Finding Blizzard's Cataclysm
by Mike Schramm 
Jul 3rd 2009 at 3:30PM
The other day, we posted that Blizzard had trademarked the name "Cataclysm," and right after that, the community exploded with speculation: is it the name of WoW's next expansion, Blizzard's next-gen MMO, or some other project? Nothing is guaranteed yet (is it ever with Blizzard?), but the Internets have pretty much landed on the new expansion as the answer. "Cataclysm" actually means "a momentous and violent event marked by overwhelming upheaval and demolition," but it also has a pretty specific relation to water, and that's got lots of people thinking that it's the name of the Maelstrom expansion. In fact, The Sundering, or the world event in Azeroth's history where the Well of Eternity was destroyed and the Maelstrom (that swirly thing in the middle of the map) was created, was referred to as "the Cataclysm." So there you go -- pretty solid evidence, even though, as I said, nothing is guaranteed until we hear it from Blizz.Stropp's got an interesting piece of speculation that says though "Cataclysm" is still probably the next expansion, the event the word refers to has yet to happen. He claims that if Blizzard really wants to speed up the 1-50 leveling process, they should just destroy Old Azeroth as we know it, and just have all the new characters start at level 50. That would be pretty nuts, but then again, Blizzard's never shown a real affinity for the old content, and by the next expansion, we'll be heading up to level 90 or even 100.
Finally, there's this: when the news first broke last week, we noticed that the wowcataclysm.com domain had just lapsed when the trademark was registered. But apparently, as a few of our commenters have noticed, the Australian person who originally owned it has re-acquired it for another year. So if "Cataclysm" really is the next expansion, Blizzard will have to lay claim to the domain (either by buying it or trying to enforce their trademark), or (more likely) put the domain somewhere else.
Filed under: Night Elves, Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, News items, Expansions
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Ravasha Jul 3rd 2009 3:38PM
Still waiting for that Tinker Hero Class, with all those goblins!
kabshiel Jul 3rd 2009 4:57PM
Me too! They could easily combine the Goblin Tinker and Goblin Alchemist heroes from WC3 into one DPS/Healer hero class.
Elmo Jul 3rd 2009 3:38PM
If they plan on wiping out the old world why didn't they name it:
WoW Wrath of Saurfang?
devilsei Jul 3rd 2009 3:49PM
Dont you mean
"WoW: When Saurfang trips"
Matthew Rossi Jul 3rd 2009 3:50PM
Saurfang would destroy Azeroth, Outland AND Northrend, that's why.
Meg Jul 3rd 2009 3:52PM
I approve this message.
Pimmeh Jul 3rd 2009 4:07PM
World of Warcraft was initially named World of Saurfang, he said no and named it after his pinkytoe Warcraft
JustinScott Jul 3rd 2009 3:50PM
Blizzard will never do away with old Vanilla content, although it does seem like they do forget about it once in a while. If they ever "erased" all the old vanilla content, then it wouldn't give new players the same ability to fall in love with the game the way it did for some of us who have been playing since beta :)
Styvorama Jul 3rd 2009 4:01PM
By "fall in love" do you mean bored out of your mind trying to level you 3rd character to Outlands?
JustinScott Jul 3rd 2009 4:07PM
Im talking about before Outland was even introduced into the game. And with all the new lvling changes blizz is making, it'll make lvling thru vanilla content much more manageable.
Kraf Jul 3rd 2009 4:30PM
@Styvorama And to note he's talking about NEW players not falling in love, not players on their 3rd char like you said
Cowy Jul 3rd 2009 9:57PM
"He claims that if Blizzard really wants to speed up the 1-50 leveling process, they should just destroy Old Azeroth as we know it, and just have all the new characters start at level 50."
I find this to be a horrifying thought, as the "vanilla" wow was the part of this game I fell in love with so-many years ago. Its a home away from home. Exploring all the nooks and crannies, feeling like I was in a living breathing game world (when wow was new anyway...) full of mysteries is what I enjoyed most about WoW and continue to enjoy (as much as possible) with every new expansion that reveals more of the land.
Arenas have never done this for me, Repeating dungeons and BG's over-and-over has never done it either. I was and always will be an explorer and a wallwalker. Its has always and consistently been the WORLD of warcraft that I play for, and always hope the best for. Years later these lowbie areas still have stories that need to be told, their unfinished content- finished, and their secrets revealed.
WOW would be a sadder place, without its WORLD.
flawless Jul 3rd 2009 6:07PM
It would be interesting for Blizzard to create a second old-world area for those with the expansion, a world affected by this "Cataclysm" (not just the Maelstrom). Then allow players with level 90s, or whatever, the chance to make new characters start at a higher level and begin in this altered Azeroth.
Ofc, this would create problems with an under-populated old world, and issues with travelling back to the old world as a high level.
Charlie Jul 3rd 2009 7:54PM
@flawless
There were hints at something like this, phasing in the old world, back in the day.
I honestly wouldn't be suprised to see the old world get a huge remake with the cataclysm.
What if in the battle versus arthas, this happened?
What if, the final world even of wrath was the Death of Arthas. In 3.3 we weakend him somehow, then the world comes together in the world even, and the night of the launch, the world goes 'boom' because of his death, thus creating a new world.
That would be awsome.
cendrekai Jul 3rd 2009 3:51PM
I doubt that they would completely get rid of Old World. Many people enjoy it and still use it. (Especially twinks). With the soon to be added feature of being able to turn off XP gain I think there will be a huge rise in guilds that raid old world instances at the proper level.
Maelstrom does seem to be the most likely candidate for the next expansion. Maybe trolls will get their home back.
Lynnora Jul 3rd 2009 3:53PM
Oooooh the excitement!
Anyone who is interested in the lore around the Sundering should really read the Well of Eternity Trilogy and learn about the Well of Eternity, the coming of the Burning Legion, and the destruction of the Well.
But, that said, the old world should not be destroyed at all, it would mean the loss of a lot of lore specific quests and area's, I'd hate that.
Starting at a higher level is a good idea, though. But then only for the people who have played pre-BC, so they know their way around the old world already.
danawhitaker Jul 3rd 2009 3:58PM
"But then only for the people who have played pre-BC, so they know their way around the old world already."
I started playing shortly after the BC launch. I have completed more quests, gotten all the explore achievements, and can find my way around the old world better than most of the people I know who've been playing since vanilla. Just saying.
I don't want to see any more truncated leveling (ala Death Knights/hero classes). I also don't want to see the old world destroyed. If they're considering making drastic changes to the old world that would result in a major loss of content, I really hope that would be the next MMORPG instead of an expansion to the current one, to prevent the frustration many players would feel at losing out on all the current old world content. I still go back and do stuff routinely for reputation grinds and sometimes just go into old instances for fun or to farm mounts (cough Stratholme cough).
Osirus Jul 4th 2009 7:57AM
God no. The trilogy was written by Richard Knack on of the worse authors of all those chosen by Blizz.
edaleeta Jul 3rd 2009 3:52PM
I don't believe the old content will be wiped out.
I can't even imagine how I would feel about all of that being destroyed.
Oh, the memories.
This is exciting news, though, and quite frankly, gets me a little giddy.
SpeedLancer Jul 3rd 2009 4:03PM
Maybe it refers to the areas surrounding the Maelstrom rising up to the surface with the eye of the old Well in the center? I dunno, "overwhelming upheaval" just made me think of that.