The Burning Crusade
The Burning Crusade is WoW’s first-ever expansion, the one that set the stage for all others. This expansion takes the Horde and Alliance to the world of Outland, seeking to defeat the Doom Lord Kazzak and his Burning Legion. Not only does The Burning Crusade up the level cap and implement flying, but it also introduces the Draenei (Alliance) and Blood Elves (Horde)! And, of course, it also adds previously unavailable classes to the Horde and Alliance. Release date: January 16, 2007 New races: Draenei and Blood Elf New zones: Outland (continent), Azuremyst Isle, Bloodmyst Isle, Eversong Woods, and Ghostlands New raids: Gruul's Lair, Karazhan, Magtheridon's Lair, Battle for Mount Hyjal, Black Temple, Serpentshrine Cavern, The Eye, and Sunwell Plateau Other notable inclusions: Level cap to 70, PvP content, flying mounts, new starting areas, profession changes, and sixteen new dungeons
Wrath of the Lich King
In Wrath of the Lich King’s story arc, Azeroth comes under siege by an undead Scourge, leading the Alliance and Horde to join forces in defense of their world. Together, they venture into Northrend to take down the Lich King and his undead lackeys. This is the first return to Northrend since Warcraft 3; the expansion includes the first “hero” class (the Death Knight) and, of course, a bump in the level cap from 70 to 80. Release date: November 13, 2008 New zones: Northrend (continent) and Plaguelands: The Scarlet Enclave (starting zone) New raids: Eye of Eternity, Icecrown Citadel, Naxxramas, Obsidian Sanctum, Vault of Archavon, Ulduar, Trial of the Crusader, Onyxia's Lair, and Ruby Sanctum Other notable inclusions: Level cap to 80, new mounts, the Inscription profession, and sixteen new dungeons
Cataclysm
Cataclysm brings the resurgence of Deathwing the Destroyer, a terrifying dragon capable of bringing about mass destruction and severe political tension (between the Alliance and Horde). Azeroth’s landscape is transformed under Deathwing’s onslaught, and players will find lava, fire, and other evidence of the dragon’s presence as they explore. The expansion also adds new races and opens certain classes to races that couldn’t use them before! Release date: December 7, 2010 New races: Goblins (Horde) and Worgen (Alliance) New zones: Deepholm, Gilneas City (starting area), Kezan (starting area), Mount Hyjal, Vashj'ir (an underwater world), Twilight Highlands, Tol Barad, and Uldum New raids: Baradin Hold (PvP), Blackwing Descent, Firelands, The Bastion of Twilight, Throne of the Four Winds, and Dragon Soul Other notable inclusions: Altered landscapes in Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms, new class combos (Human Hunter and Dwarf Shaman), level cap to 85, the Archaeology profession, and fourteen new dungeons
Mists of Pandaria
Mists of Pandaria takes the Alliance and Horde to the unknown content of Pandaria; the Horde and Alliance are fighting in the wake of Cataclysm, with the Alliance stronghold of Theramore being destroyed, and a battle at sea leads to both factions washing up on Pandaria’s shores. The expansion introduces the Pandaren (the first neutral race in WoW), as well as a lush, unique world to explore, and the new playable Monk class (which can be effective as a healer, tank, or DPS). Release date: September 25, 2012 New races: Pandaren (available in both the Alliance and Horde) New zones: Pandaria (continent) New raids: Heart of Fear, Mogu'shan Vaults, Siege of Orgrimmar, Terrace of Endless Spring, and Throne of Thunder Other notable inclusions: Level cap raised to 90, new PvP content, nine new dungeons, the pet battle system, new mounts, and a rework of the talent system
Warlords of Draenor
Warlords of Draenor creates a whole new, alternate timeline for WoW after Horde war chief Garrosh Hellscream travels back in time, ultimately forming his “Iron Horde”—a threat so great that the Alliance and Horde must team up to stop it. This expansion introduces Draenor, the homeland of the Orcs, along with a new group-finder system and a sandbox-style PvP area (Ashran). Warlords of Draenor is also a fantastic expansion for fast-leveling, given all its bonus objectives. Release date: November 13, 2014 New zones: Draenor (continent) New raids: Blackrock Foundry, Highmaul, and Hellfire Citadel Other notable inclusions: Updated character models, level cap to 100, the group finder system, and eight new dungeons
Legion
