Cataclysm slips out of 2010?

Source: An email from megaretailer Amazon.com.

What we heard: Though Blizzard Entertainment has yet to affix a release date to World of Warcraft's third expansion, Cataclysm, online retailer Amazon seems to know something the rest of the world doesn't.

Last night and this morning, the company sent out emails telling those who preordered the Collector's Edition of the expansion that the game's estimated arrival date will now fall between January 4 and January 18, 2011.

Curiously, Amazon's World of Warcraft: Cataclysm regular and Collector's Edition product listings no longer have release dates attached to them. The expansion is currently in beta and was previously expected to be released during late 2010.

The official story: As of press time, Blizzard Entertainment has not responded to GameSpot's request for comment or clarification on the matter.

Bogus or not bogus?: Looking not bogus. However, much to World of Warcraft fans' relief, the release date uncertainty will likely end soon. On October 22 and 23, Blizzard will hold its yearly Blizzcon event, where it is likely the publisher will officially unveil more details on Cataclysm, chief among them might be its release date.

Cataclysm is World of Warcraft's third expansion, following 2007's The Burning Crusade and the following year's Wrath of the Lich King. The new add-on will be available both as a boxed retail product and as a download. It brings new zones, ups the level cap to 85, and adds the Goblin and Worgen races to the popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game.

For more on World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, check out GameSpot's most recent hands-on preview.