The new Cataclysm Launcher allows you to stream game data while you play. This will reduce the time you spend downloading, installing, and patching World of Warcraft. This new Launcher was released with Cataclysm beta build 12694 on Thursday, August 4, and we’d like to get your feedback on the toolset and gameplay experience.

To continue playing in the Cataclysm beta, you will need to do the following:

• Uninstall your current Cataclysm beta client
  
  
  • Windows
    
    
    • From your Start Menu, click Control Panel, then Add/Remove Programs
    
    
  • Mac
    
    
    • Select your “World of Warcraft Beta” folder and drag it to the Trash icon on the dock
      
    • Right-click on the Trash icon and select “Empty Trash”
  
  
• Download the latest version of the Cataclysm beta client
  
  
  • Visit http://battle.net/
    
  • Login to your Battle.net account
    
  • Select “Account” at the top of the page, and then select “World of Warcraft: Cataclysm Beta” from the Game Accounts list.
    
  • From the Download Game Client box, select Windows or Mac to begin downloading the installer.

What’s changed:


Launcher

We've redesigned the Launcher to explain your installation progress. You will see a new progress bar with sections (Red, Yellow, Green) that represent the amount of data you currently have installed.

There are three stages of download progress:

- SETUP (RED): Core game content is being prepared. You cannot enter the game at this time.

- AVAILABLE (YELLOW): Major game content is not completely applied. You can play, but your game experience will not be ideal.

- PLAYABLE (GREEN): Final game content is almost complete. You may experience a few game issues with playing at this stage.


Updater and Downloader

The Updater and Downloader have been integrated closely into the Launcher, resulting in less application switching when patching and installing.


Notes:

All World of Warcraft data will continue to download and apply whether you wait in the Launcher or are playing in-game. If you find the play experience undesirable, you may exit the game and allow the Launcher to continue the download. This may improve the play experience for users with low bandwidth.

Let us know about your experience with the new Launcher. When sending feedback, let us know what your connection speed is and what stage (Red/Yellow/Green) your progress bar is showing. This will help us optimize the Launcher and get you in the game faster.


Beta Launcher FAQ

For more information, please refer to our FAQ: New Beta Launcher FAQ - Updated 8.5.10