Top video game maker Activision Blizzard on Thursday launches a new extension of its record-breaking "World of Warcraft" which already has a claimed 11 million players worldwide.

"Wrath of the Lich King" releases in Europe and the United States at midnight in what has been called "the next epic chapter" in the life and times of Azeroth, a medieval fantasy world that smartly links into affairs of the real universe.

While the game world remains similar from day to day, seasonal events such as Halloween, Christmas, Olympics have been added, regional editions modified -- in China flesh was placed on the living dead -- and pop culture celebrities such as Jean-Claude Van Damne or William Shatner used to sell it.

First released in 2004 in North America and 2005 in Europe, the online role-playing game sees competitors line up as members of eight races divided into two opposing good and evil factions, the Alliance or the Horde.

"It's not a game, it's a world," says Blizzard, "a living breathing online adventure world of myth and magic."

The "Lich King" throws adepts into a new cold and inhospitable environment set four years after the previous extension and ruled over by Lich monarch Arthas Menethill.

In gaming terms, players can increase the powers of their character avatars to a level of 80, compared to 60 when originally launched and 70 on the launch of the first extension "The Burning Crusade" early 2007.

It also throws out a new race of super-heroes, the Deathknights.

Following on the huge sales of "The Burning Crusade", which sold 2.4 million copes on the first day of release, Activision Blizzard, which is owned by French group Vivendi, is organising a giant launch campaign.

Stores around world over are being decorated in "World of Warcraft" colours.

In Paris two stores on the Champs-Elysees boulevard are being dressed up as either of the Alliance or the Horde, with senior producer John Lagrave on hand. In New York, Blizzard co-founder Mike Morhaime will be at Times Square for the launch.