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by NuyoRiquena on 10.13.10

Gamer or not; played it, or not – you have most likely heard of a little title known as World of Warcraft.  The Blizzard massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) is one of the highest grossing games of all time and currently controls over 62% of the market in subscription based MMORPG titles.  When someone is that good, they have a reputation to protect even if they tell you they aren’t worried and Blizzard is pulling out all the stops to up the ante in their next expansion, World of Warcraft: Cataclysm. 

First announced at Blizzcon in 2009, the expansion is massive and fans of the franchise will not be disappointed.  The attention to detail going into the expansion rivals that of any stand alone game or highly anticipated sequel.  Blizzard is aiming to give their existing fans more of the world they love, expanding the gameplay, and improving elements requiring some attention all while still allowing new gamers to fall in love without feeling left behind.

Since terms such as “bigger” and “better” are relative, Blizzard was happy to prove their growth in terms of numbers.  Prime example lies in the number of quests offered in Cataclysm which exceeds 3,000 compared to the 1,000 available in Wrath of the Lich King.  Also included are new systems for leveling up, new user interface with a new spellbook with more hints and more glyphs.  They have even added new worlds and revisited old worlds adding all new dimensions of gameplay despite the number of hours power players may have already dedicated to the game. 

Two worlds which have been revamped for Cataclysm are Stormwind and Ogremmar.  Both worlds are not flyable worlds which have been fully built up with more detail including existing destruction as a result of the devastation left by Deathwing.  They have added new construction as well showing the attempts at rebuilding in each district.  Also added are new trade districts and more allowing for less crowding and making the old new again.

While all new towns have been added such as Udlum (a very ancient Egyptian inspired area) the buzz seemed to be loudest about the two new races, Goblins and Worgens and the new battlegrounds content.  Blizzard has chosen to do more than just revamp old battlegrounds, they have added more choices, changed the points system and added improved methods of play.  One such change revolves around the new rated battlegrounds which will include new battles each week with only forward progress and a limited number of conquests points each week.  They have also revisited the old honor titles which players will receive at season’s end and epic ground mounts for those achieving a “gladiator” status.

After speaking with the game’s director, Tom Chilton, it is clear there is a level of dedication to the World of Warcraft franchise unrivaled by others.  There has to be a palpable level of tension and fear as to whether they can match the success of the Wrath of the Lich King but they are not showing it at Blizzard.  Instead they have chosen to dive head first into making Cataclysm something their fans will love and new players will discover and enjoy.  While no official date has been announced just yet, more information will be released in the coming months and we will bring you all the news from Blizzcon!

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