They taunted, they teased, they insinuated and then, just as the ceremony was about to end,
Chris Metzen finally dropped the bombshell and
announced World of Warcraft: Cataclysm. Yeah we knew it was coming, we were -- to misquote Illidan -- prepared. Now, in the aftermath, we've had time to ruminate and digest all the information: Deathwing, the raised level cap, the guild leveling, heroic versions of Shadowfang Keep and Deadmines, a new secondary profession in the form of Archeology, two new races and seven new zones, a new (and broken) Azeroth and the ability to fly in the old world. Phew, that's a lot to digest. Even more information seems to be dripping out in panels and post-opening ceremony interviews.
So readers, we want to know what you think of
Cataclysm. Are you pleased? Which bit excited you the most? Is it the new races or the promise of facing another insane Dragon Aspect? Are you scared by the drastic and irreversible changes that will befall Azeroth? Were you hoping for the Emerald Dream or a fully Maelstrom-centric expansion and feel like the Lost Isles and Vashj'ir are half measures? Tell us in the usual manner by dropping your thoughts and meditations in the comment box below.
BlizzCon 2009 is here! WoW.com has continuing coverage, bringing you the latest in Cataclysm news, live blogs, galleries, and reports right from the convention floor. Check out WoW.com's Guide to BlizzCon for the latest!
Tags: 2009-blizzcon-convention, blizzard-blizzcon, blizzcon, blizzcon-09, blizzcon-2009, blizzcon-wow, breakfast-topic, cataclysm, chris-metzen, deadmines, deathwing, emerald-dream, goblin, goblin-race, maelstrom, shadowfang-keep, worgen, worgen-race, world-of-warcraft-convention, wow-blizzcon, wow-convention
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, BlizzCon, Cataclysm
Aug 22nd 2009 at 8:00AM 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 11)
Muse Aug 22nd 2009 8:02AM
I'm busily running a lowbie alt up, covering as many areas of the game as possible, so I'll have a strong before-memory to compare with when I start leveling my next alt up post-Cataclysm.
uncaringbear Aug 22nd 2009 8:34AM
As much as I'm looking forward to the content, I will surely miss many of the old zones, and it saddens me that many of the places that I leveled up in many years ago will be changed forever. Before the expansion drops, I will be taking more than a few nostalgic trips through places like Dark Shore and the Barrens. I hope Mankirk's wife finally gets a proper burial before the Barrens gets sundered.
Zanthexter Aug 22nd 2009 8:41AM
I am NOT an "altaholic". I'm still playing the same toon I made the day I started the game, with two bankers. (Well, one did make it to level 11). I really just wasn't interested in "re-reading" old Azeroth until I ran out of new content to explore, and so far, that hasn't happened.
Cataclysm has me excited, and ready to roll a new toon. Not because I like alts, but because levels 1-60 are basically a new game with enough of the old game left that I won't feel completely lost!
Turtlehead Aug 22nd 2009 9:50AM
Masarah wrote,
"This isn't recycled, they just gave us Heroic Deadmines which players have been asking for for years."
That's the DEFINITION of recycling. I'm not complaining though I wonder why people have been clamoring for it. It's always been a so-so instance. I guess most players get a jizz on for pirates more than I do. I love the lore behind it, I'm not hating here, but really, the place ain't all that great. I'd've far rather seen a revamp (and fix) of, say, Maraudon. Both have antiquated lots-of-trash-to-enter-the-place but Mara has a lot more going on. Or a BRD revamp, turn it into a quest hub/mini-city as I'd nerd hoped the Nerubian place would be in Wrath.
Azradesh said,
"Did you mis the part where they said Cat will have more *new* instances/raids then any other expansion AND 3 BGs."
I may have missed some of the announcements and if so please correct me but I didn't see any such info. They said more end game content. That probably means: same number of raids with more hard modes. Fair enough. I saw mention of one new BG. I refuse to count a heroic VC or Shadowfang as a new instance. It's cool and all but new? No.
Firestride Aug 22nd 2009 12:27PM
"They said more end game content. That probably means: same number of raids with more hard modes."
Psh. Have you been paying any attention to the last 6 months? It probably means FEWER raids with SEVENTEEN different modes. And the raids will all be one room long.
ash Aug 22nd 2009 12:41PM
Gah, so little time. Makes me want to quest on more horde toons so I can see all their quests before things change.
