If you're on this website you probably take WoW at least somewhat seriously. I would define WoW as a hobby moreso than I would as a game. I mean, it obviously is a game. The thing is that when you have a massive community surrounding a game a lot of things start to happen. Some good, some bad.

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AKC: Take a bite out of crime!

• What is it? Its a tiny corehound with really big heads! Its a unique model among non-combat pets and it sports a number of cute animations.
• How do I get one? First I'd say to take a look at Blizzard's FAQ on the subject of getting an authenticator for your account. If you decide you want one, you'll find a link to the Blizzard Store at the top of the page. For those with phones more fancy than mine; consider the Mobile Authenticator.
• Why is it awesome? Personally I think it shows you take a stand against account theft. Which you should, as its a blight on the industry. But beyond that, this guy makes some neat sounds when you click on him. He'll also do this adorable idle animation where he hops to one side and then rolls over (to which I always yell: DO A BARREL ROLL!). He'll sometimes rear up on his hind legs and chomp at the air. And sometimes the dog will dig up a bone and then struggle over which head gets it. Oh yeah. And he drools. He's actually really well animated.

For those who just love collecting pets; this is a cool one. Note that you won't be able to summon your core hound pup anymore if you unbind your authenticator from your account; BUT it will still be in your pet tab and count towards your pet collection achievements. Authenticators aren't the final answer to account security in the industry. At least not in their current incarnation. But I do think its important to be willing to take measures to protect ourselves. MMO customer support can be stronger and faster for everyone if they get less bogged down with having to recover compromised accounts. If we show we care then this sort of thing will catch on (Square-Enix, for example, has already embraced the idea for Final Fantasy XI and their upcoming FFXIV). And new technology will be developed to make added security as cheap and readily available as possible. Be part of that movement. Or don't be. But there is a really sweet minipet in it for you if you decide to join the club. At any rate, I apologize for the really preachy update this week. You're more than welcome to yell at me in comments for making my second post ever such a lecture. Aaaand I'll be back with a more traditional post next time. Until then, best of luck in the continued quest for collectibles!

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