The Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct brought a wave of exciting announcements as the franchise celebrated three decades of player engagement. Among the highlights was a sneak peek into what players can expect in 2025 for World of Warcraft.
Blizzard is making a concerted effort to be more transparent about their plans for the beloved MMO, detailing the new content set to arrive next year. With only a few major surprises left, this is the furthest the community has ever been able to look ahead with any degree of certainty.
2025 promises to be a busy year, with several major patches planned before the full reveal of Midnight, the upcoming expansion. Here’s everything you need to know about the WoW roadmap for 2025.
A look at World of Warcraft’s 2025: War within – roadmap
Patch 11.0.7
Starting in 2024, players will embark on an adventure to the Siren Isle with this patch. Alongside a wealth of new storylines and rewards, the Turbulent Timeways event is returning. First introduced in Dragonflight, this event features consecutive weeks of Timewalking dungeons, complete with all the rewards to earn.
Players will have the chance to obtain Cyrce’s Circlet, an upgradeable ring that works similarly to the Cloak of Infinite Potential from WoW Remix: Mists of Pandaria. Additionally, all of WoW’s traditional holiday celebrations are making a return.
The plunderstorm returns
WoW’s only attempt at a Battle Royale is back after a successful first run. This time, players will have the option to use a related store to earn their rewards, removing the need to grind through the Renown system.
Patch 11.1
Set to launch in late Winter of 2024, Patch 11.1 will kick off Season 2 of The War Within, titled Undermine(d). This update will introduce a brand new zone, a new raid called The Liberation of Undermine, and a new dungeon named Operation: Floodgate.
There will also be enhancements to the existing Delve offerings, allowing players to choose to align with one of four Goblin Cartels. It’s still unclear if this will mirror the much-maligned Covenant system from Shadowlands, but the developers are aware of player feedback and are likely to take a different approach.
Patch 11.1.5
Fans of Battle for Azeroth will remember the Horrific Visions of N’Zoth, which are making a comeback to challenge the community once again. Although N’Zoth has been defeated, The War Within’s focus on the Void provides a rich backdrop for what was once a beloved game mode.
This patch introduces a new content piece called Nightfall (not related to Destiny). The details surrounding this content are still unclear, but it might serve as the expansion’s megadungeon or a larger repeatable activity.
Patch 11.2
Kicking off Season 3, Patch 11.2 is as significant as the community expects. While we await Blizzard’s official confirmation on the specifics, it promises a new zone, fresh World Events, a new raid, a new dungeon, and updates to the Warband system and Brewfest.
Finally, the Midnight Expansion reveal
Set to launch in August 2025, Blizzard plans to reveal the next expansion – Midnight. The storyline has remained largely under wraps since its announcement at Blizzcon 2023, but it is expected to be a crucial part of the overarching narrative known as The Worldsoul Saga.
Patch 11.2.5
Patch 11.2.5, a relatively minor update, will include all the necessary system updates and improvements from previous patches. It will also mark the 21st Anniversary of the MMO, likely featuring celebrations and rewards for players to enjoy.
Patch 11.2.7
This patch could serve as a narrative lead-up to the next expansion’s launch, depending on whether Blizzard opts for a Patch 11.3. Given the fast-paced expansion schedule, that seems unlikely, making 11.2.7 the perfect chance to link The War Within and Midnight.
The mysterious rune
At the very end of the journey, after the release of 11.2.7, there’s a mysterious runic symbol. Blizzard has used similar hints in the past (like when they teased Plunderstorm with the skull and crossbones), but this probably doesn’t point to a timed event. Instead, the main theory is that this could indicate the arrival of player housing in Hearthstone. Blizzard confirmed player housing during the 30th Anniversary Direct, but this feature isn’t anticipated until Midnight launches, which creates a bit of a timeline discrepancy.
For now, that’s all we know about the roadmap. As more details come to light, we will keep bringing you the latest updates here at Talkesport.
