In 2019, Blizzard launched World of Warcraft Classic. The MMO lives alongside the modern version of the game, but gives players a way to return to the bygone eras of WoW. Classic began with 1.0 WoW and has since moved on to the game’s subsequent expansions. Now, on May 20, Blizzard will be adding Cataclysm, the very expansion that necessitated Classic’s creation in the first place.
Classic players will be able to dive into Cataclysm on April 30 with the release of the expansion’s pre-patch. Like in its original release, the pre-patch will introduce the Goblin and Worgen, as well as a changed landscape for Azeroth. When the full expansion goes live on May 20, it will add seven new zones, nine dungeons, three raid dungeons, Darkmoon Island, and more. Blizzard has also outlined the post-expansion roadmap: Rise of the Zandalari will be released in July 2024 , followed by Rage of the Firelands in October 2024, and Hour of Twilight in January 2025.
The Cataclysm expansion originally launched in 2010 and its release resulted in a massive shift to the MMO. The arrival of the dragon Deathwing changed the entire landscape of Azeroth and WoW’s gameplay, too. That includes changes like the Barrens being split in half, and areas such as Thousand Needles and part of Darkshore’s coast being submerged or washed away by water. The new version of Azeroth is what players explore in the current version of mainline WoW, with the exception of newer, expansion-specific zones. With all the changes that Cataclysm brought to the game, many players wanted some way to return to Azeroth as it was before the massive expansion. That’s exactly what Classic has given players in the years since its release. But the elephant in the room was always Cataclysm, and now that elephant can’t be ignored any longer.
With the launch of Cataclysm, the main Classic servers will move on from Wrath of the Lich King, the previous expansion. . While Blizzard hasn’t said anything officially, it is likely that Wrath of the Lich King will become unavailable to play, just as The Burning Crusade did when Classic servers moved to Wrath of the Lich King. Though players who still want to experience what the MMO was like before Cataclysm will have a way to do so as original Classic servers still exist, but it’ll be the base version of the game. So don’t count on experiencing the likes of The Burning Crusade or Wrath of the Lich King again anytime soon. At least not until Blizzard release WoW Classic Classic.