Shrike Aug 22nd 2009 1:38PM
@Turtlehead:
Uldum. Grim Batol/Twilight Highlands. Vashj'ir. Deephome. Hyjal Present. All are new high-level zones with 80-85 content, endgame content, and raid content.
Chilblain Aug 22nd 2009 8:02AM
Meh... looks like it's mainly for people who like to roll alts. I'll get it because I'll need to gain the additional 5 levels but most of the expansion looks like recycled content (heroic Deadmines and SFK) or same stuff, different skin.
Masarah Aug 22nd 2009 8:05AM
This isn't recycled, they just gave us Heroic Deadmines which players have been asking for for years.
The rest is all new and looks awesome, I cant wait.
Chilblain Aug 22nd 2009 8:06AM
No, a vocal minority on the official forums have been asking for it. Along with classic servers, playable pandas and player housing.
The same dungeon re-tooled for max level isn't new content. Naxxramas, anyone?
Jingo Aug 22nd 2009 8:11AM
yeah guild and I are going to wind down and finally finish, not paying for content I've already got and not paying for lava in the barrens.
Chilblain Aug 22nd 2009 8:12AM
What is "new" about leveling from 1 to 60 again? Old Azeroth or new Azeroth, it's still geared towards people who want to either play a new race, or a new race/class combo, which is just the same abilities you've always had in a different graphic.
Jingo Aug 22nd 2009 8:15AM
also the goblins both male and female are running off a male dwarf model, I thought this would have been fixed up before they were made a playable race.
deffo Aug 22nd 2009 8:15AM
seriously, what do you people expect? if they keep ADDING shit the game would just get freaking ridiculous... how many new continents can there be, etc? updating old things makes perfect sense. why would you want the world to be full of ever growing piles of static, unused places and things? anyway.. the new stuff looks awesome. worgen/gilneas look amazing!
Zanthexter Aug 22nd 2009 8:16AM
Okay, lets see, 7 completely new zones, 46 additional zones with at least SOME new content, most with a great deal if not completely new content, two new races, the entire stats system redone, talent system redone, social network redone, flying now EVERYWHERE in the game, a new profession, several new battlegrounds, and so on and so forth.
This "expansion" has more new content than the original game. And all you can do is whine "OOOOohhh, they updated Dead Mines!" "ooooooooooo".
And heck, with Naxx being new to the majority of players currently in game, most of us couldn't have said if it was just the same ol same so with an extra digit or two added to the stats, or completely revamped. NEW TO US!
Chilblain Aug 22nd 2009 8:22AM
Well, vote down my comment all you want... look at the other replies with people creaming their jeans over rolling more alts.
What do we expect? A new hero class instead of 5-year old classes in a new skin would be a start, and a pretty good one. The DK was probably the most game-changing feature of WotLK.
Instead you're gonna pay $50 for the privilege to level from 1-60 again in a different skin. Get some [Savory Deviate Delight] off the AH and save your money.
Blackhawk003 Aug 22nd 2009 8:29AM
The endgame isn't everything... a great deal of the fun of WoW is simply exploring new areas. This refreshes and updates the parts of the game left by the wayside, as old Azeroth has been ailing in light of the expansions. Can you really object to revisiting the areas of the game that made WoW great in the first place? And if you're so upset about 5-year-old classes in your 5-year-old game, you can always go pick up a shiny, new MMO.
deluded spider Aug 22nd 2009 8:30AM
From what I understand, leveling from 1-60 won't cost you any additional money. That'll be regular WoW, it will come in a patch, and everyone will see/experience it. You don't have to buy the expansion for that part.
jbodar Aug 22nd 2009 8:46AM
@deluded spider
Just playing Devil's Advocate here, but you can't play the new races without ponying up for Cataclysm (WTF how are we gonna "acronymize" this anyway?), not to mention TBC and WOTLK. That's how it works. You can't roll Belf or Draenei without TBC. So you could play a Tauren Pally in 4.0 but to roll Worgen, you need to pay up. And that's $40 btw Chillblain, not $50.
Azradesh Aug 22nd 2009 9:02AM
Did you mis the part where they said Cat will have more *new* instances/raids then any other expansion AND 3 BGs. The Herioc Deadmine and Shadowfang are just a bonus. I addition the new zones are all slighty bigger then previous expansion and are packed with more stuff. Going from 80 to 85 each class still get 3 new spells/abilities and there is more mastery and the Path of the Titians to customise your character even more. Perhaps if you spent less time whining and read about the damn expansion then you wouldn't have to whine in the first place.