UPDATE: Blizzard unveil new WoW: Wrath of the Lich King expansion pack at BlizzCon 2007! <== click this link for full details.

A.K.A. the worst kept secret in gaming history.

Expansion packs are pretty standard practice in gaming, especially in the MMORPG genre, with passionate fans always eager to see their favourite title's world grow and grow, and devolopers determined to keep the fans interested.

Even as World of Warcraft's userbase climbs towards a record breaking 10 million registrations, the series still remains light on expansions, with last January's Buring Crusade taking over two years to reach us. Only eight months have passed since then, but a new expansion pack may be closer than we thought.

The German software ratings board Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (USK) appears to have revealed not only the name of the next World of Warcraft expansion, but when we can expect to get a glimpse of it too.

The watchful eyes of German gaming site Gamona picked up a listing for a game on USK yesterday rather bluntly titled World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, followed by the tag "GC-demo," who can only imply that Blizzard will be showing Wrath of the Lich King at the upcoming Leipzig Games Convention in Germany.

When asked for a comment by our raving reporters (who am I kidding here?) developers Blizzard simply stated, "We have not yet announced any details with regard to future expansions of World of Warcraft."

This comes in light of other recent news, surrounding the Video Game Live concert due to play at this year's BlizzCon, later this week, in which a track-listing for a number of originally titled Warcraft songs was leaked, called "Northrend 1", "Northend 2", and "Northend 3." No songs with this name have previously appeared in the series, which has led many fans to believe that the next expansion pack will take place in Northend, the fan-favourite frosty northern regions of Azeroth, where Arthas Menethil was corrupted by the Frostmourne sword.

Blizzard have hinted in the past that it would take a full level 80 raiding party to take down Arthas when he was finally implemented into the game, which one would expect to be the level cap in the new expansion pack.

It's all just rumours right now, but it's a collection of very tight rumours which complement each other rather conveniently, and it would be very surprising if there wasn't some level of truth behind all the recent speculation.

Of course, Video Game Chat will be keeping a close eye on the upcoming BlizzCon this week, as well as the Leipzig Games Convention in Germany later in the month. We'll be keeping you posted on this one!

Tags : blizzard : BlizzCon : expansion back : Leipzig Games Convention : Video Game Live : World of Warcraft : World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King

Comments

By: Corrine

On: 08:53 Aug 1st, 2007
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Another expansion so soon? That would be shit hot, but I haven't even fully explored the current expansion! And I can't imagine the time it would take to get to level 80, but I can see some addicts going 70-80 in a week, no doubt some dying in the effort.

I'm really excited about this news, and I hope it proves as juicy as the clues about it. Ooooooh.

/moonkin dance

By: Marty Chimpants

On: 08:14 Aug 1st, 2007
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Corrine;26055

Another expansion so soon? That would be shit hot, but I haven't even fully explored the current expansion!

My thoughts, except the word "hot" take that out and theres my opinion. I was so excited when The Burning Crusade came out. I left work early. And after I picked up my pre-ordered copy of the game, I got lost on the way home because I missed a turn, because I was that happy.

This? This is too soon. It reeks of Blizzard trying to show off big guns to fend off new releases like Age of Conan and Fury. I'm barely clinging to the current expansion as is, *all new quests* bore me and I don't want to play unless I have someone to run around with. The gear that people worked so hard for will become obsolete. At least veteran WoW players had two years to enjoy their tier sets before it became completely replaceable by greens dropping off random mobs.

Before I continue ranting, when is "rumored" to come out?

Honestly, I enjoyed World of Warcraft loads more when the level cap was 60. It was a much simpler richer time.

This almost feels over milked and sore, like Square Enix's teat, called Final Fantasy 7.

By: Dragonfly

Video Game Chat Member Avatar

On: 09:16 Aug 4th, 2007
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http://www.videogamechat.net/news/gaming-news/BlizzCon-New-WoW-expansion-pack-Wrath-of-the-Lich-King-unveiled-267

Corrine, Marty, this should answer all your questions.

By: Marty Chimpants

On: 11:53 Aug 5th, 2007
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Okay I apologize for my bitter reaction earlier. :P

I've seen the trailer for it and it looks interesting enough. I still say their milking it for all the franchise is worth, but whatever effect they were going for they've succeeded on making me interested (Sort of) again.

We can only wait it out, I spose.

By: kechwa

On: 09:03 Aug 7th, 2007
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I think that this is a Horrible idea for them to release this so early. No one in the game is going to want to play very much anymore knowing that there is just going to be a next expansion pack. I am not going to try to get any new armor or wepons now beacuse i know there will just be better ones in a little bit tillthe expansion pack comes out.