When did Every World of Warcraft Enlargement Come out

World of Warcraft has a legacy going again to November 2004, it is one of many oldest-running, and most beloved MMOs available on the market and we have had some iconic World of Warcraft Expansions in that point. 

Since 2004 so much has occurred, 9 expansions have graced the sport, and we have even gone again and revisited two of them (and the bottom sport). In 2022 we noticed Dragonflight drop, the most recent enlargement within the sequence. With it got here a return to each important and, crucially, fan reward. Whereas WoW has gone a few years, even a long time, because the undisputed prime MMO, latest years have seen the shine beginning to fade from Blizzard’s beloved MMO. Essentially the most notable claimant to the crown is FFXIV, which has slowly begun to gather gamers who’ve fallen out of affection with WoW.

As WoW enters its twentieth Birthday, let’s have a look again on the historical past of the sport, the place it has come from, and when every enlargement got here out. We have additionally added Traditional to the tip of the listing, as these are nonetheless vital releases within the historical past of WoW. So let’s take a look at When every World of Warcraft Expansions got here out and a few key particulars for every.

World of Warcraft Expansions

The Burning Campaign January 2007

• Key options: Blood Elves & Draenei had been added to the sport, including the primary new races. We additionally acquired our first new occupation in Jewelcrafting, flying mounts alongside Paladin and Shaman courses crossing faction strains.
• Launch: January 2007

Burning Campaign marks a lot of WoW’s oldest gamers’ first actual “second” with WoW. I’ve performed since Vanilla, however I used to be a teen, so I’ve very few recollections of my time. Burning Campaign, nonetheless, was when my associates all joined me and we began to make these core WoW recollections.

So for a lot of, BC is when WoW was at its most pure type, which is why when WoW Traditional moved into the enlargement there was a lot hype. It was in all probability the height of what “Traditional” WoW was in the usual format.

Wrath of the Lich King

• Key options: Loss of life Knight, WoW’s first new class added. A brand new inscription occupation was added, alongside Achievements and a Barbershop.
• Launch: November 2008

If BC was not the place you began as an “OG” then it might properly have been Wrath. Wrath was a particular enlargement, and whereas we didn’t comprehend it on the time, the inclusion of Arthas as the tip boss would have knock-on results on WoW for a lot of expansions to come back.

Wrath actually ended the Warcraft 3 period of WoW and firmly set WoW on its personal path, and whereas it might need had some journeys on the way in which, Wrath set a tone for what a WoW enlargement may very well be.

Cataclysm

• Key options: Goblin & Worgen races added. Transmog system added alongside Archeology.
• Launch: December 2010

Cataclysm was an attention-grabbing enlargement for WoW, solely as a result of it modified a lot. And if we thought Wrath was the tip of the Warcraft 3 arch, Cataclysm actually made certain of it. By destroying the World we cherished, Cataclysm modified the World of Azeroth without end, and it marked one of many first main drops within the participant base.

Cata wasn’t all unhealthy, but it surely was the primary enlargement that I myself dropped off and even unsubed. In consequence, Cata has all the time been the least outstanding of the WoW expansions, and with Traditional WoW now on this interval, I am curious how that finally ends up going.

Mists of Pandaria

• Key options: The Pandaren was added as the primary impartial WoW faction. Monk turns into the most recent new Class. Battle Pet system added alongside large Expertise revamp
• Launch: September 2012

Mists of Pandaria got here at a bizarre time for WoW. Whereas many followers favored the announcement, the fact of the Pandaren, a meme from Warcraft changing into part of WoW turned heads.

General MoP was in style, and definitely is among the expansions individuals look again on most fondly, largely as a result of class stability being thought of the place WoW peaked.

Warlords of Draenor

• Key options: First enlargement to not add a brand new race or class. Would add Garrisons and revamp all races within the sport to make them extra “HD”
• Launch: November 2014

It is uncommon that you just get to look again on a second in a sport as a close to miss, however for WoW, Warlords of Draenor was so almost that second. The sport noticed an enormous drop in gamers, with the participant base seemingly not within the imaginative and prescient Blizzard had for the sport.

This brought on Blizzard to take a drastic determination, to let WoD die with none content material for over a yr whereas they ready a rescue plan within the type of Legion. Fortunately for Blizzard, it labored out, WoD all the time seems like a “what might have been” second for WoW, perhaps someday we see it get the Remix or SOD remedy.

Legion

• Key options: Demon Hunter added, alongside Class Halls, Mythic +, zone mob scaling and the Artifact system
• Launch: August 2016

If WoD was the demise of WoW, then Legion was the shot of adrenaline to the arm. It is laborious to not overstate it, however Legion saved what WoW was and put it on the trail to restoration. In reality, had Legion not been so good, the sport’s subsequent two Expansions might need carried out extra injury.

