World of Warcraft fans love the game so much that they'll call out of work and ditch school to play expansions like The Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King. We expect the same thing to happen with the newest addition, Cataclysm, thanks to a plethora of additions that'll enhance an already excellent MMO.

Just another peaceful day in the village. Click to see more images from the game...

Announced a month ago at Blizzcon 09, Cataclysm offers a variety of new content that will keep the millions of daily Warcraft players busy for months to come. The first thing you'll notice are the two new playable races, joining the dozens of others. The cursed worgen join up with the Alliance, while the resourceful goblins team up with the Horde. These new classes balance out each side, providing new skills and weaponry to learn and master. The expansion will also provide a new level cap, increasing to 85. This opens the door for new talents, abilities and further progression into the game's path system. You'll also be able to combine races and classes in new ways, such as a gnome priest, a blood elf warrior and more.

Along with new content, Cataclysm will also provide something familiar. Several classic zones from previous parts of the game were altered, including the continent of Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms. You'll find new areas to explore, along with hidden secrets. You'll also notice that the Barrens, a familiar place for most dwellers, was broken in two, adding a new challenge to your adventure. In addition, new high-level zones will also be introduced, including Uldum, Grim Batol and the great Sunken City of Vashj'lr, just below the surface of the water. Too bad goblins can't wear scuba masks.

Since World of Warcraft encourages working as a group (or a guild), Cataclysm has a number of additions that are geared towards achieving team goals. For instance, more raid content will be available, so you can enter each encounter with extra incentive. Furthermore, guild levels and achievements will be within your grasp, so you can show rivals just how good your team has become. Your group can also adapt to new skill sets, including Archaeology. Master the art of unearthing hard-to-find artifacts, and you'll acquire bonus rewards. Furthermore, you'll be able to leave your mark in the new PvP zone Tol Barad Island (which is similar to Wintergrasp) and the rated Battlegrounds.

Being able to explore new areas, mess around with character combinations and strengthen your numbers should make World of Warcraft even more addictive than before. Blizzard hasn't announced a release date, but in typical fashion, we expect to see Cataclysm when it's done.