Patch 4.0.1 is live on the public test realm. The data is being downloaded onto your computer as you read this, if it isn't there already. The prologue for Cataclysm is about to begin.

Here at WoW Insider, we've put an incredible amount of cumulative effort into reporting what's going on both in the Cataclysm beta and on the PTR. We've already got that new-instruction-book smell flooding our nostrils. And quite frankly, we're a little exhausted. So instead of spending this morning reflecting on Cataclysm yet again, let's do something different. It's time to look to the future.

The future, Fox?

That's right, friends for life, it's time we all look into the future. All the way to the year 2000 ... and, um, 12. 2012. Cataclysm will be two years old. A new expansion -- or perhaps even a brand new World of Warcraft MMO -- will be upon us. We first started speculating on what would happen in patch 4.0.2 4.0.1 all the way back in 2008, so there's no reason why we can't start speculating about World of Warcraft 5.0.1 now.

So, what do you think we're in for? What's going to be the theme of the next major expansion? Are we in for new races? (Come on, Ethereals!) Are we in for new classes? And most importantly, what horrifying quest will involve the two-year-old remains of Old Blanchy?

Tags: after-cataclysm, ethereals, facebookfeed, game-discussion, gamer-discussion, new-expansion, old-blanchy, patch-4.0, patch-4.0.1, patch-5.0, patch-5.0.1, post-cataclysm, world-of-warcraft-discussion, world-of-warcraft-topics, wow-discussion, wow-hot-topics, wow-issues, wow-topics

Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Cataclysm