In Legion we acquired the enduring Mythic+ system, which added a completely new approach to play end-game content material in WoW, bringing the Mythic Raid degree of problem into the repeatable 5-man dungeon surroundings. Mythic+ has remained a cornerstone of WoW ever since

Battle for Azeroth

• Key options: Coronary heart of Azeroth, Island Expeditions and Warfronts.
• Launch: August 2018

Battle for Azeroth is among the extra divisive WoW expansions, with some individuals loving it, whereas others appear to hate it. BFA was definitely the signal of issues to come back for WoW, for higher or worse.

BFA seems like a what-if second for WoW. Island Expeditions and Warfronts had been Blizzard’s makes an attempt to strike lighting once more as they’d with Mythic+. However this time, they felt too required, which harm how the group would understand them. Island Expeditions particularly grew to become the defacto approach to farm Coronary heart of Azeroth energy, thus turning a enjoyable facet exercise into required content material.

Shadowlands

• Key options: Covenants and Torghast added alongside TImewalking of previous leveling campaigns and 10 allied races
• Launch: November 2020

Blizzard tried once more with repeatable content material in Shadowlands, bringing Island Expeditions again within the type of Torghast however as soon as once more the content material felt required. Blizzard would clearly shift their focus in a while, however having a lot content material simply deserted on the finish of the enlargement was having an affect on the dev cycle.

Shadowlands, nonetheless, had a much bigger problem, and that was that all of it felt so pointless. It was speculated to be WoW’s try at displaying off the realm of demise, but it surely as an alternative pressured in a rushed finish boss and retconned well-established lore to have a second of “he deliberate all of it alongside” which simply felt flat and compelled.

Shadowlands was all however forgotten by Blizzard as soon as Dragonflight got here out, with Blizzard not even directing new gamers to the enlargement, as an alternative seemingly completely happy to simply overlook it ever occurred.

Dragonflight

• Key options: Dragonriding, huge expertise revamp, Dracthyr race and Evoker Class added
• Launch: November 2022

Dragonflight felt as soon as once more like Blizzard was making an attempt to show a brand new nook when it got here to WoW. A brand new flying system was added which modified the way in which gamers would journey around the globe. It additionally noticed the primary time gamers might fly from the outset, with zones now tailored to be flown round.

The enlargement would additionally see a brand new sort of sophistication added with the Evoker. Introducing a brand new model of spell casting, Evoker gamers might empower casts making spells and talents doing various things relying on how lengthy you maintain the spell down. Evoker would additionally acquire a brand new spec mid-expansion, a primary for Blizzard as they added a brand new assist/DPS hybrid spec… with blended outcomes.

Dragonflight was a giant success for WoW, and whereas many gamers had been burned previously by WoW “being again” it definitely turned some heads. With Warfare Inside up subsequent many individuals had been beginning to return.

World Soul Saga begins

The World Soul Saga was a brand new type of enlargement launch by Blizzard, bundling 3 expansions collectively right into a WoW expanded story. The Warfare Inside could be the primary to drop, however particulars of Midnight and the Final Titan had been additionally confirmed.

Time will inform how this works, however early indicators from Warfare Inside are that Blizzard has shifted focus, and is seeking to recapture what made WoW so particular.

Warfare Inside

• Key options: Hero Skills, Delves, Earthen Allied Race
• Launch: September 2024

The primary of the World Soul Saga sequence, Warfare Inside stored gamers in Azeroth and promised a “extra grounded” expertise. Many acquainted faces returned, because the Alliance and Horde labored collectively to take down a bigger risk.

With just some weeks of the Warfare Inside beneath our belts, it is early days however the indicators are good.

Midnight

• Key options: Set on Quel’Thalas
• Launch: 2026 TBC

The second enlargement within the World Soul saga will see gamers journey to Quel’Thalas. The story is ready to see gamers unite the Elven nations as they face a bigger risk. It is unknown how the story will play out at this stage, although it should seemingly turn out to be clearer because the Warfare Inside develops.

Hypothesis: If we needed to guess, we would see a “Excessive Elf” pores and skin choice come to Void Elves, with Horde presumably getting one thing comparable for the Void Elves for his or her Blood Elves.

The Final Titan

• Key options: Again to Northrend
• Launch: 2028 TBC

Properly, The Final Titan provides us some clue as to what to anticipate, and we all know Northrend shall be an space that options at the least partially. We all know subsequent to nothing in regards to the enlargement, solely that it’s going to revolve round a conspiracy concept among the many Titans in Northrend.

Hypothesis: We are going to get a brand new Class themed across the Titans and their energy. Like Evoker it should carry one thing new, we suspect a Tank with a singular twist, although much less of a gimmick as Monk stays the least-played tank because of this. Story-wise The Final Titan is probably going a pink herring and will check with Azeroth herself being a Titan.