Fresh from its official announcement at Blizzcon, The Burning Crusade has excited fans of the most successful MMORPG in the history of gaming. Blizzard has been good enough to release a Q&A about the expansion to answer some of the most likely questions in the minds of WoW gamers.

What does the title of the World of Warcraft expansion refer to?
"The Burning Crusade" refers to the Burning Legion's ongoing efforts to destroy life on Azeroth. To date, the Burning Legion's exploits have been documented in Warcraft III and in our War of the Ancients novel trilogy. As part of World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, players will now be able to travel through the Dark Portal to confront the Legion on otherworldly battlefields.

What are the new races? When will you reveal all of them?
The first new race that we have announced for the expansion set is the Blood Elf race. No longer trusted by the Alliance, these former High Elves have joined the Horde to hunt down the demons that destroyed their homeland of Quel'Thalas. We plan to unveil details about possible additional races at a later date.

Will the level cap be raised?
Yes, the level cap will be raised to 70 from the current maximum level of 60. In addition to the level increase, every class will gain access to additional talents and abilities or spells as they level up from level 60 to level 70.

Will there be new lands to explore in the expansion?
The Outlands will be opened with the expansion. Players last visited the Outlands in Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, alongside Illidan as he conquered the Pit Lord Magtheridon's domain. Players will also gain access to Quel'Thalas, the region to the northeast of the Forsaken lands, where the Blood Elves reside. Other areas that players will be able to explore in the expansion set will be revealed in the months ahead.

Will there be new dungeons and battlegrounds included in the expansion?
We do have plans to add dungeons and battlegrounds with the expansion, though the exact number has not yet been determined. One upcoming dungeon that we're excited about is Karazhan, which is located within Medivh's tower. Because Medivh has played such a central role in Warcraft lore, we think that a lot of longtime players will be especially interested in seeing what Karazhan contains. As an example of a battleground that will be included in the expansion, we plan on making some of the battles from the past accessible through the Caverns of Time. We'll provide more details as we get closer to implementing this content.

What are some of the other features of the expansion?
In addition to the new races, zones, dungeons, and battlegrounds, we have a number of new features planned for the Burning Crusade expansion. Some of those new features include:

- A complete new profession - Jewelcrafting

- Socketed Items

- Flying mounts

We'll reveal additional expansion features in the months ahead.

Do you need to own the expansion to play with friends who have it?
There will be many aspects of the expansion that are available to all players. However, in order to experience certain content, such as the Outlands, or be able to play as one of the new races, players will have to purchase the expansion.

Will there be a public beta test of the expansion?
We have not yet determined whether we will hold a public beta test for the expansion. If we decide to conduct a beta test, we will post details on the official World of Warcraft website.

When will the expansion be released? How much will it cost?
We have not yet announced a release date for the expansion set. However, we expect to announce further details, including the release date and price, on our community website in the months ahead. Please stay tuned to www.WorldofWarcraft.com for more information.

Can we download the expansion online, or must we purchase it in a store?
We're still looking into how the expansion will be distributed in each region and will provide more info on that at a later date.

What are the system requirements?
The system requirements remain the same as for the original World of Warcraft game.