Not exactly the best kept secret of Blizzard Entertainment following leaks in recent days, the studio has formally confirmed that Version 10 of the long-running MMORPG will be titled World of Warcraft: Dragonflight, and around the same time, they will also be offering Classic servers based on the World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King expansion.
1World of Warcraft: Dragonflight
Following a period of calamity for the world of Azeroth, long-forgotten forces are stirring in the mythical Dragon Isles, the ancestral home of dragonkind. The dragons of Azeroth have played a central role in the world’s affairs, guiding the mortal races and influencing events with their considerable power—occasionally for their own ends. As their sacred broodlands reawaken, the dragons will call on the heroes of the Alliance and Horde to help reckon with the threats and mysteries that are beginning to surface. Reemerging after eons of dormancy and ready to join the fight are the powerful dracthyr Evokers, World of Warcraft’s first ever combination race and class.
Depending on the class specialisation they choose, dracthyr Evokers can assail enemies from range as a damage dealer using breath, fang, and claw, or aid and bolster their allies as a healer by means of the more mystical gifts of dragonkind. Players who create dracthyr Evokers will be able to design both the draconic avatars that they embody in battle, and the humanoid Visage forms they use to interact with the denizens of Azeroth. Dracthyr Evokers begin the game at level 58, with a unique starting questline, and they can choose to align with either the Alliance or Horde.
In addition to their cunning and power, Azeroth’s dragons are known for their aerial agility—fittingly, all players will be able to learn the art of Dragonriding, unlocking a new dynamic form of flight along with a drake companion that can be customised in appearance and trained to soar through the sky more effectively as players progress through the expansion. Dragonflight is also pitched to bring “the most extensive updates to World of Warcraft’s talent and profession systems since the game first launched, providing players with new levels of freedom and depth in how they define their characters“.
Promoted features of World of Warcraft: Dragonflight include:
Discover the Dragon Isles
In their journey to the new level cap of 70, players will explore the primordial wonder and ancient secrets of the Dragon Isles across four new zones—the Waking Shores, roiling with elemental power; the vast expanse of the Ohn’ahran Plains; the frosty peaks of the Azure Span; and the majestic spires and temples of Thaldraszus.
New Playable Race/Class Combo
Players will menace their foes (or empower their allies) as a dracthyr Evoker, WoW’s first ever race/class combo. They’ll design both humanoid and draconic forms, pick between the Alliance and Horde, and venture forth as a healer or ranged damage-dealer that harnesses the collective might of all dragonkind.
Soar Through the Skies
Dragonflight introduces Dragonriding, an all-new skill-based method of aerial movement that allows players to take to the skies on the back of their personal Dragon Isles Drake. Players will customise their drake as they progress through the expansion, collecting more appearance options and enabling them to fly farther and faster.
Talent System Revamp
The new talent system empowers players to make creative and flavourful talent choices without compromising their effectiveness—and most importantly, it gives them meaningful options at every level.
Improved Professions
Crafters rejoice! In Dragonflight, players who aspire to become renowned for their crafts will find a host of new features and tools to fuel their ambitions, including playerdriven work orders, new profession equipment, and an all-new specialisation system.
Updated UI
Dragonflight will refresh the World of Warcraft user interface, with improvements to the look and feel of the minimap and other elements, and new options for players to customise different aspects of the UI to their tastes.
No release date has been locked in for World of Warcraft: Dragonflight yet, but expect to hear more about the expansion in the coming months.
Players have been eager to revisit World of Warcraft’s high-fantasy roots, and they’re going to find just that in Dragonflight, with a deeper exploration of Warcraft’s iconic dragons and a thrilling adventure into their legendary homeland.
We’re also completely overhauling many of the game’s underlying systems to ensure that WoW continues to offer the type of experience that players expect not just with this expansion but for many years to come.”
Mike Ybarra – President of Blizzard Entertainment
2World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Classic
Later this year, players will be able to head back to 2008 and roll their characters on dedicated World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Classic servers. From his grim citadel deep in the frozen continent of Northrend, the dreaded Lich King Arthas Menethil sets in motion his conquest of Azeroth, and whether for the first time or the first time in many years, players will be able to experience this classic questline first hand.
Promoted features of Wrath of the Lich King Classic include:
The Grim Frozen North
Players will begin their journey in one of two zones in Northrend, Borean Tundra or Howling Fjord, and experience some of the most epic vistas and beloved storylines in all of Warcraft before breaching the seat of the Lich King’s power in Icecrown.
The Rise of Death Knights
Available to both factions and starting at level 55, Death Knights – WoW’s first hero class – harness the powers of darkness to help combat the evil that threatens Azeroth.
New profession – Inscription
This new profession allows players to scribe mystical glyphs that alter the appearance and modify the properties of spells and abilities, as well as craft powerful trinkets and off-hand items
Achievements Unlocked
Achievements are coming to WoW Classic, giving players a whole new set of rewards for their exploits and accomplishments.
Dungeons & Raids
Relive seminal 5-player dungeons like Azjol-Nerub and the Culling of Stratholme, and lay siege to Naxxramas in a 10-player raid, an update of its original iteration as a 40-player raid in pre-expansion World of Warcraft.
Players will be able to create Death Knight characters during a content update prior to the launch of Wrath of the Lich King Classic. All players will be able to create their first Death Knight characters without any prerequisites or restrictions (Creating subsequent Death Knight characters on a given server will require an existing character of level 55 or higher).
Expect to hear more about this new version of World of Warcraft Classic in the coming months.
