World of Warcraft unearths new dungeons

The next update to be issued for World of Warcraft, Blizzard's massively-multiplayer online RPG, will not only enhance the existing game but will also uncover the Gates of Ahn'Qiraj - the doorway to an entirely new location for players to explore.

The Gates of Ahn'Qiraj will form a blockade barring anyone from advancing to the new area. To open the gates, the whole population of a server - both Alliance and Horde - must cooperate in a 'one-time world event' to permanently unlock the path to Ahn'Qiraj.

Located in the southern part of Silithus in the WoW game-world, Ahn'Qiraj is home to two dungeons.

The first is The Ruins of Ahn'Qiraj, a 20-player raid which ends with gamers battling the huge, blue Egyptian-looking creature in our first image.

For bigger parties the 40-player quest, Temple of Ahn'Qiraj, forms a fiendishly difficult challenge for Warcraft veterans, and also features special Silithid mounts only available while undertaking the quest.

Along with unveiling this new area, the update - patch V1.9 - also activates linked auction houses, multiple battleground queues and fresh armour models.

World of Warcraft is out now for PC. Patch V1.9 is to be released in the near future