Let’s get the biggest and best news out of the way first: Blizzard confirmed the next expansion for World of Warcraft will be Cataclysm. For those who play and haunt the chat groups, we sort of knew this was coming. However, you can now see the video and new artwork on the newly revealed Cataclysm site. I have to admit, when I watched the video the first time, I squealed like a girl (which is okay, I suppose, since I am a girl.)

Seriously, this looks to be quite squee-worthy. Aside from getting some intriguing new content, we’ll get:

• a new level cap of 85
• Path of the Titans – new way to improve your toons
• two new races – Goblins to the Horde and Worgen to the Alliance
• new secondary profession of Archaeology
• complete reworking of the topography of Kalimdor and Eastern Kingdoms
• New high-level areas – Uldum, Grim Batol, and the sunken city of Vashj’ir
• Increased and improved raid content
• New class combos – can we say Orc Mage? Gnome Priest? Check the Class Chart to see if you can be all you want to be
• Guild Advancement (I can already hear the head of my guild urging us to greater glory, can you hear yours?)
• New PvP Zone and Rated Battlegrounds
• And…..FLYING MOUNTS IN AZEROTH! Blood and Thunder, but that’ll be worth the price of admission, alone.

There will be a real advancement of Lore within the WoW world, as well. Not all players pay attention to the lore. I, however, am one of those geeks who really do read the quests and follows the stories through the quest arcs. So, for me, this is rather exciting, too. To give you the high note, here…the return of Deathwing the Destroyer to Azeroth is bringing about a major, world shattering, geography altering event that will forever change the face of Azeroth and the lives of its people.

With the addition of the Worgen, we’ll also see a new zone-Gilneas, on the peninsula south of Silverpine Forest. We’ll also be able to explore the Lost Isles, thanks to the addition of the Goblin race as a playable race. We’ve all encountered Goblins in the neutral areas of Azeroth; it should prove very interesting to see what happens when the Goblins of the Lost Isles pick a side, and choose the Horde. We’ll find the no longer Lost Isles off the coast of Kalimdor. It looks like we’ll explore Undermine, the home of the goblins, where we may find many other items of interest, including, perhaps, yet another new ore for the miners of the world, kaja’mite.

Blizz confirms that the new races will also get their very own starting areas, for levels 1-15. Worgen will begin in Gilneas and Goblins on the Isle of Kezan. They will both be done in a fashion similar to the Death Knight starting area. Blizz also introduces new phased-terrain technology for both starting areas, and the newly reformed Kalimdor and Eastern Kingdoms. The play experience should be akin to the high quality found in Northrend with WotLK, if not better.

Of distinct interest….all players will experience the Cataclysm; only those that buy the new expansion, however, will be able to play the new races, in the new zones or under the new level cap of 85. I;ll bet only those paying for the new expansion will be flying around Azeroth, too.

Of course…they have not given us a date, yet, for the new expansion release. I am hopeful, though, that they won’t keep us teetering on the edge for too long before sharing that final, all important bit of tid with Wowheads the world over.

Oh, one more thing…..For the Horde! Sorry, I had to say it….