So rather than "One Mega Server To Rule Them All" we're going to be split by platform which makes sense.

Another decision that makes sense but is hugely dissapointing is being split into regional servers.

Some of my best gaming buddies live on different continents.

Online gaming brought us together.

Now online gaming is forcing us apart.

At what point will I get to play with my buddies around the world... if ever?

Not sure how the regional servers work. I suppose it all comes down to whether it's a hard or soft segregation. In other words, are they going to force all North Americans on one server, all English speaking Europeans on another, etc. or just try to do that? If the former then you're buggered unless you try being dodgy with a proxy. If the latter, then maybe adding your friends will still allow you to play together, albeit with some of you having significant lag.

Probably the same way they did in "Defiance".

European Gamers were on European Servers. American Gamers were on American Servers.

They patched regularly to correct issues and add content until they reached a point where you were then given a choice between European or American servers before you logged on. All your character data remained the same. That information is permanently stored online.

It may have been necessary while they ironed out the creases but it was annoying not to be able to game with your friends.

You can switch servers.

You can chat with other factions, how, I don't think I can say, but you can. Don't worry.

You can play on the US servers from EU and the other way around, most people prefer the server with minimum lag.

OOPS, perhaps I should stop skimming, hahahahahaha. >_>

They've already said publically that you can chat to friends even if they are on a different faction. I don't know what restrictions there on on regional servers with that regards though.

Not sure, I know in the beta everyone was lumped together =( Was kinda annoying playing on a US server in Germany. Lots of latency issues.

This. They generally split servers by region so you don't end up with massive latency problems. If you have further questions, please consult Australian WoW players.