The Daily Grind: Is "Cataclysm" the name of Blizzard's next MMO?

A name doesn't say anythin at all... Who cares, it could be a expansion for WoW or the new MMO... Next month you will know anyways (Blizzcon) They will show the upcoming MMO there... And plz don't ask for any source or something about they showing it, cause thet game has been under development for some years now and it's time to show it before release, and they always show their games on Blizzcon

Blizzard reeeeaaaallly needs to tighten up on security when it comes to development- ANY press on unfinished releases will put them under the pressure to deliver wanted content instead of a new experience.

Thus: The company grew into a giant too big to sneak up and suprise anyone, especially, everyone.

I'd say it's next WoW expansion. Blizzard always wants to shake the ground with some attractive (and they hope - big) thing. Like WotLK - who didn't like Arthas, or didn't get attracted to his story somehow?

Cataclysm word may be next thing which guarantees huge interest in this project. So they will surely keep it almost totally secret, and post some "teasers" along the way. This is how hype will raise and not be spoiled.

Or it could be this new MMO game, but I don't think this is a good title for a game. Especially MMO game, even post apocalyptic.

But for me, with swtich from Diablo I and Warcraft I, II styles, Blizzard lost their genius for making groundbreaking games. They now create games with mass appeal, but not as good as in the past in any way. All is watered down, even Diablo III seems to be meeting their WoW standard of watered down, but hugely polished game for everyone (sure $$$).

Blizzard for me absolutely lost this to Turbine. This is the most innovative and original developer with love for what they do, and for their fans. At least at this point. I hope they won't change to Blizzard's cash over progress model ever, but this may happen if they continue to be successful and praised. Just like Blizz, with the difference that Turbine focuses only on MMO and gets AMAZINGLY good at it (learning all the time).

Just another way of how Blizzard run things in their arena. Hyping the game, getting the core fans act like dogs looking at a bone to fed. It's so annoying on how they do things and the people, the fans are blinded by that scheme. Just another way of milking peoples money.

Ok, what is with everyone bashing Blizzard? I used to play WoW like I'm sure many of you here did/currently do. It was a great game, and sure it got a bit much for me but that doesn't make it any less good. The game itself didn't bother me, it was the players. But Blizzard is doing some crazy stuff with WoW now, and I'm glad I got out, honestly, I hope this is their new MMO title because more WoW is not what we need right now. If all you guys hate Blizzard and WoW so much, why are you wasting your life reading about what they are doing? Just move on, that's what I do with stories that no longer interest me.

As for WoW just being a cashcow for Blizzard, isn't that what all major labels are now? Look at Guitar Hero, Call of Duty, even other MMOs like LOTRO. At least Blizzard makes a good product, and doesn't release a game with a new look every year, such as these other franchises.

Turbine is a decent company, I played LOTRO for a few months, but could never get into it, and I love LOTR. In my opinion, the graphics were shoddy and I was not too fond of the forced single-player experience every time you created a new character, with WoW if I wanted an alt, I'd make him and be level 10 within the hour. (Not sure if that single-player "instance" for creating characters is mandatory or anything, I just noticed it in my short experience with the game).

It is a big no-no to defraud the PTO - Patent Trademark Office. You cannot just file names you never intend to use. Starcraft Ghost was an actual game they were working on that got canceled. They have to balance secrecy with the reality that if someone else trademarked it before them they'd probably be screwed and either have to change the name or cough up serious scratch. If someone got wind of the name before they had registered it, theoretically someone else could register it before them and as long as they got some paper thin product out there it would likely hold up. I have a hard time believing Blizzard would play games with the PTO. They could get in a lot of trouble for that.

Im not sure that Cataclysm specifically refers to the next WoW expansion, but Im pretty sure the Maelstrom will be the next expansion. Below is a copy of what was accidently posted in IRC chat years ago before the Burning Crusade and so far the info has been correct based on the first two expansions.

Draenor Set (Burning Crusade)

Azuremyst Isle - 1 to 10
Bloodmyrk Isle - 10 to 20

Eversong Forest - 1 to 10
Quel'thalas - 10 to 20
Hellfire Peninsula - 58 to 62
Zangarmarsh - 60 to 64
Terokkar Forest - 61 to 65
The Deadlands - 63 to 67
Nagrand - 64 to 68
Blade's Edge Mountains - 66 to 70
Netherstorm - 67 to 70
Shadowmoon Valley - 69 to 70

Northrend Set (Wrath)

Borean Tundra - 67 to 70
Howling Fjord - 67 to 70
Dragonblight - 69 to 72
Grizzly Hills - 70 to 73
Crystalsong Forest - 72 to 75
Zul'drak - 73 to 76
Sholazar Basin - 75 to 79
Storm Peaks - 76 to 80
Icecrown Glacier - 78 to 80

Maelstrom Set (Expansion #3)

Gilneas - 77 to 80
Grim Batol - 78 to 81
Kul Tiras - 79 to 82
Kezan - 81 to 86
Tel Abim - 83 to 85
Zandalar - 84 to 87
Plunder Isle - 86 to 88
The Broken Isles - 87 to 90
The Maelstrom - 89 to 90

Plane Set (Expansion #4)

Pandaria - 1 to 10
Hiji - 10 to 20

Wolfenhold - 1 to 10
Xorothian Plains - 10 to 20

The Green Lands - 88 to 91
The Dying Paradise - 91 to 94
The Emerald Nightmare - 94 to 97
The Eye of Ysera - 97 to 100

Deephome - 88 to 91
Skywall - 91 to 94
The Abyssal Maw - 94 to 97
The Firelands - 97 to 100

Legion Set (TBD)

K'aresh - 96 to 99
Argus Meadowlands - 97 to 100
Mac'Aree - 99 to 100
Maw of Oblivion - 100+
The Burning Citadel - 100+++

Hey i said this in a recent post here:

"Didn't you notice that before WoW games were all different and original creations? And after that they all obeyed to the same clichés of killing x rats? Planetside is one of the last original games made before the cataclysm."

could they have taken the idea from reading that discussion?

Blizzard has stated publicly that their next gen MMO is not set within any of their existing IPs. This is the next expansion for WoW as has been rumored for some time.

If you truly look at WoW lore you see that the so called "old gods" had something or (depending on where you look) everything to do with the sundering/cataclysm is there any possibility of a link since in patch 3.1 Secrets of Ulduar you killed an old god? i can't believe this is a coincidence. also people have been clamoring for a resolve to the whole emerald dream situation for as long as WoW has been around, i was hoping that they would tie these two concepts together in their next expansion and with any luck they will. Plus, since they killed illidan, vash, Kael'thas and apparently in patch 3.3 Arthas they have been wanting for a really good badguy, i think if you throw Azshara in there there is some potential to get that out of it.