Warcraft Direct Stream Live
The Warcraft Direct had lots of announcements today!



World of Warcraft
We've moved the World of Warcraft announcements from the Direct into a separate post.

  • Housing is coming to World of Warcraft: Midnight
  • The charity pet for this year is Reven the fox, and purchases benefits Cure Duchenne through January 6th
  • There was also a Novella released today, explaining what happened with Jaina and Thrall after they left us. It’s narrated by Chris Metzen.
  • Patch 11.1 is named Undermined, taking us to Undermine. Players will get a new customizable racecar mount that goes much faster than existing ground mounts.
  • Undermine will have two new delves, a new dungeon, an eight boss raid, and a new arena map.
  • Mists of Pandaria Classic is coming in 2025
  • Fresh World of Warcraft classic realms are launching soon, along with the Hardcore type realm.




Warcraft Reforged and Remastered
  • Warcraft III Reforged - Patch 2.0 releases today! It comes with lots of updates:
    • This patch overhauled the environments, lighting, and revamped the UI
    • All Classic Warcraft III assets have been uprezzed to HD.
    • You can pick which graphics you want to use and mix and match, as there are toggles for the Envrionment, Units, Heroes, Buildings, Icons, and VFX
    • Lots of quality of life changes, such as in-game hotkey customization, a revamped ladder, and much more
    • This patch is available to everyone that owns Reforged
  • Warcraft I and Warcraft II Remastered are also releasing today, fully remastered versions of the originals
  • These remasters have brawn new hand-drawn visuals that capture the art style from the original game.
  • You can swap between the original graphics and the remastered graphics in real-time
  • Warcraft I is getting modern controls, such as right click to move, box select, and a faster game speed
  • Both games also received UI and UX improvements, such as tooltips, health bars, mission select screens, and increased unit selection.
  • Warcraft II will still have multiplayer and all legacy custom maps will be fully compatible and playable
  • The Warcraft Battle Chest is coming back, will include all 3 Warcraft games plus a Meat Wagon mount in World of Warcraft





Hearthstone
  • There have been 160 billion games played in the last decade, not counting Battlegrounds
  • The next mini set is Heroes of Starcraft!
    • The new cards will have a faction banner (Zerg, Protoss, or Terran) and are usable across multiple classes
    • Each faction also has a Hero card:
      • Zerg - Kerrigan Hero Card gives Death Knight, Hunter, Warlock, Demon Hunters access to an agro playstyle, with near endless swarms of Zerg cards
      • Protoss - Artanis Hero Card is for Druid, Mage, Priest, and Rogue and focuses on powerful high mana cost units, using his Psionic powers to make those cards cheaper.
      • Terran - Jim Raynor Hero card is for Warrior, Paladin, and Shaman and grants access to the Starship keyword from the new set (Battlecruisers!)
    • The team tried to represent as many units from Starcraft as possible
    • Grunty card - Terran armored Murloc
    • There will also be special music
    • Heroes of Starcraft launching in January 2025, with more cards than any other mini set the team has done before.
  • Changes are coming to Arena, including a new mode
    • There will be two kinds of arena to choose from: Normal and Underground
    • Normal Arena - Shorter format
    • Underground Arena - Longer runs, with a new redraft on loss feature. When you lose, you can redraft cards and edit your deck.
    • Arena ratings coming for both Normal and Underground modes, with a separate ranking for each
    • Normal - Regular skill based matchmaking
    • Underground - Match against opponents of all skill levels
    • Arena update coming in first half of 2025
  • The team revealed the Hearthstone 2025 roadmap!
    • This will be the Year of the Raptor, taking you to some of your favorite Azeroth Locations
    • Patch 32.0 will be Into the Emerald Dream - You’ll find yourself in a face off between the Druids of the Emerald Dream and the forces of the Old Gods. The fate of the World Tree hangs in the balance
    • Druids of the Flame will be the first Mini-Set
    • Patch 33.0 will be The Shrouded City. This is the first sequel, taking you back to Ungoro Crater to look for the lost Tortollan City. Keep an eye on the volcano.
    • Festival of the Devilsaur will be the corresponding Mini-Set
    • Patch 34.0 will be The Heroes of Time. You’ll travel with Chromie through alternate realities to recruit legendary Warcraft heroes like you’ve never seen them before.This leads to a showdown with Murozond at the End of Time.
    • The End of Time is the corresponding Mini-Set.


