Crave

Pretty much exactly as predicted, Blizzard Entertainment announced the next expansion for World of Warcraft Friday afternoon during the opening ceremonies for its annual Blizzcon convention in Anaheim, Calif.

(Credit: Blizzard Entertainment)

Called Cataclysm, the next expansion will, among other features, raise the character level cap to 85, introduce two new playable character races, and involve a wholesale refresh of Azeroth, the setting for the original World of Warcraft game released back in 2004.

Specifics were hard to come by during the opening ceremony. As is customary, no release date or pricing for Cataclysm was mentioned. Blizzard did detail the new player races (goblins for the horde, the werewolf-like worgen for the alliance) and listed a few new race and class combinations that weren't allowed previously. And of course players can expect new dungeons of varying sizes to explore. You can read GameSpot's live blog of the official presentation, which includes more details about Cataclysm as well as Blizzard's forthcoming Diablo III. Blizzard will also be hosting numerous panel discussions as Blizzcon proceeds throughout the weekend, and we expect more information will emerge.

We'll let GameSpot do what they do best and handle the nitty-gritty details of Cataclysm, Diablo III, and Blizzard's other in-development game, Starcraft II as they're revealed, especially since, unlike us, they're actually at the event. We'll keep an eye on the big picture stuff, and report back accordingly.

StarCraft II is now officially a 2010 title.

(Credit: GameSpot)

Even though StarCraft II never had an official 2009 release date, Blizzard squashed any hope that its best-selling sci-fi strategy game might come out this year with an announcement Wednesday. Saying "it has become clear that it will take longer than expected to prepare the new Battle.net for the launch of the game," Blizzard expects StarCraft II will now come out sometime in the first half of 2010.

Battle.net, Blizzard's home-brew service for matching online players, has been in use since the days of the first Diablo in 1997. Blizzard hasn't outlined what changes it has in store for Battle.net, but it has hinted at a major overhaul to the free service to coincide with StarCraft II's release.

It's safe to assume game developer Blizzard has some big deals on its slate of unannounced projects, but new filings with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office suggest one of them is particularly dire. Game industry sleuthing site superannuation on Wednesday unearthed a trio of Blizzard applications filed last Friday, each covering various uses of the word "cataclysm."

One filing covers the use of the term as it relates to computer games and mouse pads. The second seeks to lock up the name for use in entertainment services (specifically online games), and the third covers a wide range of ancillary uses, including comics, strategy guides, coloring books, stickers, greeting cards, manuals, and art prints.

While the "cataclysm"--a violent upheaval or tremendous flood--could fit within Blizzard's key franchises like Diablo or Warcraft, it could also be tied up with a fresh property. In May, the developer confirmed that its long-awaited massively multiplayer online role-playing game follow-up to World of Warcraft will be based on a new intellectual property.

While the trademark filings give away the fact that Blizzard has designs for the term, they do little else. It's not uncommon for trademarks to go unrealized, as was the case with previous filings like Activision's Guitar Villain or Blizzard's own Diablo II: Salvation.

When asked for comment, a Blizzard representative told GameSpot, "We appreciate the interest, but we don't have any details to share at this time."

What sort of cataclysms would you like to see from Blizzard?

Brendan Sinclair reported for GameSpot.

Update: Blizzard informs us that if you'd like to a chance to be selected for the StarCraft II beta, this FAQ on Starcraft2.com has all the details.

Blizzard Entertainment sent out an e-mail this weekend imploring media members to set up an account with Battle.net, Blizzard's multiplayer service, in anticipation of the Starcraft II beta program. StarCraft II, of course, is the sequel to StarCraft, the wildly successful, still-popular 1998 sci-fi strategy game for the PC. Blizzard has set a Q4 2009 release window for the upcoming sequel, and a summer beta program would seem to be on track with that time frame.

StarCraft II beta program opening up soon.

(Credit: GameSpot)

Blizzard's e-mail had no date for when the beta was going to hit, nor, sadly, did it mention anything about how the general gaming public might participate. At least Blizzard is placing no restrictions on reporting on the beta experience once it does go live. You can expect a flood of details and new media from the game as soon as the beta doors open.

The Guitar Hero franchise has traditionally seen flagship installments launch right around Halloween in the U.S., with Guitar Hero III and World Tour coming in about a week before and Guitar Hero and Guitar Hero II about a week after. Such will not be the case with Guitar Hero 5, however.

Activision Blizzard has revealed through the game's official Web site that the latest four-piece rhythm game will take to the main stage on September 1, exactly one week before archrival The Beatles: Rock Band strums its opening tune on September 9.

(Credit: Activision Blizzard)

Along with revealing a release date, the Guitar Hero Web site offered the first details on Activision's 5 Tickets, 5 Concerts sweepstakes. As its name implies, the sweepstakes offers gamers the chance to win five tickets to five different concerts. Players are tasked with sleuthing out the answers to a number of band-centric clues that can be found through various Web sites, blogs, and TV shows.

Guitar Hero 5 will be available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, and PlayStation 2. The game will include 85 new master recordings, with songs thus far announced including The Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil," Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower," The White Stripes' "Blue Orchid," Tom Petty's "Runnin' Down a Dream," Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire," and Kings of Leon's "Sex on Fire."

