Warcraft Direct World of Warcraft - MoP Classic, SoD Updates, Undermine, Housing

As part of our ongoing Warcraft 30th Anniversary celebration, we’re excited to announce that all-new, fresh WoW Classic realms will go live on November 21 at 2:00 p.m. PST.

Realm Sizes and Rulesets
Nowadays, an individual WoW Classic realm can hold many more players at a single time than ever before. For our new fresh Anniversary realms, we’re limiting the total number of realms to choose from at launch to only 1 of each ruleset (Normal (PvE), PvP, and Hardcore). This will give both new and returning players the confidence in selecting a realm with a ruleset of their choosing, knowing that it will be healthy and sustainable. We may choose to open additional realms for a given ruleset, if needed to address player demand, but it’s our intention to limit the total number of realms to as few realms as possible.

When we first launch on November 21 at 2:00 p.m. PST, we expect some queuing, as we will gradually increase realm capacity caps in real time to fit the number of players logging in. We ask for your patience and understanding if you encounter a queue right after launch time.

Burning Crusade Classic
We’re particularly excited to reveal that Normal (PvE) and PvP fresh Anniversary realms will progress to Burning Crusade Classic, after we progress through the Classic Era content phases. This will be our first visit back to the start of this beloved expansion since its launch in 2021.

Our new Hardcore Anniversary realms will not progress to Burning Crusade Classic. Hardcore has always been focused on the Classic 1-60 journey, made truly viable and approachable thanks to Classic’s original mechanics and difficulty. Burning Crusade brings with it a level of challenge (and randomness) that we feel doesn’t fit Hardcore.

#NoChanges and #Changes Philosophy at Launch
With WoW Classic Anniversary realms, our goal is to preserve the spirit of what makes Classic WoW special. While we’re not strictly following a “no changes” policy for these Anniversary realms, our intention is to closely mirror the Classic Vanilla experience, with minimal deviation from the 2019 version.

Since the launch of WoW Classic in 2019, changes have occurred for reasons primarily focused on game health and game cohesion. These changes have included: reporting system improvements, the Dethroning system for transferring guild leadership, the addition of Chronoboon Displacer (and allowing it to stack to 10), the improved PvP Honor Ranking system, and graphics improvements. On the new Anniversary realms, these changes will be in from the start.

As always, we will continue to listen to player feedback and make adjustments as necessary.

User Interface and Looking for Group
In WoW Classic, players have often used a variety of out-of-game tools and methods to group with other players. Given the limited number of Anniversary realms per region, we expect all realms to have high populations. Although we applaud players’ ingenuity to create tools outside the game to ease social connections, we recognize that not having similar functionality in the game itself has been a missed opportunity.

To support group play, we’re introducing a Looking for Group (LFG) tool, which will allow players to create, join, and browse parties manually. We’re also adding a Services chat channel that players can enable, specifically for advertising services such as portals, summons, and tribute buffs. All such advertising must be posted to the Services channel, and player chat of these kinds placed elsewhere are subject to player reports and actions taken by Blizzard.

For those who enjoy the look and feel of the Classic guild UI, we’ve implemented an option for players to choose between using the original Classic guild UI and the newer guild UI. We’re also making plans to bring these updates to all Classic Era realms and appreciate your thoughts and feedback on that.

Hardcore Rules and Progression
For the first time ever, new Anniversary Hardcore realms will progress through the Classic Era phases of content. This means that when the Molten Core unlocks on the new Normal and PvP realms, it will unlock on new Hardcore realms at the same time. We look forward to seeing how players prepare to take on this content as it unlocks with each phase! Please note that PvP battlegrounds and Battlemasters are disabled and will not unlock when non-Hardcore realms reach their battleground phases.

We expect all else to remain the same. Paladins will not be able to bubble hearth, Shamans’ Reincarnation and Warlocks’ Soulstones won’t work, Duel to the Death (Mak’gora) is back on the menu, and buff and debuff limits are removed.

You’ll have the option of creating Self-Found characters right from the start, should you wish to take on the challenge without being able to trade with other players, send and receive most mail, or use the auction house. Good luck!

Molten Core and Onyxia
On the new realms, we want to encourage as many players as possible to level characters and, most of all, feel safe doing it in their own time. WoW Classic really is all about the journey, after all, and although we see the question of “Is it too late for me to start?” asked a lot, there really is no bad time to join WoW Classic.

To further support this, we’re making a deliberate change to delay the launch of the Molten Core and Onyxia raids by a few weeks. They will open on December 12 PST.