In Legion, Azeroth suffers a demonic invasion (triggered by the warlock Gul’dan and the Burning Legion). Together with the Argent Drusade and Demon Hunters, the Alliance and Horde must prevent demons from sowing chaos across Azeroth! This expansion introduces the Demon Hunter class (another “hero” class), exclusively available to Night and Blood Elves. It also features the Broken Isles, a new area with lots of lore and hidden easter eggs to discover. Release date: August 30, 2016 New zones: Broken Isles (continent), Mardum, and the Shattered Abyss (starting zone) New raids: Antorus, Emerald Nightmare, Trial of Valor, The Nighthold, Tomb of Sargeras, and the Burning Throne Other notable inclusions: Level cap to 110, additional character slot, PvP Honor system, Class orders (allowing you to recruit NPCs), new world bosses, and thirteen new dungeons
Battle for Azeroth
Battle for Azeroth builds on the stories of WoW staples, including Sylvanas Windrunner and Jaina Proudmoore. At the end of Legion, Azeroth begins to bleed a powerful substance called Azerite, leading the Alliance and Horde to fight over it, eventually starting the Fourth War. Sylvanas Windrunner, in particular, begins the expansion with a bang by burning the world tree, Teldrassil; the rest of the expansion follows that war and introduces significant changes to PvP in the process with the new “War Mode.” Release date: August 13, 2018 New races: Highmountain Tauren, Mag’har Orc, Nightborne, Zandalari Troll, Vulpera (Horde); Void Elf, Kul Tiran, Mechagnome, Lightforged Draenei, Dark Iron Dwarf (Alliance) New zones: Zandalar (continent) and Kul Tiras (continent) New raids: Battle of Dazar'alor, Crucible of Storms, The Eternal Palace, Ny'alotha, Uldir, and the Waking City Other notable inclusions: Level cap to 120, new leveling zones, an overhauled PvP system, Island expeditions, the Heart of Azeroth mechanic, and eleven new dungeons
Shadowlands
Shadowlands is one of the least-popular WoW expansions to date. It explores the aftermath of Sylvanas Windrunner’s abrupt fall, redemption, and banishment (which occurred in Battle for Azeroth), as the Jailer, an Arbiter of the Shadowlands, begins kidnapping political figures across Azeroth. Heroes of Azeroth and Death Knights infiltrate the Shadowlands to defeat the Jailer; the expansion also features a “squished” level cap of 60 and four ancient Covenants that players must align themselves with. Release date: November 23, 2020 New zones: Shadowlands (continent) and Exile’s Reach (starting area) New raids: Castle Nathria, Sanctum of Domination, and Sepulcher of the First Ones Other notable inclusions: An overhauled leveling-up system (with existing characters “squished” back to level 50), character customization changes, the Covenant system, the map pin system, and eleven new dungeons
Dragonflight
As the name would suggest, Dragonflight introduced the much-anticipated dragonriding mechanic (also called dynamic flying), giving players a fun new way to travel around the world. As more of a foundational expansion than the previous entries, it also introduces the Dragon Isles (the draconic homeland) as the dragonkin race of Dracthyr wake up after being placed in stasis by Deathwing. The Horde and Alliance proceed to investigate the isles, leading to a series of events concerning the fate of all Dragonkind. Release date: November 18, 2022 New races: Dracthyr New zones: The Dragon Isles (continent) New raids: Aberrus, The Shadowed Crucible, and Vault of the Incarnates Other notable inclusions: New Evoker class (only for Dracthyr), customizable dragon mounts (over 50 customization options), level cap to 70, and eight new dungeons
The War Within
The War Within is the first part of the Worldsoul Saga, with a story that delves into the deepest places of Azeroth as the Harbinger of the Void, Xal’atath, raises an army capable of threatening the world. The three-part saga will explore the lore of the Titans and the origins of Azeroth itself—a fascinating subject for many WoW fans! The War Within also introduced numerous quality-of-life updates and new content, including Delves and Warbands. Release date: August 26, 2024 New races: Earthen (neutral, available to both the Alliance and Horde) New zones: Khaz Algar New raids: Blackrock Depths, Liberation of Undermine, Manaforge Omega, Nerub-ar Palace, The Glassed Expanse, and Wastes of K’aresh Other notable inclusions: Hero Talent trees, Skyriding (a rework of Dragonflight’s dragonriding system), level cap to 80, and ten new dungeons
Midnight / The Last Titan
Midnight and The Last Titan are the second and third chapters in the Worldsoul Saga and the next two WoW expansions planned for release, respectively. Midnight will feature a return to Quel’Thalas and pit players against the forces of the Void; it’ll also include fun new features like player housing. The Last Titan will close out the Worldsoul Saga, delving further into the lore of the Titans (entities that existed before Azeroth as it is now known). Release date: Midnight is expected sometime in early 2026 (originally summer 2025); The Worldsoul Saga will release after that, possibly in 2027
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