Blizzard Entertainment have announced that December 7, 2010 is the release for World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, confirming recent rumors. The expansion will forever change the face of Azeroth, with new content for early levels, two new playable races in the worgen and gobilins, and a top level raid with the corrupted Dragon Aspect Deathwing.

“Cataclysm includes the best content we’ve ever created for World of Warcraft. It’s not just an expansion, but a re-creation of much of the original Azeroth, complete with epic new high-level adventures for current players and a redesigned leveling experience for those just starting out,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “With the help of our beta testers, we’re putting on the final polish, and we look forward to welcoming gamers around the world to enjoy it in just a couple of months.”

World of Warcraft: Cataclysm will retail for $39.99, and a special Collector’s Edition packed with bonus items will be available for $79.99.