Blizzard prepares for 'cataclysm'

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.