Character Transfers
On these new Anniversary realms, transfers will be unavailable (except for transfers to a Normal realm for Hardcore characters). Normal realm characters must remain on Normal realms, and PvP realm characters will be locked to PvP realms. On Hardcore realms, should players wish to transfer either dead or living characters to a Normal realm, they will be able to do so. There is no way to transfer back to Hardcore realms.

Enforced Faction Balance on PvP Realms
In Season of Discovery, we implemented enforced faction balance on all PvP realms. This means that the population of Horde and Alliance characters on each PvP realm remains almost perfectly balanced. If the faction balance ever starts to lean too far in one direction or the other, character creation for the more populous side is temporarily paused until balance is restored.

The results have been overwhelmingly successful, and feedback on this system has been positive. Therefore, we will enforce faction balance on new Anniversary PvP realms.

GDKP Policy
In line with our policy enacted on Season of Discovery realms in NA and EU, we will not allow gold dragon kill point (GDKP) runs in Anniversary realms in the NA and EU regions.

Note: This policy will not be implemented in regions outside of NA and EU at this time, though we reserve the right to change this.

While we understand that there are some benefits for those who find this a convenient way to gain gear, we also recognize that there are concerns surrounding GDKP eroding traditional guild and social structures that are a part of the spirit of the game. Player feedback in Season of Discovery realms in NA and EU has largely been positive about this change, and it aligns with our internal findings.

We will continue to monitor feedback about this topic closely, and we may make adjustments to this policy in the future.

We’re excited for the launch of Anniversary realms. Thank you, as always, for your support, and we’ll see you in Azeroth on November 21 at 2:00 p.m. PST!

Sincerely,

The WoW Classic Team

World of Warcraft celebrates 20 years of adventure in Azeroth, bringing together players of all ages and abilities from all over the world, making connections both in the game and out.


Inspired by the incredible story captured in “The Remarkable Life of Ibelin” documentary about Mats “Ibelin” Steen—now live on Netflix— a Norwegian WoW® player who suffered from Duchenne muscular dystrophy, you can add the Reven Pack to your collection and support CureDuchenne, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving and extending the lives of those affected by this disease.

Live now in modern World of Warcraft, players can join the World of Warcraft 20th Anniversary Celebration to collect updated Tier 2 armor appearance sets, undertake Classic Timewalking, engage with others to defeat iconic world bosses, head to the Trading post, and earn iconic new rewards, and more.

The War Within has taken the leap into the first chapter of the Worldsoul Saga and adventures continue in WoW Classic, but this is only the beginning of what we have planned.

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Season of Discovery
Currently, in Season of Discovery, players are exploring new adventures with new class abilities, all-new level-up raids, finding secrets, and teaming up to defeat Ragnaros and Nefarian. It won’t be long until everyone can join the War Effort and open the gates to Ahn’Qiraj, where they’ll get to plunder the depths for new rewards and face new challenges.

After Ahn’Qiraj, players in Season of Discovery can look forward to one more phase, in which they’ll face the dangers of Naxxramas, along with new instanced content featuring the Scarlet Crusade as well as adventures in Deadwind Pass!

Cataclysm Classic
In Cataclysm Classic, Ragnaros has risen in the Firelands once more, and players are working toward adding the Dragonwrath Staff to their collection. In the final phase of Cataclysm Classic, players will experience the Hour of Twilight patch and Dragon Soul raid dungeon early next year.

And that’s not all we have in store for Classic World of Warcraft.

Revisit the Mists of Pandaria
We’re pleased to announce that Mists of Pandaria Classic will be arriving in the summer of 2025, taking players back to the shores of Pandaria and bringing its legendary class design, incredible raids and dungeons, stunning environments, and (of course) an unforgettable soundtrack.

WoW Classic 20th Anniversary Edition
Relive the World of Warcraft Classic experience with all-new fresh realms in the WoW Classic 20th Anniversary Edition arriving November 21. Join players on a whole new journey to level 60, with the first raid dungeon, Molten Core, becoming available a few weeks after launch. Choose to play on a PvP realm, a Normal PvE realm, or (for the very first time) a Hardcore realm progressing through content with the other realms — all from the beginning, with fresh economies, on very large realms.

These realms will launch with some of the quality-of-life features that came later in the WoW Classic cycle, such as the Chronoboon Displacer to save your world buffs and the improved PvP Honor Ranking system. The PvP and Normal PvE realms will also progress into Burning Crusade Classic!

