I don't feel like it was as bad with those games though. They were earlier in the series and still fleshing out the lore. Plus they were RTSes, too, which don't rely on story as much as RPGs do. With World of Warcraft, they've been constructing an elaborate world for years and years now, and it's actually pretty mature at this point. I just feel it's awkward to pull another continent out of the hat and declare that it has been magically hidden until this moment. Seems way too generic.

Anyway, you're right, they've done it before. I just wish that they'd tie it into the lore a little more firmly this time around.