[Glaive]

While I agree with popular speculation (and the leaked expansion list thingy posted before) that the Maelstrom is likely the next expansion, it certainly does seem odd to trademark "Cataclysm." If Maelstrom is the expansion, you'd expect to see a trademark for "Into the Maelstrom" or something like that, or perhaps "The Second Cataclysm" or whatever.

Cataclysm by itself sounds like the name of a new game. I'm not saying that's what it is, just that it sounds better as the name of a new game than it does as an expansion.

Also, is there any particular reason why they couldn't announce the new WoW expansion AND the name of the new unnamed MMO at this year's Blizzcon? Hell, Brad had said for the longest time nothing more than that he was working on a "fantasy-themed MMO" and we were all excited to sit around and speculate all over the Interweb Tubes. I don't see why they couldn't say something like "The new game's called Cataclysm and it's a next-gen sci-fi MMO," and then just show us a logo and maybe a couple of pieces of concept art.