4. Cataclysm
The lead-up to Cataclysm was certainly compelling. Waves of nasties were sent into the normally tranquil atmosphere of the major cities, culminating in gigantic elementals lumbering around looking to do us harm. The emergence of the wicked dragon Deathwing laid waste to Azeroth, changing the landscape in ways we had never seen before. The iconic canyon of the Thousand Needles was now flooded, and the nearby Barrens had been split in two, putting an end to the realm’s iconic Chuck Norris-related chat. Ultimately, however, all of these adjustments were, of course, permanent fixtures in areas available to players without Cataclysm, and though this was not the only thing of note to occur, it does seem curious that they went to such effort to alter content that people could already access.
The two warring factions added new members to their ranks: the Alliance brought in the cursed Worgen folk of Gilneas, while the Horde finally had their parallel to the diminutive gnomes in the form of Kezan’s goblins. Though neither would approach the popularity of the human or blood elf races (most people like to play as the sexy toons, you know), they were welcome enough adjuncts. It’s noteworthy, however, that their utility wasn’t quite as apparent as those introduced in Burning Crusade, due to not providing access to previously unattainable classes.
A clear highlight of this edition was Deathwing’s tendency to pay lovely visits to random zones, reigning destruction on everything in his path. Running afoul of his flames would reward players with an achievement, as well as a swift death.
