The Future of World of Warcraft - Next Expansion Announcement on April 19th

For nearly 28 years, the Warcraft Universe has ignited imaginations across the globe through rich storytelling and expansive worlds. It has built the very foundation for World of Warcraft and Hearthstone, providing entertainment, community, and competition for millions globally.

This year, we have a lot of exciting news in store for the heroes of Azeroth and the patrons of the Hearthstone Tavern.

Playing Your Hand in Hearthstone

To kick off the first of our announcements, on March 15, the Hearthstone development team will share details about the first of three expansions this year. Shortly after, they'll provide a deeper look into the plans for Hearthstone for 2022—including the annual core set changes.

Until then, you’ll want to cozy up by the fireside for the first season of Hearthstone Grandmasters now in progress. Exclusively on YouTube, you can earn Fractured in Alterac Valley drops while watching the top players in the world compete for their shot at the playoffs, a share of the $250,000 (USD) prize pool, and regional invites to the 2022 World Championship.

Don’t forget to tune in on April 2-3 for Lobby Legends: Raid Leaders—Hearthstone Esports' first Battlegrounds event of the year. It’s an exciting time for Hearthstone and you won’t want to miss a moment in the Tavern.

The Worlds of World of Warcraft

On April 19, the World of Warcraft development team will reveal the next expansion. We’re excited to show you what we've been working on and where your adventures in Azeroth will go next.

Until then, we hope you are enjoying Eternity’s End, the newest content update and final chapter of the Shadowlands saga. The heroes of Azeroth have been called forth to this intriguing new land of Zereth Mortis to thwart the Jailer's efforts and stop him from rewriting reality as we know it. This past week we have seen brave adventurers make their way into the Sepulcher of the First Ones raid zone on Normal and Heroic difficulty, and this week they will finally come face-to-face with the Jailer himself as Raid Finder and Mythic difficulties become available. I’m eager to see who will achieve world first!

In WoW Classic, players have gathered their strongest allies to go beyond the gates of the ancient troll city of Zul’Gurub, face the Blood God Hakkar, and reap the rewards in Season of Mastery. Players have also been taking on the challenges in Burning Crusade Classic Phase 3 as they make their way into the Black Temple to face Illidan within his stronghold, engage in the Battle for Mount Hyjal to preserve history, and much more.

The competition is fierce as WoW Esports celebrates 15 years this April with more seasons of epic competition ahead. For those looking to test themselves against the best players in the world, the Arena World Championship and Mythic Dungeon International are gearing up for more fast-paced action. For dungeon-runners, players who register by March 28 and complete the MDI Time Trials have a chance to earn the in-game Encrypted Banner of the Opportune. Sign-ups for the MDI Time Trials are open now on GameBattles. We wish the best of luck to all competitors. May your cooldowns be with you and your buffs strong.

In Bloom for May

Beyond World of Warcraft and Hearthstone, we're preparing to get the first game in the Warcraft Universe designed for mobile into your hands. We will tell you more about it in May.

The future of Warcraft is bright. On behalf of all of us at Blizzard working to bring even more exciting Warcraft experiences to you, we thank you for being a part of the community. We're excited about the journey in front of us and are grateful that you're joining us for it.

Thank you for playing, and we'll see you in Azeroth, the Tavern, and beyond!

—John Hight, General Manager Warcraft