How does the Blizzard Downloader work?
The Blizzard Downloader allows users to download large files using a peer-to-peer protocol.

Each person downloading the file will offer a portion of their upload bandwidth to allow other users to download the same file. By using the upload bandwidth only, the individual user will not see a decrease in their download speed - in fact, the more users there are downloading the file, the faster everyone's individual download speed will be.

The Blizzard Downloader is only active when you are downloading files, and only accesses files associated with the data that you are downloading. Blizzard will not access or upload any other files, or obtain any personal information about you as a result of this activity.

Why isn't Blizzard supplying its own bandwidth to distribute patches and other content?
As in the past, Blizzard provides a large amount of its own bandwidth for distributing content. Peer-to-peer bandwidth is added on top of that to make the download faster for everyone.

Why isn't Blizzard buying more bandwidth to distribute content by itself?
Due to the incredible popularity of our games, buying enough bandwidth to deliver large amounts of content to our users as fast as they can download it is simply not an option. It is not feasible to get that amount of bandwidth at our datacenters. Peer-to-peer transfer of files scales much better when distributing large amounts of data to a large population of users in a timely manner.

What if I can't or don't want to use a peer to peer download
If you would like to use the built-in alternate download method, you can un-check the box for peer-to-peer downloading. This will reduce the potential download speed, since it is not as fast as peer-to-peer, but will draw the patch file directly from Blizzard's servers.

What files are being shared by the Blizzard Downloader?
The only files that are shared are the ones that the downloader is currently downloading. The downloader does not allow other peers to access arbitrary files on your computer. Files are only shared while the downloader is running.

Can I resume an incomplete download with the Blizzard Downloader?
Yes, when restarting the downloader, you can resume your existing download if you save to the same location.

Why would I want to use the Blizzard Downloader?
If you have ever downloaded a file from the internet, you know it can be time consuming and is often limited by the host's available bandwidth. By using the Blizzard Downloader, the user is not limited by any one host's capabilities - instead, the files are distributed across a wide range of users, allowing for a quicker download for everyone. By using the upload capabilities of each downloader, the overall file distribution is much more efficient for everyone.

Another benefit of using the Blizzard Downloader is that unlike a standard website download, it checks each segment of the file download to make sure that its size is correct. This built-in error checking can prevent download corruptions commonly associated with standard FTP downloads.

Can I receive corrupt data from other people downloading?
Every piece of data received from other users is verified before being written to the disk, so it is impossible for you to accept bad data from other users.

I have played other online games, and they all offer a direct download for patches. Why does this game require use of the Blizzard Downloader?
Due to the size of our updates, the Blizzard Downloader is the fastest way to distribute patches and content to our users. If we did not use the Downloader, users would experience long wait queues and/or slower download rates. The Blizzard Downloader distributes patches faster than the method used in all of our previous games.

The 'Estimated Download Time' is displaying "Calculating"! How long is the download going to take?
The 'Estimated Download Time' field will not be displayed until you have connected to an optimal number of peers and your connection speed has reached optimum levels. This is to prevent inaccurate estimates from causing confusion. When the Downloader switches peers, this may revert to "Calculating" but it should eventually return to a normal estimate.

Who are the Horde and Alliance?
The Horde and Alliance are the two sides battling for control of the world. In years past, they fought brutal wars against each other, but today, they have settled into a tenuous stalemate. Occasional skirmishes still erupt between the two sides, but open warfare is no longer raging across the continents. Still, the Horde and Alliance are hostile to each other, and members of one faction are never welcome in the cities of the other.

The eight races you can play in the game are split equally between these two sides.wow Races

Will players have the ability to change factions (for example: from Horde to Alliance)?
No.

Can the same account have both a Horde and Alliance character on the same Realm?
On normal servers this is possible, but on player-vs.-player servers (PvP) it is not.

Can players trade with members of the opposite faction?
No. In general, you cannot trade with players of the opposing faction. However, you can place items up for auction at the neutral auction houses at Everlook, Gadgetzan, and Booty Bay. Players from either faction can bid on these items, meaning you can buy from opposing players at this neutral auction house.

Will Horde and Alliance characters have the ability to gain faction points, thus allowing them to utilize each other's cities?
You cannot switch sides. Thus, you cannot make use of the opposing faction's cities.