Blizzard Entertainment 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 already 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?
World of Warcraft Cataclysm Classic is set to release during the first half of the year in 2024, sometime between Spring and Summer. Blizzard didn’t provide a specific date during its BlizzCon announcement on Nov. 3, but it confirmed the release window in the 2024 WoW Roadmap, which went live on Dec. 19.
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. The new Classic expansion will also include a new pair of races in the game, as well as the ability to transmogrify your armor to look as fashionable as possible.
Goblins will be joining the Horde, and Worgens will be available for the Alliance. During the opening ceremony, WoW executive producer Holly Longdale said there would be “some” changes to the Classic expansion based on feedback from players, but she didn’t expand too much on what would be coming.
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 upcoming 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 likening to the popularly requested concept of “Classic+.” The idea there is that the developers spin off Classic in a way that makes for a new, fresh experience for players while keeping it familiar in many ways.
