Whilst Blizzard's announcement of The Burning Crusade expansion for World of Warcraft was surely the biggest news out of the BlizzCon event last weekend, news of a mysterious new beta test is also generating considerable interest across the interweb. Application for said test was made available to all attendees of the Blizzard showcase, via an entrycode on the rear of passes, directing gamers to a site declaring: "As it may be a while before the invitations are sent for this beta test, we want to make sure you'll receive your invite!" The sign-up page is hosted on worldofwarcraft.com, leading many to assume that the beta is for the new WoW expansion, however with rumours suggesting this add-on may be out as early as December, coupled with official word stating they "have not yet determined whether we will hold a public beta test for the expansion", tongues are beginning to wag.
Of course, the location and timing points to The Burning Crusade but it seems highly unlikely Blizzard would risk the community's displeasure by offering beta sign-up opportunities when no beta was guaranteed. Indeed, some of the more outlandish reports now point to a new MMO-styled Diablo game, perpetuating further excitement from Blizzard's legions of fans.
Blizzard have promised to announce whether a Burning Crusade beta will happen via the official WoW site, but we're beginning to think this could be something else. But why host it on the Warcraft site? It's a conundrum... could Blizzard have something else up their sleeve for the world's most popular MMO title? Only time will tell. Stay-tuned.
