World of Warcraft: Cataclysm revealed at BlizzCon

World of Warcraft: Cataclysm was announced today at BlizzCon 2009, revealing a tiny fragment of what this latest expansion will do for Blizzard’s ultra popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game for PC and Mac. The expansion will offer some new adventures in an Azeroth that has been destroyed by some sort of major world event that was not revealed at press time.

Blizzard also reiterated that Goblins and Worgen will be the new playable races in the expansion and that the game’s level cap will be raised to 85. The new level cap means new high level raids, dungeons, and quests for everyone play. The old world raid dungeons will also be revamped and a new secondary skill called Archaeology will be introduced.

The Goblin will have the Death Knight, Hunter, Mage, Priest, Rogue, Shaman, Warlock, and Warrior classes available to them, while the Wargen will have the Death Knight, Druid, Hunter, Mage, Priest, Rogue, Warlock and Warrior classes as options.

In fact, with the new expansion new class combinations will be available for different races: Orcs will gain access to the Mage class, Taurens can now be Paladins and Priests, Undead can be Hunters, Trolls can be Druids, Humans can be Hunters, Dwarf pick up Shaman and Mage, Night Elf gains Mage, and Gnomes can finally be Priests.
 

We’ll have nore information on this and other breaking news coming out of BlizzCon as it happens. In the meantime, check out Blizzard’s freshly launched World of Warcraft: Cataclysm web site.

BlizzCon PPV on DirectTV beginning August 21

Couldn’t make it to BlizzCon 2009 and find yourself crying in your WOW themed tankard of Mountain Dew? Well if you are a DirectTV subscriber then you can at least watch Blizzard Entertainment’s sold-out gaming convention for all things Warcraft, Diablo, and StarCraft game universes via a televised live HD broadcast beginning on Aug. 21– 22. Direct TV is offering a pay per view event and providing gamers from around the world with access to BlizzCon 2009 via a new live internet streaming option.

The DIRECTV-produced event hosted by Geoff Keighley will deliver 18 hours of live HD coverage from the show floor, including the closing concert headlined by the Ozzy Osbourne. Additional coverage will include exclusive interviews and commentary, main stage presentations, tournament coverage and team highlights, and more.

DIRECTV customers who purchase the two-day event, which is available for $39.95, will receive 18 hours of live HD event coverage, the BlizzCon 2009 exclusive World of Warcraft in-game pet (Grunty the Murloc Marine), free access to the internet stream on both Friday and Saturday of the event, and a fifty percent discount on customizable limited edition BlizzCon 2009 t-shirts available at www.swagdog.com/exclusive.

To order check your local DirectTV listings or check out directv.com/blizzcon.

Ozzy Osbourne to perform at BlizzCon

Blizzard Entertainment announced that Ozzy Osbourne will headline the closing concert at this year’s BlizzCon August 21-22 at the Anaheim Convention Center. While tickets to the sold out the minute they were made available, a live Pay Per View event will be available via Internet stream and in HD on DIRECTV.
While you won’t be able to see Ozzy ride the crazy train live if you don’t already hold a ticket, you can catch his performance, along with a variety of other BlizzCon activities if you are a DirectTV subscriber.

The live Pay Per View event can still be ordered for $39.95 USD, and is available via DIRECTV and Internet stream (pricing and availability may vary by region). Visit www.blizzcon.com for more details and ordering information.

BlizzCon Tickets on sale May 16

Tickets for Blizzard Entertainment’s fourth BlizzCon convention will go on sale May 16. Live coverage of the event will be available as a DIRECTVR Pay Per View event (just like last year’s event) and as a live Internet stream. BlizzCon takes place at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California on August 21 and 22.

In addition to serving as a gathering place for the different Blizzard Entertainment gaming communities, BlizzCon offers an number of activities, including discussion panels, hands-on playtime with upcoming
games, tournaments, contests, and more.

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BlizzCon 2009 Announced

Blizzard Entertainment announced this morning some light details and the location of BlizzCon 2009. The fourth BlizzCon gaming convention will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California on Friday, August 21 and Saturday, August 22.

As is the case with an event named after a company, BlizzCon will offer a variety of events and activities related to its games including hands on play time with its games (perhaps StarCraft 2, Diablo III, and the newest content for World of Warcraft?), discussion panels with Blizzard Entertainment developers, competitive and casual tournaments for players, community contests, special merchandise, a silent auction, and other activities to be announced. Further details, including ticket availability and pricing, will be announced on the official BlizzCon website, www.blizzcon.com.

Wrath of the Lich King Gold

World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King has gone gold, according to word over the weekend from our very own John Keefer - who has survived the annual BlizzCon event and is now safely at home licking his wounds. In preparation for the promising expansion pack, Blizzard will roll out the 3.0.2 patch to servers tomorrow. All players will have talent points reimbursed for reallocation, based on the new talent trees, among other changes.

Get ready for lines at any store that starts selling at midnight on the November 13th. For more info on the patch can be found at www.worldofwarcraft.com and for more info on the expansion, visit Blizzard’s official site.

StarCraft II Will Be a Trilogy

John Keefer, our Editor in Chief and self-professed World of Warcraft addict, has this report from the floor of BlizzCon about StarCraft II:

“StarCraft 2 has been divided into 3 games, dubbed the StarCraft 2 Trilogy:

StarCraft II: Terrans: Wings of Liberty
StarCraft II: Zerg: Heart of the Swarm
StarCraft II: Protoss: Legacy of the Void

Each will provide an in-depth story driven campaign, focusing on the prime character for each race: Jim Raynor for the Terrans, Kerrigan for the Zerg and Zeratul for the Protoss.”

Look for full coverage of StarCraft II, World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, and Diablo III from BlizzCon in the days ahead right here at Crispy Gamer.