World of Warcraft: Shadowlands is the MMO’s next expansion

World of Warcraft is about to get darker … or, at rather, more shadowy. Blizzard Entertainment announced the Shadowlands expansion today during its BlizzCon opening ceremonies in Anaheim, California.

Ion Hazzikostas, World of Warcraft’s game director, was onstage to reveal the expansion. Blizzard showed a CG cinematic to announce the game, taking us back to Icecrown, the fortress of the Lich King. Sylvanas Windrunner, the banshee queen, pays the citadel a visit. She goes to the top, to the Frozen Throne, and has a confrontation with the Lich King himself, Blovar Fordragon. Sylvanas wins the fight and takes the Lich King’s crown, ripping it in half, which tears a hole in the sky.