This is a complete WoW Catalysm guide to the list of geographic changes currently known:
-
Darkshore: Auberdine has been destroyed, and two separate Cataclysm Quest Hubs (One North, one South) have sprung up in its place.
-
Elemental Plains: Elementals have crashed all over Azeroth, and now Fire, Earth, Wather, and Air Elementals battle for dominance. Ragnaros the Dragon rears his ugly head to try to burn down the World Tree at Mount Hyjal.
-
Orgrimmar: Garrosh has retrofitted Orgrimmar with Black Steel from Northrend, and kicks out all Non-Orc troops, except the Taurens!
-
Azshara: The Goblins are celebrating their new membership in the Horde the only way they know how: MASSIVE explosions, and terraforming Azshara into the shape of the Horde Symbol, but only seen from above. More importantly, the WoW Goblins set up camp behind Orgrimmar, and literally carved Orgrimmar a new backdoor, through the cliff!
-
Kalimdor: Garrosh is building massive fortresses in Ashenvale, and has “improved” Zoram’Gar Outpost
-
Desolace: All this cutting has opened up a new stream, allowing a Quixotic Druid to try to bring vegetation to the desert! (Dune reference, anyone?)
-
Barrens: Deathwing split the Barrens into North Barrens and South Barrens, to save Horde players from long run times, and help REDUCE ganking while questing in Catalysm!
-
Uldum: A new Dungeon open to the public, for players 80-85! May or may not have a Titan superweapon at the bottom!
-
Abyssal Maw: A Naga-themed dungeon at the bottom of the ocean, the Abyssal Maw also features new UNDERWATER mounts!
-
Gilneas: The Worgen starting area makes heavy use of the new “Phasing” system, as the coastline is destroyed and mountains leveled, in an attempt to contain the WoW Worgen curse! Unlike the Goblin starting area, the Worgen starting area will remain visitable after you “graduate” to the main game.
-
South Shore: The Horde finally “Wins” the Tarren Mill vs. South Shore battle, as tidal waves caused by Deathwing’s emergence wipe out South Shore!
-
Plaguelands: The Plaguelands are the first Zone the developers are altering in a more subtle way: Changing the level-range of monsters in the Zone to give players a smoother Leveling path.
-
Gnomeragan: After five years of players purging Gnomeragan of its irradiated inhabitants, Gnomes might finally get to reclaim their ancestral home as a new Capital City for the Alliance—until they mess it up again!
-
All Capital Cities: All Capital Cities—and most of Azeroth, for that matter—are being retrofitted to allow for flying mounts. The Ruins of Lordaeron are being greatly expanded, PLUS a giant pit that drops you into UnderCity!
-
Deathwing Scar: The place where Deathwing erupted out of the earth to START the Cataclysm is a ittle south of Dun Morough and IronForge. The Elemental Plane of Earth and DeepHolm (The new Dalaran City)
-
New Battlegrounds: Most haven’t been named, but Garrosh and Varian Winn are overzealous leaders of their respective armies, so expect some fierce new Battlegrounds to erupt!
-
Stranglethorn Vale: Stranglethorn Vale is going to be cut back; expect MASSIVE alterations to Quest Monster Levels. Booty Bay will be mostly untouched.
-
Dark Portal: Sadly, the Dark Portal will be untouched by this sweeping Expansion—and indeed, probably neglected by players as well! They’ll have bigger fish to fry now.