It's never too late to go back and re-experience World of Warcraft anew—just in time to celebrate 20 years of adventures in Azeroth!

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World of Warcraft: The War Within
The first chapter of the Worldsoul Saga kicked off in August with the launch of The War Within, bringing with it myriad new experiences with a new raid, dungeons, delves, PvP, new appearances and rewards, pets, mounts and much more.

Siren Isle


On the horizon, our next content update, Siren Isle, is currently available on the Public Test Realms (PTR), and the update will go live next month with a little something for everyone. This update also includes the epilogue questline for Dalaran and the Kirin Tor. No spoilers, but the storyline will feature the mysterious haranir, who also starred in the expansion release cinematic.

The Siren Isle introduces a new outdoor environment to explore, full of mysteries to uncover and rewards to help catch your alternate characters up and prepare for the next War Within season ahead.

Plunderstorm Returns

Plunderstorm is returning with a new Plunderstore to provide more flexibility for earning rewards instead of a linear Renown track. There are also some quality-of-life changes to spell interactions, the UI and more ahead.

The Siren Isle content update also brings with it Turbulent Timeways once more and additional updates to the Feast of Winter Veil in-game holiday event.

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New The War Within Novella: Heartlands
We’re introducing a new novella that explores more of the story behind the scenes. Find out what happened with Jaina and Thrall after the Fall of Dalaran as they seek out reinforcements in this five-chapter special— available today and as read by Chris Metzen!

Listen and read here.

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Up Next— Undermined!


Xal’atath’s trail leads adventurers to a location in our next major content update that has long been known about but, as yet, remained unexplored—the Undermine.

Players will travel deep into the goblin city of Undermine, the capital of the goblin’s trade empire! It is a city like none other seen before in World of Warcraft and stands as a testament to goblin intelligence and creativity as experts in both technology and alchemy. As our adventures continue, we’ll learn more about goblin culture and society that we have never been able to see before. We’ll learn what’s important to them, the problems they are trying to solve —everything that makes them truly unique, and what they’re capable of as a society. We’ll dig a bit deeper beyond just their humor and explosions, though there will still be explosions and a LOT of mayhem to be found.

You’ll arrive in an Undermine that’s in conflict between the four major goblin cartels: Steamwheedle, Blackwater, Bilgewater, and the Venture Company. Each cartel is run by notorious goblins like Monte Gazlowe, Renzik “The Shiv,” Baron Revilgaz, Marin Noggenfogger, and more. Which one you align yourself with is up to you.

You’ll want to make sure you have a sweet ride to roll around town in— players can earn a customizable vehicle early on that’s designed just for use in Undermine. You’ll push the boundaries of locomotion on the roads of Undermine and speed through its causeways and byways at a higher rate than a ground mount can.

Players can adjust the car’s driving characteristics by adding a little extra grip to hug the roads or adjust to slide and glide as they drift around corners. Want to accelerate faster? Then, you may have to sacrifice a little speed. How you customize your car’s characteristics is up to you.

New Dungeon- Operation: Floodgate
The new dungeon, Operation: Floodgate, builds on the narrative of Undermine as players race to stop a group of goblins from blowing a dam that will bring ruin to the Ringing Deeps.

This new dungeon will be available immediately as a part of the new The War Within Season 2 dungeon pool on Heroic, Mythic, and Mythic+, alongside the four other launch dungeons and three legacy dungeons. We’ll share more information on the full slate of dungeons at a later point, but we would be remiss if we didn’t include MOTHERLODE from Battle for Azeroth in the rotation.

Players will also experience two new Delves and variations of existing Delves in the content update. Seasonal updates are also being introduced to Brann Bronzebeard, a new adversary to follow, Zek’vir, and a new set of goblin-inspired Curios.

New Raid- Liberation of Undermine
Experience a new 8-boss raid dungeon that takes you through the city streets and into the magnificent Gallagio— brimming with color and extravagance, it houses the dark secrets of its owner— Gallywix.

There’s more at play here than it first seems, and goblin politics are treacherous and fraught with the underpinnings of something more where Xal’atath is concerned.

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There’s even more ahead in 2025, and we have the roadmaps to help guide you on what you can look forward to in World of Warcraft and WoW Classic.

Thank you for making Azeroth your home over these last two decades. Speaking of home, the World of Warcraft team has one last thing to share with you…

And yes, in World of Warcraft: Midnight, your next adventure begins at home. A house to call your very own. Stay tuned!

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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!