There’s not much news about it yet, but there will be a new world event during the early days of patch 3.1.
This blue post has the details:
In patch 3.1, a new world event titled “The Argent Tournament” will be coming to Northrend! This tournament will be live on the 3.1 PTR and open for testing, though certain aspects are still in development. Players will find a host of new features here, including:
- The ability to prove your worth to a capital city of your choosing through our new mounted combat system (still in development)
- New daily quests to construct the great Argent Crusade coliseum for glorious battles to come
- All new rewards – new items, titles, banners, tabards, pets, mounts, and more
- All new achievements
- Many more festivities, and more to come in future content updates!
Players will find the Argent Tournament in Icecrown. Speaking to any Northrend flight master will get you on track to prove your worth to the Argent Crusade, your faction’s leaders, and all denizens of Azeroth!
I’m not sure, from this, whether they actually mean World Event (a la the Shattered Sun takeover of the Isle of Quel’Danas) or Seasonal Event (a la the Darkmoon Faire). Either way, it does sound like fun, and I’m looking forward to it.
I am, however, a trifle disappointed that it’s focusing around the Argent Crusade; I’d have hoped for a new faction or sub-faction (perhaps the Brotherhood of the Light, who previously acted as the diplomats between the Argent Dawn and the Scarlet Crusade) since increasing reputation in WotLK is so easy.
Update: Having thought about it a bit more, I suspect 3.1 will have the world event introducing the Tournament and building the coliseum, and future patches will actually put the coliseum to greater use.
However I must admit: I think it’s a bit weird for the Argent Crusade to be building arenas and having tournaments; isn’t that something of a distraction from the business of fighting a war? It seems rather out of character for them, I feel.
The Argent Crusade have noticed that civilian morale is heading south. The war against the Lich King isn’t going so well, so to distract the masses they have contrived a large round arena where Scourge and Scarlet Crusade will fight it out for entertainment.
Goblins will be running books and Kirin Tor providing sideshow entertainment.
After a while the Argent Crusade will be able to declare the war with the Lich King and Scourge won and then quietly withdraw when no one is watching…
Nice idea wrong faction IMO.
How about the Darkmoon Tournament instead?
I’m thinking they’re going to build it primarily to train for the battle (with the idea of morale-boosting also factoring in strongly).
Perhaps they are a bit saddened that there are so few Knights nowadays, and that mounted combat has dwindled. And then, suddenly, Dark Horsemen will become a popular foe. In response, the Argent Crusade has to step-up its cavalry… and help all of Azeroth step up to the challenge as well.
I had a similar response, there are lots of other factions for which a this type of stuff would make sense:
The Frost Born
Hodir
Frenzyheart
The Silver Covenant
Knights of the Ebon Blade
Pretty much anyone but the argent
I think this is a great idea and I too at first questioned the faction.
But when I thought about it more, it makes sense. This event is all about MOUNTED combat. Who are traditionally known for mounted combat? Knights. So in that way the Argent Crusade DOES make sense. I think of it as both a morale booster and another method of training for the knights within the Argent Crusade.
From the description, I’d agree – wrong faction. I’m going to wait until I see the actual reason Blizz comes up with for the tournament before dismiss it though :)
I’m sort of getting the feeling that the Crusade is mostly hoping to get some friendlier rivalry between the Horde and Alliance than there has been recently. Think about it – right now, tensions between the two sides could not possibly be… well, more tense, and what better way to deal with that than have the two sides duke it out where no one will be seriously hurt by it? Maybe by having Horde forces defend Alliance cities and Alliance defending the Horde, perhaps some cooperation and sentient good feeling could be built? I’ve heard worse ideas.
The AC makes perfect sense here. From my understanding of history, Tournies like this were not just social events but preparations for war. Given the AC’s history of Knighthood, and the how badly the war against the Lich King appears to be going, the tournament allows for rebuilding morale and getting ready for the war.
I think if I’m right, we’ll see more mounted combat in(Something I’m really interested in seeing)in future patches. Not just vehicles, but actual mounted combat.