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WOW expansion unmasked

Blizzard patents "Wrath of the Lich King" with US Patent and Trademark Office, all but making new expansion's title official.

Earlier this week, a product listing appeared in the online database of German software ratings board Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (USK) for a World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King "GC-demo." The listing led many to speculate that Blizzard would be showing off the next expansion in its popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game at this year's Games Convention in Leipzig, which runs August 23-26, if not sooner at BlizzCon later this week. Not long after the news broke, the Wrath of the Lich King listing mysteriously disappeared from USK's database.

However, as the saying goes, the tighter a secret is squeezed, the easier it slips through the cracks. The latest evidence signaling that Blizzard's next expansion is nigh comes by way of the online database of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Filed under the word mark "Wrath of the Lich King," a trademark for the name was issued to Blizzard on July 28. Wrath of the Lich King was submitted with a filing basis of 1B, which, according to US Trademark Law, signifies "intent-to-use." According to the USPTO, "An 'intent to use' application must include a sworn statement (usually in the form of a declaration) that applicants have a bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce." [emphasis in original]

If Blizzard uses BlizzCon to unveil a new WOW expansion, the move won't be unprecedented. At BlizzCon 2005, The Burning Crusade made its official debut, though its presence had been made well known several months prior through job listings on the developer's Web site, and by a missive from lead producer Shane Dabiri on WOW's official forums. BlizzCon 2007 kicks off tomorrow at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. Check back with GameSpot for more from the event, and probably, the big reveal for World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King.

231 Comments

  • ryaz_weaponx

    Posted Aug 5, 2007 10:26 pm PT

    kool

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  • diablobasher

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 2:51 pm PT

    Moymaster:

    I didn't need to read between the lines it was painfully obvious that was what you were saying.

    What i meant was it's such a retarded way of making such a point.

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  • firudesu

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 12:53 pm PT

    why does JOP keep saying WE, do you work at the company or something. its really sad to think people out there compare things like this, who cares. if you like GW so what. the fact you need to slag of WOW shows you have some issues with it.

    still its pretty funny u say WE like you matter at all

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  • Moymaster

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 11:57 am PT

    diablobasher:

    Maybe if you read between the lines you could see i was making a point.

    Just because lots of poeple play WoW doesnt make it good.

    Comprohendo?

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  • Gohanmohan

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 11:36 am PT

    Am I the only one who thinks Jop360 is a retard I have both GW and WoW, and GW is the biggest pile of tripe I've ever wasted my cash on, and I once bought eggs that happened to be rotten. ANYONE who thinks GW is better than WoW needs to get their heads examined. Also Jop...you sound like the biggest Guild Wars fanboy and are the saddest individual around. Anyways, I hope you play Gears of War, so I can chainsaw that sorry excuse for a face in half...

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  • jop360

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 11:02 am PT

    I think you guys are asses for copying GW!!!!
    Our expansion goes north as well AND we started development on it before you and we announced it before yours. You guys have the same areas as us!!! You guys must really SUCK for you guys to have to copy another game to make yours better. Wow sucks and now since it can't think of anything original it sucks even more. All you wow players are sad individuals anyway.

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  • diablobasher

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 10:54 am PT

    Moymaster:

    What a rediculous statement.

    You could say absolutely anything about anything like that, and it's rediculous.

    It's almost as bad as that correlation=causation crap christians keep trying to feed us about lower worshipping numbers causing more natural disasters.

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  • Moymaster

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 5:28 am PT

    1.3 billion poeple smoke. (WHO)

    Therefore it MUST be good.

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    • 1 of 3 users agree
  • diablobasher

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 2:29 am PT

    asdfo:

    Yeah, but they cant copyright that name, even for a specific of competing product because of the conventions for copyrighting names (look them up they are pretty weird, i cant remember the exact part relevent though)

    So whoever produced LOTR BFME will have to suck it up

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  • Vorlonwatcher

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 12:20 am PT

    Bloodhawk_DX wrote: "Oh, and nephthyswandere... that would be 9 million total, not 9 million active."

    Actually no, you're wrong, it's 9 million active paying subscriptions. You may not like the game but that doesn't make it any less successful.

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  • V-Nine

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 7:24 pm PT

    ...still laughing about the episode of South park when they were playing WOW.

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  • deshields538

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 3:34 pm PT

    And the next LOTR Online expansion shall be called! Wrath of the Witch King!

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    • 1 of 2 users agree
  • crunchUK

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 1:15 pm PT

    WOW is a sad, sad, game. however, where there's misery, there's profit. and blizzard have LOTS of profit.

