams, the conditions of the matches, and an overview of the first two arenas themselves.
Game Statistics Page The new Game Statistics page is your chance to discover, among other things, just how many hapless adventurers have lost their lives at the hands of Hogger and the Son of Arugal. The searchable page is updated daily and includes categories such as Heroes for Hire (most completed quests), Bestsellers (most auctioned items), and the Fiercest Creatures (most dangerous NPCs).
World of Warcraft Encyclopedia The World of Warcraft Encyclopedia is a searchable database of the official World of Warcraft lore, straight from the developers. Check back often for updates, as it is expanding constantly.
The Burning Crusade Features Page Two new races, three new cities, hundreds of new items, an all-new continent the amount of new content in World of Warcraft's first expansion is truly unprecedented. Our Burning Crusade Features page details these additions in one convenient place.
Eye of the Storm Battleground Preview This all new 15-man battleground is located in the Outland zone of Netherstorm. Eye of the Storm's gameplay blends capture-and-hold and capture-the-flag elements into an innovative, fast-paced hybrid. Read about it in detail in our preview.

On The Horizon

orces are now at work that will change the face of the world forever. In Azeroth and beyond, the powers that be are preparing for the coming of a new age of chaos, a catastrophe some foresaw but few believed would happen. New alliances are forged, while old hatreds persist and beyond the Dark Portal, the Betrayer is gathering his dreaded armies to make his stand against all those foolish enough to challenge him in his own domain. Terrible battles, strife, and conflict lie ahead, but also a chance for new beginnings. Soon, the Burning Crusade will resume its march, and when it does, the fate of the world will rest in the hands of mortal heroes once again.

The time is almost upon us...