This one really trails me off. It has pop into my long-range radar that Blizzard has trademarked Cataclysm. Based on the three trademarks using the same word, the details seem to describe a new game. The first one however is worded strangely like if it was a game platform similar to Battle.net, but it might merely refer to a de facto Game.
I don’t doubt it will disappear from the official US Trademark website like the three Redneck Rampage shooter titles, mysteriously trademarked by Blizzard. What could this Cataclysm game be? Sounds, umm, shaky.
Update: Fans start to speculate Cataclysm may refer to the next World of Warcraft expansion. It matches perfectly with the theme of the Sundering, an event that happened ten thousand years in the past of Azeroth. A permanent scar of such cataclysm is known as the Maelstrom. Event that happened when the Well of Eternity imploded when Queen Azshara and her Highborne failed to open a portal to allow the entry of Sargeras and the Burning Legion into Azeroth. If Cataclysm is the next expansion that might mean the South Seas theme is underway.
It could be a new game platform such as Steam for Battle.net 2.0. It could be one of the two unannounced games. It could refer to Diablo III—if we are too desperate to find a link to the word Cataclysm (the destruction of the Worldstone destroyed Mount Arreat leaving a crater). However, all of those except Battle.net 2.0 and a WoW expansion are still far ahead to justify a trademark this early.
What we do have upon us for certain is StarCraft II beta (by the end of .. whatever is left of Summer) and BlizzCon 2009 to be held in August, where the next WoW expansion no doubt will be announced.
Those of you who are passionate about lore, there was a Blizzard licensed product that revealed for first time a lot of lore about locations of Northrend and the South Seas that got published before even Wrath of the Lich King had been announced. Two years earlier to be exact. This book revealed for the first time Sholazar Basin, Howling Fjord and Borean Tundra. These locations didn’t exist by name in any of the Warcraft games. It tells you how much input White Wolf Publishing had about upcoming expansions before they were even announced.
The same book contains a lot of never-before-seen lore and locations in the South Seas, where the Maelstrom is. You can order and download the eBook PDF of World of Warcraft RPG: Lands of Mystery here. The development of the Maelstrom and the South Seas is no secret. The Burning Crusade Collector’s Edition had a Behind the Scenes DVD where developers talked about their work in the Burning Crusade. One of the slideshows shown in this DVD showed this map of the South Seas showing various Zeppelin and Boat routes from Kalimdor and Easter Kingdoms connecting with Isle of Kezan as a transportation Hub for the South Seas.
This map showed some kind of transportation (possibly a turtle submarine) from Isle of Kezan (Undermine) to Nazjatar (the underwater city of the Naga where Queen Azshara resides). It is deep beneath the Maelstrom. Again, to learn all the lore behind the South Seas and all its isles, you can download the PDF of World of Warcraft: Lands of Mystery here.
Ex-Community Manager, Katricia, said at the offical forums on December 6, 2003 the following:
Hey I just remembered this: the server where I have my two mains, Archimonde (FR) is part of a battlegroup called Cataclysm. So I don’t know for sure what it was, but there was definitely something called Cataclysm in Warcraft Lore (most likely the Sundering, but it might also be the destruction of Draenor).
Oh, and Draim, I believe this is what you’re looking for (first sentence of the second paragraph).
There’s also a Cataclysm armor set for Shamans sold in Shattrath City by the Keepers of Sha’tari Heirlooms and a warlock spell, but they’re probably unrelated. ^^