Warcraft Rumble
  • Players have beaten over 900 million bosses
  • Alliance picked 10% more often than Horde
  • Players have summoned over 1 billion Angry Chickens
  • Split leaders coming in the future, starting with these 3:
    • Malfurion Stormrage - Alliance / Cenarion
    • Orgrim Doomhammer - Horde / Blackrock
    • Anub’arak - Undead / Beast
    • The team will also be reworking Sylvanas to be Horde / Undead
  • PC Beta starts on December 10th



Catch up on the Future of Warcraft with the Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct!
Originally Posted by Blizzard (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
It’s a big year for the Warcraft universe, and whether you’re a Hearthstone fan, you’ve joined the chaos in Warcraft Rumble, ventured into the world of Azeroth for the first time in Warcraft: Orcs and Humans, or you’re a World of Warcraft player, there’s something for everyone in our Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct stream. Join us for a celebration as we dip into the mana pool of nostalgia and cast far sight on the future of all things Warcraft.



Get the Drop on New Rewards During the Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct

Watch the Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct on Twitch, YouTube, or TikTok to earn new in-game viewership rewards for Hearthstone, Warcraft Rumble, and World of Warcraft.

In addition to watching the official YouTube channels for World of Warcraft, Warcraft Rumble, and Hearthstone, viewers can watch on any Warcraft, Hearthstone, or Warcraft Rumble stream on Twitch or TikTok to earn rewards during the giveaway period from November 13 at 10:00 am PST through December 11 at 10:00 am PST. Learn more in our previously published article.



Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct News Round-Up

We’ve rounded up everything you need to know from the Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct here. Jump directly to each section to learn more: Warcraft RTS, Hearthstone, Warcraft Rumble, World of Warcraft, World of Warcraft Classic, World of Warcraft: The War Within.



Rediscover 30 Years of the Warcraft RTS

It’s been 30 years since Warcraft: Orcs and Humans made its debut, setting the path for so many stories and adventures that have come after. To continue these adventures in the Warcraft series, we’ve released Patch 2.0— now available for all Warcraft III: Reforged players.

The patch overhauls environments, lighting, and the user interface. It also introduces uprezzed classic Warcraft III assets to HD, allowing players to choose and customize their graphical experience. Mix and match assets as you wish. There are also new quality-of-life improvements such as in-game hotkey customization, updated ladder, and much much more.

Beyond the update for Warcraft III: Reforged, we’re happy to announce the release of fully remastered versions of Warcraft I and Warcraft II, taking you beyond Orcs and Humans, the Tides of Darkness, and the Dark Portal for the first time, again. Players will be able to switch between the original graphics and the remastered versions in real time. We’ve also added more modern controls to Warcraft I, such as right-click move, band box select, and faster game speed.

Both Warcraft I and II also have UI and UX improvements, such as tooltips and health bars, a mission select screen, and increased unit selection.

Warcraft II will continue to have multiplayer functionality, and all legacy custom maps will remain fully compatible and playable.

Travel back in time to experience each of these titles once more or— for the very first time— by visiting the shop: Warcraft I: Remastered, Warcraft II: Remastered, Warcraft III: Reforged.

You’ll never forget the first time you hear “zug zug.”

Introducing the Warcraft Battle Chest

We’ve also brought back the Battle Chest, allowing players to purchase all three games in one bundle. For those who already purchased Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, Warcraft®: II Battle.net® edition, or Warcraft III: Reforged from the Battle.net shop, the bundle will be available at a discount.

Add the Battle Chest to your Collection Now



Hearthstone: Heroes of StarCraft – The Great Dark Beyond Mini-Set

Early next year, Hearthstone is going beyond Warcraft and into... Heroes of StarCraft! This special Mini-Set will have a whopping 49 new cards across three themed factions, which show what the StarCraft universe would look like in the Hearthstone Tavern. Each faction is made up of cards that can be used across multiple classes, including an iconic Hero card.

