It seems like only yesterday that gamers first logged into Blizzard's now-famous MMORPG, "World of Warcraft." If they had known then that six years later they'd still be grinding levels and raiding all night long, well, they'd probably just use their gift of providence to uncover epic loot and think nothing of placing a hefty bet on the next Super Bowl.

It takes something special to keep millions of gamers enthralled for such a stretch of time -- the equivalent to a video game console's lifespan. WoW has done just that, with expansion packs and myriad tweaks to keep gamers happily addicted to life in Azeroth.

The next "World of Warcraft" expansion, due out on Dec. 7 and aptly titled "Cataclysm," promises to destroy Azeroth and let players explore the remnants. In the meantime, celebrate the game's impressive anniversary with a stroll down memory lane.