Blizzard (Link)
IRVINE, Calif. June 30, 2010 Blizzard Entertainment announced today that the closed beta test for Cataclysm, its highly anticipated new expansion for World of Warcraft®, has begun. The company has started issuing invitations to participate in the testing process to a wide range of players from around the world who signed up via their Battle.net® accounts. While enjoying an early look at the game, beta testers will provide valuable feedback to help Blizzard Entertainment find bugs, address balance issues, and polish the new content.
"Our focus with Cataclysm has been to build on the knowledge we've gained through the previous expansions to deliver the best, most compelling World of Warcraft content for our players to date," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "Gathering focused feedback during the beta test will go a long way in helping us reach that goal when we launch Cataclysm later this year."
Cataclysm is the third expansion for World of Warcraft, the most popular subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game in the world. The first two expansions, The Burning Crusade® and Wrath of the Lich King®, each shattered PC game sales records upon their release. In Cataclysm, the face of Azeroth will be forever altered by the return of the corrupted Dragon Aspect Deathwing. Players will explore once-familiar areas of the world that have now been reshaped by the devastation and filled with new adventures. In an effort to survive the planet-shattering cataclysm, two new playable races -- worgen and goblins -- will join the struggle between the Alliance and the Horde. As players journey to the new level cap of 85, they'll discover newly revealed locations, acquire new levels of power, and come face to face with Deathwing in a battle to determine the fate of the world.
For more information on World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, please visit the official website at http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/cataclysm. To set up a Battle.net account and sign up for a chance to participate in the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm beta test, please visit the official Battle.net website at http://www.battle.net.
It's official. The Cataclysm beta is now underway. Throughout the day today beta invites hit the e-mails of lucky players inviting them to participate in the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm closed beta.
These players are extremely lucky in fact as I haven't heard of a single invite going out to anyone that I know or play with! So if you did get your key today congrats!
With the release of the beta comes the lifting of the Non Disclosure Agreement (NDA) that had prevented players from disclosing details about the Cataclysm alpha. Players can now freely discuss talents, abilities, zones, and whatever else they might wish to talk about on their personal webspace or on the official forums without fear of repercussion.
The beta is a continual work in progress, and as such all content should be treated as a rough draft. The official forums are already being flooded with players discontent with out of context abilities or talents that they think will be overpowered and such. The majority of content, particularly talents and abilities, will undoubtedly undergo significant levels of modification.
Stay tuned as keys go out and we can offer you additional information about exactly what to expect out of the beta and out of the upcoming expansion.
To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our World of Warcraft Game Page.
