Two days ago the rumours proved true – World of Warcraft: Cataclysm is officially the name of the next World of Warcraft expansion currently in development.
Below is a quick overview of the notable features it will introduce:
• Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms will undergo massive changes as a result of a cataclysmic earthquake. Old zones will receive makeovers, whilst new zones will pop up between them.
• The level cap will be raised to 85.
• Two new races will be introduced – the Goblins, aligned with the Horde, and the Worgen, who will join the Alliance.
• New race-class combinations will be allowed, such as Gnome Priests, or Tauren Paladins.
• Flying mounts will be introduced to Azeroth.
• Guild Advancement, which will allow guilds as a whole to earn guild levels and achievements.
• A new secondary profession, Archaeology. Find valuable artefacts and earn rewards.
• A new PvP zone, similar to Wintergrasp, named Tol Barad Island, will be opened.
• New Battlegrounds will be introduced.
• A high amount of new high-level raid content will be available.
• Various graphical updates, such as changes in the rendering of water, will occur.
Over the past few weeks we have dealt with various issues World of Warcraft seems to currently be facing. Some of these include PvP issues, mainly those involved with Battlegrounds. Old content is also currently going to waste as Blizzard encourages new players to rush towards end-game, leaving many zones almost deserted. There’s a high number of Death Knights that were created and many more are still being created. Lastly, the epic war between the Horde and Alliance feels non-existent to some as attention has shifted elsewhere.
Looking back at what we’ve dealt with, it seems as if Blizzard has finally decided to address the core issues World of Warcraft is currently facing and aims at turning it back into the game it once was, but with a twist.
Hopefully, come Cataclysm, deserted zones in Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms will become a thing of the past. Instead of the player base being spread out over four continents – each catering towards a specific level range – high and low level players will intermingle much more. The Barrens, for example, will be split into two zones – one for lowbies, and another for high-level players.
The addition of two new races, as opposed to simply a new class, will encourage the creation of alternate characters (alts). Players will naturally want to try out the new races, most likely with classes they’ve been wanting to play but felt little reason to go through the process of levelling with. The new race-class combinations will further contribute to this. Together, they will provide an opportunity to experience much more group content instead of simply soloing through everything possible due to a lack of players being available.
The lore behind Cataclysm also suggests that the once epic battle between the Horde and the Alliance will return to its former glory. With Thrall’s son taking up position as the leader of the Horde, he will declare open war on the Alliance. Considering war is the very foundation of what is Warcraft, this can only be good news. With new PvP zones and battlegrounds available, players should relish in the opportunity to feel part of one’s faction once more.
One thing is for certain, this is potentially the best thing that has ever happened to World of Warcraft. It may also be the biggest mistake Blizzard has ever made. On paper it sounds promising, but in practise is where it counts and only time will tell if Cataclysm will fix WoW, or make it worse.
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