World of Warcraft: a slew of announcements at BlizzCon 2026

During the weekend, Blizzard Entertainment took advantage of BlizzCon, a community event that brings together all fans of the Diablo, Hearthstone, Overwatch, Starcraft, and World of Warcraft universes, to make several announcements. At Metropolis Chronicle, we decided to revisit those concerning WoW games. Get ready, there's a lot to cover!

Preview of the next two WoW Midnight expansions

Earlier this year, Blizzard Entertainment provided a comprehensive overview of the future of World of Warcraft. The American company highlighted the new features of the modern version of WoW and those planned for the Classic version. Since then, the studio has been diligently following the schedule and continues to roll out to integrate the new features as planned. They took advantage of BlizzCon to reveal what's in store for players of the modern version. Specifically, two major updates are expected.

The first, update 12.2, more elegantly named Eclipse, will require players to fully dive into battle. There will be no turning back. Xal'atath is about to seize the Worldsoul. It is impossible to let him win without a fight. Player characters will therefore meet in the Worldsoul Core to face it and attempt to change the course of history. Along the way, everyone will be able to explore the Mantle Vault, an area hidden by the Titans. It will be possible to discover a biome that highlights a rocky ecosystem and invites the discovery of an ancient race of crystalline creatures.

As you can imagine, with the final battle approaching, it will be time to conclude the narrative arc. To discover the finale of the Worldsoul Saga, one must venture into the expansion The Last Titan. The events will unfold on the snowy peaks of Northrend. The development studio promises it will be "the culmination of more than two decades of Warcraft." Of course, the end of a chapter is not necessarily an end in itself. This content will lay the foundations for what will be developed next.

24 years later, Warcraft III gets a new narrative arc

Never stop believing... Sometimes miracles happen late. This is what players of Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos might have thought. Indeed, this real-time strategy game was released in July 2002 and had an expansion the following year. Then it made way for World of Warcraft, the famous MMORPG we all know. It was created to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the franchise.

Nevertheless, to allow everyone to experience Warcraft III, the studio released a remastered version in 2020 named Warcraft III: Reforged. Surprise, six years later, a new update (3.0) is deployed. It offers a graphical overhaul of the game and a revised world editor. Additionally, Blizzard announces Forsaken Kingdom, a two-part prologue that invites players to discover how Lordaeron became Undercity. The good news? It's already available for a few euros!

A New Forever Experience

Starting November 5, all players of World of Warcraft will be able to discover an alternative experience. Thus, in addition to the modern version and the Classic version, it will be possible to play WoW Forever. This new permanent universe will require exploring the unexplored regions of Azeroth. New stories will be developed to discover events that will take place between those of Warcraft III Reforged: Forsaken Kingdom and Molten Core. 

This will be an opportunity to immerse oneself in a familiar experience but with enough new features to welcome fans and newcomers. Adventures will be experienced up to level 60. Nine dungeons will be available to explore, two new raids will be included, and everyone will be able to explore three new game zones and meet the Aeolids, a new race. If November 5 seems far away, know that it will be possible to dive into this content from September 17 through a beta version. 

Cover image: Blizzard Entertainment®