Blizzard may begin alpha testing World of Warcraft's upcoming expansion, Cataclysm, as early as Jan. 12, according to BigDownload.com (via WoW.com). The article claims that the earliest stage of Blizzard's alpha testing, which is only available to friends and family of its employees, will begin this week. Considering that the majority of fan communities and media are predicting Cataclysm's official release in 2010, the timing does seem valid, especially for a late-autumn or holiday launch.

For more information about the world-changing expansion, check out our Cataclysm wiki for all the details confirmed so far. You can also browse through ZAM's live coverage of BlizzCon 2009 from last summer, including developer panel notes and other news. Lastly, check out Blizzard's official Cataclysm site to view a bunch of media, including screenshots, videos, concept art and more.

[UPDATE} Apparently the disc mentioned in the original WoW.com article was a fake.