02-15-2008, 09:00 PM
![[Image: WoW-Arena-Tournament_qjgenth.jpg?103158]](http://img.qj.net/uploads/articles_module/113751/WoW-Arena-Tournament_qjgenth.jpg?103158)
Sometimes it's necessary to put a new spin on something tried-and-true. That's what Blizzard plans to do with the format for the Global World of Warcraft Arena Tournament. Whereas the emphasis was on adventuring before, the focus will now center more on tactics.
In a nutshell, participating WoW players will be allowed to create instant level 70 character, complete with epic gear, on realms specially designed for the tournament. That way, players will be able to focus more on the competition instead of other details that may bog them down.
The WoW tournaments are scheduled to start in April with two rounds of online qualifiers in the following countries: Europe, South Korea, North America, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. It will run for six weeks.
During this time, teams will play 3-vs-3 matches on the tournament realm in their region, and the top four teams from each round will advance to the regional finals to compete for more than US$27,000 in cash prizes.
Winners from each regional will then be invited to the global championship event to compete for US$120,000 in cash prizes, including a US$75,000 grand prize. Blizzard will likely announce more details as the Global World of Warcraft Arena Tournament date draws near, so stay tuned for more updates as we get them.</span>