Blizzard announced the continuation of World of Warcraft Classic into the game’s third expansion, Cataclysm, during the BlizzCon 2023 opening ceremony on Friday, Nov. 3, and many are curious about when exactly it will start.
There’s still content that hasn’t yet been released in the current Classic, but the game’s iconic Icecrown Citadel raid dropped in October, so naturally, people are already looking forward to what’s next. Luckily, Blizzard made it clear players won’t have to wait too long.
When will World of Warcraft Cataclysm Classic release?
Blizzard originally confirmed a release window for the first half of 2024 in the 2024 WoW Roadmap, which went live on Dec. 19. Since then, though, it’s said the Cataclysm expansion will arrive on Aug. 31, 2024, at the very latest. So, while not guaranteed, there’s a possibility it will launch earlier than that. We’ll be sure to update this article should Blizzard provide a more concrete launch date.
This gives players ample time to raid ICC and finish off their battle with the Lich King before Cataclysm begins, bringing about a new terrifying enemy, Deathwing. The same Roadmap also claimed the Ruby Sanctum raid will come to Wrath of the Lich King in winter.
What will be included in World of Warcraft Cataclysm Classic?
The new Classic expansion will include a new pair of races in the game—Goblins for the Horde and Worgens for the Alliance—as well as the ability to transmogrify your armor to look as fashionable as possible. In addition, there will be “seven intense dungeons and four new cataclysmic raids” to attempt, seven new zones to explore (as well as three starting Zones for the Goblin and Worgen races), and the level cap will be raised to level 85.
The addition of WoW Classic Cataclysm is one of what is now a handful of legacy gaming options in WoW. Following the success of WoW Hardcore servers earlier this year, Blizzard also announced a new Classic mode called Season of Discovery. It went live on Nov. 30, and so far thousands of players have been praising and enjoying it, with the second phase scheduled for early 2024 as well.
Players are also excited about Classic Hardcore’s new self-found mode, which promises to make the game even more difficult. According to Blizzard, this should be launching in February 2024.
