• We've applied some finishing touches to the new cat and bear forms available to troll and worgen druids in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm. We’re excited to share them with you today. Have a look here.
  
  

• We have just updated our World of Warcraft Wallpapers section with one new calendar wallpaper for September, 2010.
  
  

• We're featuring 16 new pieces of artwork in our Blizzard Fan Art Section today. Have a look at the many different interpretations of the Warcraft universe forged by some very talented artists.
  
  Do you have a unique artistic approach to characters or environments in the Diablo, StarCraft, or Warcraft universes? Submit your fan art now!
  
  

  
  
  

• We have just updated our World of Warcraft Wallpapers section with one new calendar wallpaper for September, 2010.
  
  

• Look lively -- the efforts to retake the areas of Gnomeregan and Echo Isles have begun. While it's been some weeks since we shared the details surrounding these calls to arms, the battle has finally begun!
  
  If you are of the illustrious Alliance and wish to take up the charge of retaking Gnomeregan as called by Gelbin Mekkatorque, you'll want to report to him for duty in the district of Tinkertown in Ironforge. Members of the noble and steadfast Horde are tasked to report to Sen'jin village in southern Durotar. No matter if you're a weathered champion of your faction, or are still learning the ways of battle, you'll be able to help in these monumental efforts to change the very landscape of Azeroth. Dismissed!

• Today, SwagDog is launching the newest addition to its World of Warcraft customized apparel collection, the Class Icon shirt. These shirts feature versions of the class icons newly reimagined by Blizzard Entertainment’s artists and creative development team, and can be further customized by adding a character's name, guild, realm, and battlegroup on a Horde or Alliance background. The character information can either be pulled directly from The World of Warcraft Armory or entered manually. The shirt is available in both a traditional and slim-fit t-shirt starting at $24.99 via SwagDog's website.

• Signups are now open for the BlizzCon 2010 Costume and Dance contests! Eligible entrants are invited to strut their stuff live on stage, with the festivities being hosted by our master of ceremonies, comedian Jay Mohr. You have until October 4 to sign up for the live contests, and you must sign up online if you want to participate. With over $25,000 in prizes for our Friday night contests, this is one you don't want to miss.
  
  Speaking of which, submissions for the Fan Art, Original Song, and Movie contests close in less than a month on September 27, so if you haven't entered yet, you'd better get cracking!
  
  If you aren't attending BlizzCon you can still check out these contests, all panels and tournaments, and even receive extra goodies including the "Deathy" World of Warcraft in-game pet by purchasing a BlizzCon 2010 Virtual Ticket.

• The final SwagDog Class Icon designs are ready to be revealed! Here are the upcoming mage, paladin, rogue, and warrior class icons.
  
  The SwagDog Class Icon T-Shirt Contest is still underway, so be sure to check out the full contest rules and eligibility page to learn how to participate.
  
  
  

• Today we take another look at the intriguing artwork submitted by your fellow Warcraft enthusiasts in our updated Blizzard Fan Art Section. Take a moment to check out these pieces, as they stand as a testament to this great community.
  
  Do you have what it takes to express your artistic talents within the Diablo, StarCraft, or Warcraft universes? Submit your fan art now!
  
  

  
  

• We have more SwagDog Class Icon previews for you to feast your eyes upon. Check out the upcoming shaman, warlock, druid, and hunter class icons below.
  
  For a chance to win one these t-shirts for your very own, head on over to our Warcraft Twitter page to participate in the SwagDog Class Icon T-Shirt Contest.
  
  
  

• Are you a guru when it comes to the ways of the priest? Think you know everything there is to know about death knights? Well, it's time to put your knowledge to the test. To prepare for the upcoming launch of its newest World of Warcraft customized Class Icon t-shirt collection, SwagDog wants you to show how well you know your character classes.
  
  Starting Tuesday, August 31, we'll be posting two questions per day on our Warcraft Twitter page that will focus on key aspects of each World of Warcraft character class. For each of the ten class questions, we'll be selecting five winners at random from those who answer correctly to receive their very own SwagDog Class Icon custom t-shirt!
  
  The Class Icon line will be launching this Friday, September 3, and features re-imagined designs of your favorite class emblems. Preview the death knight and priest class icons below, and be sure to stay tuned, as we'll be providing sneak peeks at all the class icons throughout the week. To learn more about this fashion-forward contest and how to participate, check out the full contest rules for details and eligibility.
  
  
  

• We have just updated our World of Warcraft Wallpapers section with a new wallpaper featuring Ruby Sanctum.
  
  

• The Blizzard Art gallery has been updated with 2 pieces representing the Warcraft universe. These pieces offer an inside look at the creative process behind building this virtual world.
  
  

  

• Delve into the mysteries of Azshara with game designers Craig Amai and Dave Kosak, who talked with us about the Horde's northward expansion and the rise of the Bilgewater Cartel as part of our ongoing coverage of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm. Adventure, conflict, and, of course, profit await those who enter the newly re-imagined Azshara!

• BlizzCon 2010 World of Warcraft & StarCraft II In-Game Items
  "Death will rise from the tide!" Level 80 Elite Tauren Chieftain once warned -- and at BlizzCon 2010, the band's dire musical prophecy will finally come to pass. Everyone who attends this year's BlizzCon or purchases the BlizzCon Virtual Ticket will receive an exclusive set of murlocalyptic in-game items for World of Warcraft and StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. World of Warcraft players will be joined by Deathy, a murloc companion decked out as Deathwing and doing his best to strike fear into the hearts of Azeroth's crustacean population. You'll also be able to display your tidal pride in StarCraft II with a Murloc Marine character portrait and a pair of deep-sea decals to emblazon on your units, each with a different terran, protoss, and zerg design.
  
  BlizzCon 2010 takes place on October 22 and 23 at the Anaheim Convention Center. For further details or to order the BlizzCon Virtual Ticket, visit www.BlizzCon.com.

• We're proud to announce a brand new contest open exclusively to residents of Australia and New Zealand. We're looking for some tightly knit guilds who are ready to rumble their way into our World of Warcraft: Cataclysm beta test.
  
  We want you to share screenshots of your guild's greatest triumphs and proudest achievements with us. Whether you and your mates just took down the Twilight Destroyer or you've crushed Kel'thuzad for the first time, we want to witness the milestones of your success. Each guild master who submits a winning screenshot will win 10 invitations to the World of Warcraft Cataclysm beta test for their guild. The contest will be on for five weeks and each guild is limited to just one submission. We'll pick five winners each week for a total of 25 winning submissions from eligible participants, starting August 27, 2010.
  
  Before entering the contest, be sure to read the full contest rules for details and eligibility.