As with World Tour, Guitar Hero 5 lets gamers accompany playable tunes on the guitar, bass, drums, or microphone. The publisher is also lifting the restriction on the one-instrument, one-player rules that have defined the series. Instead, rhythm rockers will be able to use any combination of instruments for any given song, with Activision giving the example of two guitars and two sets of drums rocking out together.

Activision has also said that all Guitar Hero World Tour downloadable content will be compatible with Guitar Hero 5. The publisher also said that all-new features introduced with Guitar Hero 5 will be retroactively applied to tunes from the older game.

Tom Magrino reported for GameSpot.

If friends and family don't make up a big enough audience for your at-home rock concerts, rumor has it you may get to parade your Guitar Hero skills before all of America one day. Asked about the future of the wildly popular Hero franchise, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick told the Hollywood Reporter "it might make for a good TV show or a good concert tour."

(Credit: Activision Blizzard)

We don't know exactly what a Guitar Hero reality TV show would look like, but if it sticks to the standard reality format, it will probably be full of backstabbing, cat fights, and makeout sessions! And maybe a few smashed guitars.

But not to worry, players. You'll have plenty to keep you practicing while you wait for "Guitar Hero: Exile Island" to start filming.

Among the newly announced titles from Activision Blizzard are DJ Hero, which taps into your spinning skills with a controller shaped like a turntable; Band Hero, which features top-40 hits and caters to younger players; and Guitar Hero: Van Halen, which will, well, let you run with the devil.

Meanwhile, Activision Blizzard is doing well for itself amid the economic slump. The company this week announced better-than-expected first-quarter results boosted by strong sales of Hero, Call of Duty, and World of Warcraft. Given those titles' success, it's no surprise that Activision's reportedly looking beyond Hero when it comes to cross-platform promotions. According to the Hollywood Reporter, discussions are under way to turn World of Warcraft and Call of Duty into movies.

My name is Eric Franklin and I am a World of Warcraft slacker. You wouldn't know it, however, judging by the weekend I had. From Thursday morning until Sunday night I collectively played more than 40 hours of the new WoW expansion, Wrath of the Lich King.

I played whenever I could, but with household responsibilities, a guest in town, and annoying necessities like eating, bio breaks, and sleep, I am unsatisfied with my progress after four days.

I decided to level one character straight from 70 to 80 and forgo creating a Death Knight for now. I thought maybe I could get to 77 by the end of the weekend and earn the use of my flying mount. Especially since by Saturday afternoon Death Knights--which start at level 55--were running around at a higher level than my Warlock, who started at 70!

See that lil guy in the middle? That's me, about to die. Again.

(Credit: Eric Franklin/CNET Networks)

Did I mention that I'm on a PVP server and that I mostly only quest by myself? That may have something to do with my slow progression. As much as I wanted to level quickly it was not always up to me. No, guys with names like Foodfoodz would kill me constantly and then offer food to my still warm body. Seriously.

(Credit: Eric Franklin/CNET Networks)

To paraphrase the immortal Sergeant Roger Murtaugh, I'm getting too old for this stuff.

I started noticing it last summer while standing in line for The Dark Knight's midnight showing. For one, I took note that a good 70 percent of the participants were in the 18-22 age bracket, which as a mid-30s guy standing in line at 11 p.m. on a weekday night tends to make me feel just a tad old. Especially when I start getting sleepy eyes while most around me are positively brimming with vim and vigor.

It was virtually no different a few hours ago at the San Francisco launch party for Blizzard's much-anticipated second expansion to World of Warcraft--Wrath of the Lich King. Even as I type this, I'm fighting sleep as it's way past ol' grandpa here's bedtime. I really don't have many midnight launches/premieres left in me. I'm thinking Watchmen and The Hobbit. Then I retire from these types of things.

It's funny. Years ago, I would have been mixing it up with more of my fellow geeks, talking about WoW to no end. Don't get me wrong, there was quite a bit of that going on, but once I actually got in line, I went into, "Don't talk to me, get out of my way, and just give me my friggin' game. No seriously, you need to get the hell out of my way and give me my game" mode.

OK, enough complaining. This event was basically like a miniature Blizzcon. There was face painting, a dance contest, a costume contest, and developers on their feet for hours on end being constantly interviewed.

Then there was the ridiculous three-block-long line. As you can see from some of the pics, there are some real hardcore fans who take the time they put into this game seriously. Most were there with friends, and for them WoW is basically a social network. A useful way to keep in touch while pwning nubs.

The most impressive thing of the night was a woman dressed as a Night Elf Druid. It wasn't her incredibly detailed and well-thought-out costume that impressed the most, but her admission that she'd once played WoW 28 hours straight. That beats my record by about eight hours.

Lots more geeky pics after the jump.

The inside of the 'Wrath of the Lich King' retail box teases players with a challenge. The expansion to the hugely popular 'World of Warcraft' goes on sale tonight at midnight.

(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET News)

For World of Warcraft players who over the years have grown accustomed to seeing busy in-world auction houses, the last few weeks may have seemed odd.

Normally bustling with players eager to buy or sell weapons, clothing, armor, or other goods, business at the auction houses has recently slowed to a crawl. But it's not because of the global economic crisis.

Rather, say WoW aficionados, players have been hoarding their gold in anticipation of the release Thursday of the game's latest expansion, , and holding off on buying items that would soon be obsolete.

This is just one example of players of the hugely popular massively multiplayer online game behaving differently as Lich King's release approaches.

The game will go on sale nationwide after midnight (12 a.m.) Thursday, and retail stores expect lines across the country.