  • Zerg - Death Knight, Demon Hunter, Hunter, and Warlock have joined the Zerg! Led by the formidable Sarah Kerrigan, they will have aggressive cards that win the game by swarming the board.
  • Protoss - Druid, Mage, Priest, and Rogue fight for the Protoss Empire. Led by the High Templar Artanis, they will have powerful, high-cost cards that are made cheaper throughout the game.
  • Terran - Paladin, Shaman, and Warrior make up the Terran forces, lead by the one and only Jim Reynor. They will command Battlecruisers—a special take on the Starship mechanic from The Great Dark Beyond.

The Mini-Set will feature a slew of StarCraft units which are sure to invoke nostalgia, as well as the Terran-armored Murloc, Grunty, and new, thematic music. You can chart a course for the Heroes of StarCraft Mini-Set, launching in January 2025! More announcements, details, and card reveals are coming closer to launch.

Major Arena Updates

Then, for the first time in 10 years, Arena Mode is getting a major overhaul. With that update, there will be two kinds of Arena to choose from. Normal Arena will be shorter form, allowing you to complete your runs more quickly. Competitive Arena players will be able to play in the higher-stakes Underground Arena, with longer runs and a new feature: Re-Draft on Loss. Re-Draft on Loss means that, after you lose, you’ll have the option to re-draft cards, edit your deck, and keep your run alive.

Ratings will also be added to both Normal and Underground Arena. Normal, skill-based matchmaking will be used for Normal Arena. Underground Arena throws caution to the wind and lets you face off against opponents of all skill levels.

This major Arena revamp is coming in the first half of next year. Look out for more details about this update closer to when it goes live.

A Preview of the Year Ahead: The Year of the Raptor!



On top of those updates, Hearthstone has an exciting year of expansions ahead, with much-requested themes, locations, and familiar faces across Azeroth.

In the first expansion of the year, enter the Emerald Dream and join the battle between the Old Gods and the Druids of the Emerald Dream for the fate of the World Tree. Things will heat up even more when the Druids of the Flame light up the Mini-Set (releasing earlier than normal this year, during the 32.2 Patch).

The second expansion of the year will be Hearthstone’s first-ever sequel: the return to Un’Goro Crater! Join Elise on a hunt for a mythical, lost Tortollan city. When you find it, join the Tortollans in a festival to celebrate the mighty dinosaurs of the crater in the 33.4 Mini-Set.

In the third expansion of the year, travel with Chromie through alternate realities to recruit Legendary Warcraft heroes like you’ve never seen them before. Leading to the 34.4 Mini-Set: an epic showdown against Murozond at the end of time!




Celebrate One-Year of Warcraft Rumble

It’s been one year since Warcraft Rumble went live. To celebrate, players can log in to Warcraft Rumble today and join the one-year anniversary celebration in game. Players can collect daily rewards, including new avatars and cosmetics!

Introducing Split Leaders

The Warcraft universe is built on rich and diverse characters that may not fit into any singular family, and because of this, we’re introducing split Leaders! In Season 10, we reintroduce Sylvanas Windrunner as the first playable split Leader, honoring her allegiance to both the Horde and Undead families. Later, we will introduce Malfurion Stormrage as Alliance and Cenarion, Orgrim Doomhammer as Horde and Blackrock, and last but not least, Anub’arak as Undead and Beast.

Get Ready to Rumble from Your PC

Warcraft Rumble is coming to PC! The PC beta will launch on December 10, 2024; stay tuned for more information!



Wherever your gaming experience takes you, we can’t wait to continue on this journey with you all.

Lok’tar ogar! We’ll see you at the Inn, in Azeroth, and wherever the road takes us all next!
This article was originally published in forum thread: Warcraft Direct Stream Live started by chaud View original post
Comments 49 Comments
  1. Mevaya's Avatar
    Super bummed about the Warcraft Updates. I expected it will only be HD updates, but i was hoping for some real content, especially WC3:R. Disappointing way to "honor" their companies legacy.
  1. klaps_05's Avatar
    Man the Starcraft OST is such a banger it is a crime that there wasnt ever any show or movie made around Starcraft.
  1. Taen's Avatar
    Warcraft 1 and 2 reforged are PC only. Very disappointing.
  1. kamuimac's Avatar
    hm pointless mop classic release , pointless classic classic release .

