he announcement of World of Warcraft’s latest expansion, the Wrath of the Lich King, comes just months after the MMORPG’s first one hit shelves. While the lure of all the new content might be strong for the hard-core set, more casual players may feel like they’ve barely gotten scorched by the Burning Crusade. Well, don’t get too excited—Blizzard isn’t saying when Wrath will be released, only repeating the game-developer’s standard, “When it’s ready” mantra when pressed. Until that day comes, here are some of the main highlights that we’ve learned about the expansion, from a developer panel presentation at BlizzCon and some hands-on time with the expansion.
One of the first things we learned is that the expansion takes place in the frozen wasteland of Northrend. If that sounds familiar, you’re right—it’s the same place players explored a few years ago in Warcraft III. It’s also where the Lich King, Arthas, resides atop his frozen throne. In the Burning Crusade, players didn’t interact with the main villain Illidan much, unless they were part of an elite guild. With the Wrath of the Lich King, Blizzard is having players clash with Arthas in one form or another practically out of the gate—he’s not just there for the end-game raiders.
Of course, the end game is getting pushed back another 10 levels, since the new expansion raises the level cap to 80, from Burning Crusade’s 70. And players who are working their way to the new cap can do so sporting a new profession, if they see fit. Inscription allows users to modify existing spells. For example, a mage can inscribe a fireball spell to have a knockback effect, more damage over time or just more damage. It’s going to be interesting to see how well Blizzard balances this potentially game-breaking ability. If past efforts are any indication, however, chances are good that we’re not going to see mages one-shotting enemies in PvP or other crazy stuff.
The PvP game has been improved, with the addition of siege weapons. And what use would a siege be without something to break? Blizzard says players will be able to drive these monstrous machines and destroy their opponents’ buildings in a brand-new battleground. This mode will support 15 on a side, and a game should take between 30-40 minutes to complete.
In addition to the siege combat, Wrath of the Lich King will introduce an all new outdoor PvP zone, Lake Wintergrasp, with PvP-specific quests. If you’re on a PvE server, you won’t be missing out. As Blizzard said, anyone who enters the zone knows what they’re getting into, so even people on typically non-PvP servers can get their mayhem on in this new area.
From there, Blizzard gave us a quick tour of four of Northrend’s 10 zones. Howling Fjord, in southeast Northrend has a giant fjord in the middle of the zone, with towering cliffs and lots of water. The flyby showed the smoldering remains of a zeppelin smashed against one cliff’s wall. This will be one of two entry points into the Northrend. Rather than everyone entering the same congested area, as in Burning Crusade, players will have a choice to enter either in the Howling Fjord or the Borean Tundra.
The Borean Tundra is home to the Tuskar, and while they weren’t shown, we did see their Easter Island-like stone monuments (with tusks, of course) and a huge whale-shaped building. Borean Tundra is also home to a Gnomish outpost, complete with an airstrip.
Redwood forests were the inspiration for the Grizzly Hills. Blizzard wanted to avoid having an entire continent made of ice and snow, so they’ve incorporated plenty of forests and places with lush plant life.
Last, we saw Dragonblight. In Warcraft lore, Dragonblight is where Dragonkin go to die. We saw evidence of that in the form of a pair of massive skeletons resting on a stark white ice field. If you want ice, this is where you want to be. In addition to treacherous ice caves (which required a new shader system, Blizzard says), there’s also a creepy forest to explore.