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    • 2 of 4 users agree
  • lordgrim84

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 12:48 pm PT

    im still not even 70 wtf blizzard....slow down so i can enjoy playing and get totally decked out in some super pvp gear.

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    • 0 of 0 users agree
  • asdfpo

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 12:46 pm PT

    diablobasher

    Noone can have the 'lich king name' as you so elequently put it.

    quite right. what i really meant was the expansion for Battle for middle earth 2

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  • Bender

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 12:30 pm PT

    http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/wrath/index.xml
    NEW CLASS DEATH KNIGHT BABY

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  • zerith65

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 12:26 pm PT

    I pretty much only got to lvl 40 ish with a few characters, and was completely bored. I'd rather actually be playing Warcraft III or Dota since you don't actually feel like your grinding in those games for endless hours. I look back on my WoW addiction and I remember some good times. But seriously, I won't ever relive those again, and now I feel like I wasted so much time on something that means absolutely nothing instead of using it to do better in school or get a job.
    Besides.. getting mount to me was like end-game since everything after 40 took stupid long. I got to 47 with a pally - blood elf and was so sick of the game I quit. Actually thats a lie, my account got banned for "insert some computer generated bs here", so I just stopped playing altogether, best thing that ever happened to me, i'm not even sad about it.

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  • bodylotion

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 12:14 pm PT

    Without any new classes the addon would only add more of the same stuff people already seen.

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    • 1 of 1 users agree
  • Bloodhawk_DX

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 12:08 pm PT

    I'm not really all that interested in WoW anymore. Another expansion could never add enough to make me play it again. Oh, and nephthyswandere... that would be 9 million total, not 9 million active.

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  • Gamingcucumber

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 12:04 pm PT

    Bah. I honestly believe that WoW is messing up the Warcraft Universe. I mean the whole game is not "polished" enough. Some might understand my point when I say that it's a farm fiesta and that there is absolutely no reward in playing that game since all you do is gear up for the next patch which consists of the next set of ultimate weapons. I stopped playing when everyone was running around with green gear, just reached lvl 60 and there were still lots to do and see. And thats also when it stopped being fun. I mean, people kill Ragnaros like he is a mob and to make matters worse people are able to kill Illiadan....

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  • NX75

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 12:00 pm PT

    The Battle for Middle Earth: Wrath of the Lich King. No, wait; World of Warcraft: Rise of the Witch King. No wait; which was it again?

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    • 2 of 2 users agree
  • OfficialBed

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 11:46 am PT

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  • Steinin

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 11:45 am PT

    It is Nine-million accounts ever created.

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  • StrikerGold

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 11:42 am PT

    Keep that addiction money flowing!! Seriously though, it will be fun for most playing the game, the Death Knight sounds good. Its only the WAY too vocal minority that will either complain or whine or overly praise the expansion. I'm glad people have a shot at Arthas... all 0.1% of the subscribers, which is still a lot of gamers.

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  • nephthyswandere

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 11:35 am PT

    Is it 9 million current active accounts? Or 9 million total past and present?

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  • god13g

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 11:35 am PT

    wow is the best and it should be rank 1 then MGS4 lol

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    • 1 of 4 users agree
  • Arkle

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 11:23 am PT

    oliver_475

    It's the second expansion? You say that like this is The Sims or something.

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  • oliver_475 posted Aug 3, 2007 11:04 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    oliver_475

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 11:04 am PT (hide)

    yet another expansion....

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    • 1 of 11 users agree
  • diablobasher

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 10:55 am PT

    As for not being able to kill the lich king (assuming he is even killable, If he even makes an apearance anything more than i name, i mean it's not like you all jumped into the future, hopped on your lvl 80 gear and soloed him now is it?) and you all now hate blizzard, need to learn something.

    It's their mythical fantasy universe, they can kill who they want. What your saying is like traveling back in time and telling J.R.R tolkein that killing off the Witch King character should never have happened, and that you know his universe better than he does.

    Bull. If they wanna kill off the Lich King, fine, they can. Heck you never know, as people are saying WoW is on a wind down, maybe this expansion is the prologue for WC4.

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  • diablobasher

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 10:50 am PT

    asdfo:

    Noone can have the 'lich king name' as you so elequently put it.

    A lich is a mythical creature, you can't copyright something which has been in legends for hundreds of years, as for invoking somethings wrath, you can't copyright that either. So any number of products could be called Wrath of the Lich King. In fact, there is already a huge DnD campaign adventure entitled either the same or similar on sale for many years.

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  • The_Weekend

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 10:38 am PT

    whoa ... chaos begins again ...

