Blizzard recently concluded its Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct, a nearly hour-long showcase packed with exciting updates from the Warcraft universe, feeling almost like a mini BlizzCon. During the presentation, we got details about the next major update for World of Warcraft, a sneak peek at its upcoming expansion, fresh content for World of Warcraft Classic, highly anticipated remasters, and new developments for Hearthstone and Warcraft Rumble.
If you missed the Direct, do not worry—we have a breakdown of all the key announcements from Blizzard’s Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct:
World of Warcraft Updates
Starting with World of Warcraft, the game is nearing the conclusion of its first major story arc in the expansion of The War Within. Blizzard revealed the first major patch for the expansion, titled “Undermine(d),” which will take players into the goblin capital of Undermine for the first time. Set for release in early 2025, this patch will feature exciting new content, including a customizable vehicle, a new raid, a new dungeon, two new delves, a new arena map, and more. You can dive deeper into everything coming in patch 11.1, Undermine(d), here.
At the end of the presentation, Blizzard dropped a thrilling teaser for its next planned expansion, Midnight. Though still a long way off, Midnight will bring a long-requested feature to the game: player housing. While no details were given during the presentation, expect more information to be revealed next summer when Blizzard officially unveils Midnight.
World of Warcraft Classic
Moving on to World of Warcraft Classic, Blizzard announced that the game will progress to Mists of Pandaria in 2025. However, for those who feel like Classic is speeding through expansions too quickly, there is good news: Blizzard is launching new “vanilla” Classic realms on November 21. These fresh realms will include PvE, PvP, and Hardcore servers, which will gradually progress through Classic’s original content, with the Molten Core raid unlocking shortly after launch. Eventually, the PvE and PvP realms (sorry, Hardcore) will transition into The Burning Crusade Classic, restarting the expansion journey all over again.
Warcraft I and II Remasters
Blizzard also surprised fans with the announcement of remasters for Warcraft I and Warcraft II, available today. These are not full remakes but rather remasters that include updated graphics and improved quality-of-life features. Warcraft II will also support multiplayer and feature compatibility with legacy custom maps. Additionally, a new patch for Warcraft III: Reforged will roll out, offering a graphics overhaul and various quality-of-life updates. All three remastered games will be available as part of a Battle Chest, with flexible pricing based on the games already in your collection.
Hearthstone 2025 Roadmap
Over in the tavern, Blizzard revealed Hearthstone’s exciting plans for 2025. The year will kick off with a mini-set themed around StarCraft, featuring unique themes and abilities inspired by the Protoss, Zerg, and Terran factions. This will be followed by the first full expansion of the year, centered on the Emerald Dream, and another expansion set in the Un’Goro Crater called The Shrouded City. The year will wrap up with The Heroes of Time, a time-themed expansion featuring everyone’s favorite time traveler, Chromie.
With all these exciting updates and surprises, the Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct left fans eager for the franchise’s future. Keep an eye out for more details as Blizzard continues to unveil upcoming content for its beloved series.
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