    only good thing is there will be wolk classic classic in 3 years - which will again turn into cata classic classic in 4 years .

    wake me up when i will be able to again roll holy pala and feral druid in classic classic wolk
  1. Galfan's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Taen View Post
    Warcraft 1 and 2 reforged are PC only. Very disappointing.
    Was just about to say......finding out that both are originally for Mac too, and as a remaster it's not? Microsoft acquisition takes it's effects now.....
  1. Mazzic518's Avatar
    The music is gorgeous
  1. DingDongKing's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Galfan View Post
    Was just about to say......finding out that both are originally for Mac too, and as a remaster it's not? Microsoft acquisition takes it's effects now.....
    It's less that and Blizzard just being lazy AF. Same reason why Overwatch never came out on Mac.

    Just pure laziness.
  1. BigAssBoy's Avatar
    Now I know why there wasn't a Blizzcon this year
  1. RobertMugabe's Avatar
    k so Player Housing seems to be the surprise announcement coming in the next xpac.

    Was hoping for an Xbox release, but that's good too.
  1. DechCJC's Avatar
    Over the moon with the WoW updates, my God. Classic fresh next week? Sure! Why not, I've been looking for an excuse to go again on HC (Kinda figured this was coming based off what Sodapoppin was saying though). Undermine looks sick, despite genuinely not caring for Goblins. It seems like we're gonna be grounded but with speed in mind. I'm down for that, hope it feels as good as Dragonriding. And, oh my God... Housing is real. Housing has been the feature that I've been waiting for (Account wide progress was the previous one, which TWW also satisfied).

    If retail never released a single new feature for the remainder of it's existence, I'd be satisfied. My bucket list has been ticked off, anything past this is polishing existing content.
  1. BB8's Avatar
    Sorry NAY-sayers about housing, but its a yes. YESSSSS!!!
    And the good thing is, you don't have to join the housingg, its optional.
    Let us, those who want housing, enjoy it please, thank you.
  1. Doombringer's Avatar
    WoW Classic Classic (Really) isn't surprising... they'll keep doing this forever. And it's fine, that first-time experience is hard to replicate without actually rolling the game back. Players growing up now weren't there in 2004. Maybe not even in 2019. So yeah.

    But Housing... hell yeah. It's about damn time.
  1. Rootsbum's Avatar
    I was SOOO hyped for Playable harronir lol
  1. kamuimac's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by BB8 View Post
    Sorry NAY-sayers about housing, but its a yes. YESSSSS!!!
    And the good thing is, you don't have to join the housingg, its optional.
    Let us, those who want housing, enjoy it please, thank you.
    just wait how they monetize it after the 90 euro mount

    10 euro for carpet 50 euro for cool sword on wall over fireplace
  1. Shigma's Avatar
    A bit sad Warcraft 3 reforged just got that. But was to be expected. Sigh.

    Also... this direct felt more like a corporate briefing than anything gaming, really.
  1. kamuimac's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Doombringer View Post
    WoW Classic Classic (Really) isn't surprising... they'll keep doing this forever. And it's fine, that first-time experience is hard to replicate without actually rolling the game back. Players growing up now weren't there in 2004. Maybe not even in 2019. So yeah.

    But Housing... hell yeah. It's about damn time.
    its gonna be one collosal fail - even sod with the extra exp was a failure month into - unless they put char boosts on launch there.
  1. Daywalk3r's Avatar
    Does anyone actually care about housing as an expansion selling feature?
  1. Orby's Avatar
    As someone who quit WoW back in 2021 the only stuff that interested me here was the remasters of Wc1/2/3. The WoW stuff might have interested me if I was interested in WOW :P

    I have never been a player housing advocate so I don't really care, and it did little to get me back to playing again either. But for those that have been advocating it for like since Vanilla then you guys got jackpot :P
  1. Subrias's Avatar
    Player housing! Wooo! I'm happy for all of you who care about that.. but I've never even attempted player housing in any game. Even in ffxiv I just sell any housing decor I get and ive been playing from day 1.
  1. Shinchi Migi's Avatar
    I LOVE when Blizzard does something contradictory to what players thinks should be in the game; or in the case of player housing, not be in the game. Here is to 30 years more that I hope blizzard brings us. I can't wait.

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