    • Login to rate this comment
    • 1 of 2 users agree
  • Bauholzwolf

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 10:29 am PT

    Been playing since its release and I still find reasons to hop in and play for a couple hours here and there.

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    • 1 of 2 users agree
  • cuneofamily

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 10:24 am PT

    wow, it is an expansion unmasked, lol

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  • Katmando4Life

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 10:13 am PT

    Maybe I'll finally have to give this game a shot . . .

    • Login to rate this comment
    • 0 of 2 users agree
  • asdfpo

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 10:11 am PT

    dwmorrow

    Fact is, 9 million people worldwide still think it's worth playing. True. BUT (!) people come and go, some one should check how many still play of those who got it at release. I got it a year and a half ago, and im bored like hell with it

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  • natebayne

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 10:10 am PT

    i have no more interest in wow, whatsoever. With Age of conan and Warhammer coming out... However I still love blizzard and the people badmouthing them are crazy. First off... since when is a company not in it to make money? I can see it now (Bliz Rep) - WE ARE BANKRUPT... but its ok, our fans are happy. Dream ON. Blizzard is the richest team out there and they got that way by making quality products and nothing less. You dont make money from making crap, plain... and simple.

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    • 3 of 3 users agree
  • Beesond

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 10:09 am PT

    "yeah, pretty much what everyone is saying here, more treadmill, no game. Looks like they're winding down WoW though finally taking on Arthas. PVP will still be terrible and Warhammer will be out. The only people who should care about this are chinese farmers/power levelers that make up most of WoW's player base. Play Alterac Valley on WoW with 75% of the people standing around farming honor and then play Warhammer and feel the difference."

    Wow, hoosierman5000, where you raped by some drunken blizzard employees after a blizzcon show? Did Mr. Mistoffelees have his way with you?

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    • 2 of 2 users agree
  • dwmorrow

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 10:08 am PT

    Boy, it's fashionable to bash WoW these days....

    Fact is, 9 million people worldwide still think it's worth playing.

    • Login to rate this comment
    • 1 of 2 users agree
  • bokaj70

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 9:59 am PT

    What a lot of **** in this forum. Fact is that WOW still is one of the best selling PC-games and millions!!!! of people will enjoy the new expansion. I have never even played the game and have no plans to but this is just the facts ..

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    • 3 of 5 users agree
  • Zaxex

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 9:59 am PT

    No addiction for me thanks.

    • Login to rate this comment
    • 1 of 6 users agree
  • Mr_Bump

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 9:51 am PT

    "Play Alterac Valley on WoW with 75% of the people standing around farming honor and then play Warhammer and feel the difference. "

    Haha! I always love it when people try to comapre currently available games to games that aren't even out yet! Could you look any more daft?

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    • 10 of 10 users agree
  • Luce_the_humon

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 9:49 am PT

    I may get back into WOW for the Northerend Expansion so I could take down Arthas through my own eyes.

    • Login to rate this comment
    • 2 of 3 users agree
  • hoosierman5000

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 9:44 am PT

    yeah, pretty much what everyone is saying here, more treadmill, no game. Looks like they're winding down WoW though finally taking on Arthas. PVP will still be terrible and Warhammer will be out. The only people who should care about this are chinese farmers/power levelers that make up most of WoW's player base. Play Alterac Valley on WoW with 75% of the people standing around farming honor and then play Warhammer and feel the difference.

    • Login to rate this comment
    • 0 of 5 users agree
  • Entidus

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 9:43 am PT

    Death Knight could work for both sides...humans could be it, so could undead/orc/blood elf. Makes more sense for horde though...

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    • 1 of 2 users agree
  • nephthyswandere

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 9:37 am PT

    More rep to farm and new colored clown armor! Huzzah!!

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    • 0 of 3 users agree
  • shenron43

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 9:36 am PT

    sounds interesting.

    • Login to rate this comment
    • 0 of 1 users agree
  • MiniBeas

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 9:23 am PT

    How the hell is Blizzard going to make a Death Knight playable on both sides? Also will Arthas die because that will destroy any chance of a warcraft IV

    • Login to rate this comment
    • 0 of 1 users agree
  • asdfpo

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 9:20 am PT

    Yay, more useless crap to spend thounsands of hours on collecting!
    Seriously, WoW got so boring when the got the "update-bonanza-fever" just before the Burning Crusade arrived
    Now its just boooring

    btw, i thought Lord of the rings already hade the lich king name?

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    • 1 of 7 users agree
  • ravemast117

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 9:19 am PT

    Lawl Blizz... Please end your nonsense of wasting people's time.

    • Login to rate this comment
    • 1 of 7 users agree
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