Blizzard made it official today, so wonder no more…the release of the next World of Warcraft expansion pack known as Cataclysm will ship yet this year, as originally thought. Despite a number of rumors suggesting news that a delay was coming, Blizzard reaffirmed the fact it would ship this year by announcing an official release date of December 7th, 2010.

Cataclysm, despite the fact that it is being called an expansion is apparently much more than that, as it is features a recreation of much of the original Azeroth environment along with new adventures for players. Cataclysm will also raise the level cap to 85, which is something that long-time players will be looking forward to.

Cataclysm will be offered in a number of ways for purchase for both Windows and Mac platforms. The game will be offered in a retail Standard Edition, Collector’s Edition, and of as a digital download from the Blizzard Store. The suggested retail price is $39.99 and the Collector’s Edition is going for $79.99.