MPQ

MPQ (Mo'PaQ, short for Mike O'Brien Pack, named after its creator) is the name of a file extension and type of proprietary data file that was used by World of Warcraft until patch 6.0.2. It is still used in various other games and applications by Blizzard Entertainment.

This file format replaced the WAR archive format used in Warcraft and Warcraft II, and was itself superseded by CASC starting with Warlords of Draenor.

Partial MPQs

Partial MPQ files were a small portion of a larger file that would download the rest of the files when needed. It looked like a two part extension such as interface.MPQ.part. As the player progresses through the game, more data part of the archives are downloaded thus nearing its actual proper size.

This was first introduced in World of Warcraft with patch 4.0.1 for the game itself and for the new streaming download feature in the Blizzard Launcher.

Current applications and games

General

• Battle.net desktop app
• Game install programs (retail discs)

Warcraft franchise

• Warcraft II: Battle.net Edition

Diablo franchise

• Diablo
  • Diablo: Hellfire, developed by Synergistic Software
• Diablo II (and its expansion)

Other

• Lords of Magic, developed by Impressions Games

Removed

The following used this file format until a new expansion or patch upgraded it to CASC.

Warcraft franchise

• World of Warcraft and its expansions up to Mists of Pandaria used the MPQ format. Warlords of Draenor introduced the new file format.
• Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft, a patch after The Grand Tournament base patch switched to the new file format
• Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and The Frozen Throne, switched to CASC with 1.30.0

StarCraft franchise

• StarCraft: Remastered and the PTR, even tho MPQ and CASC coexisted together for sometime. The MPQ portion was eventually removed entirely.
  • StarCraft and its expansion, using the same patch as the Remastered.
• StarCraft II, before patch 3.3.0

Diablo franchise

• Diablo III
  • Diablo III: Reaper of Souls, before patch 2.2.0

Other

• Heroes of the Storm, sometime before or during technical alpha

Browsing

The MPQ format can be opened up with a program such as:

• Ladik's MPQ Editor

For World of Warcraft, it will need a TXT ListFile:

• Download the TXT ListFile

External links

• Wowdev.wiki technical information