DARK SECRETS: All world of warcraft expansions in order release dates features - The Real Truth

• The original 2004 World of Warcraft is the base game, so expansion numbering begins with The Burning Crusade .
• WoW Classic, Mists of Pandaria Classic , and other Classic releases do not add to the expansion count.
• The current retail story is in Midnight , the second chapter of the three-part Worldsoul Saga.
• The Last Titan has been announced, but Blizzard has not revealed a release date yet.

All World of Warcraft expansions in order

The World of Warcraft expansions list starts with The Burning Crusade in 2007 and currently ends with Midnight in 2026. Blizzard has gradually expanded WoW with new continents and zones, playable races and classes, professions, progression systems, and major changes to how existing parts of Azeroth work.

How many World of Warcraft expansions are there?

There have been 11 released World of Warcraft expansions as of 2026, with Midnight the latest. The Last Titan will be the 12th World of Warcraft expansion in order, with the release date likely to be revealed at BlizzCon 2026. The original World of Warcraft is the base game and does not count as an expansion, despite being the starting point for it all.

Anything released for WoW Classic also doesn’t increase this number, as it’s what it says on the label – a classic version of the game. Blizzard currently runs several Classic versions alongside retail WoW, including rereleases of older expansions, but something like Mists of Pandaria Classic is a return to the 2012 expansion and not expansion number 12.

Every WoW expansion explained

The Burning Crusade

The Burning Crusade released on Jan. 16, 2007 and raised the level cap from 60 to 70. Outland became WoW’s first expansion world, while Blood Elves joined the Horde and Draenei joined the Alliance. The expansion also opened Paladins and Shamans to both factions, introduced Jewelcrafting, added flying in Outland, and established the Arena system for competitive PvP. Its raid lineup included Karazhan, Black Temple, and Sunwell Plateau.

Wrath of the Lich King

Wrath of the Lich King came out on Nov. 13, 2008, taking players to Northrend for the campaign against Arthas and the Scourge. Death Knights became WoW’s first Hero Class, the level cap rose to 80, and Inscription was added to the profession system. Northrend also brought raids including Naxxramas, Ulduar, Trial of the Crusader, and Icecrown Citadel, with Arthas serving as the expansion’s final major antagonist.

Cataclysm

Cataclysm released on Dec. 7, 2010 and rebuilt large parts of Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms after Deathwing’s return reshaped Azeroth. Goblins became playable for the Horde and Worgen joined the Alliance, while Archaeology became a new secondary profession. The expansion also rewrote much of the level-1-to-60 questing experience and eventually added transmog.

Mists of Pandaria

Mists of Pandaria launched on Sept. 25, 2012 with the continent of Pandaria, the Pandaren playable race, and the new Monk class. Pandaren could choose between the Alliance and Horde, while Monks could tank, heal, or deal damage through their three specializations. Pet Battles, Scenarios, Challenge Mode dungeons, AoE looting, and a redesigned talent system were the highlights.

Warlords of Draenor

Warlords of Draenor released on Nov. 13, 2014 and sent players to an alternate Draenor before it became the shattered Outland seen in The Burning Crusade. Garrisons gave each character a customizable base with buildings, followers, and missions, while much of WoW’s aging playable cast received new character models and animations. The level cap increased to 100, and a level-90 character boost was included with the expansion. WoD ranks among the least-liked expansions to this day.

Legion

Legion released on Aug. 30, 2016, opening the Broken Isles and adding Demon Hunters as WoW’s second Hero Class. Each specialization received an Artifact Weapon with its own progression, while every class gained an Order Hall and class-specific campaign. World Quests expanded max-level outdoor content, Mythic+ turned dungeons into an endlessly scaling endgame activity, and the modern account-wide transmog appearance collection was also added.

Battle for Azeroth

Battle for Azeroth released worldwide in August 2018, sending Alliance players to Kul Tiras and Horde players to Zandalar. Allied Races greatly expanded WoW’s playable roster, while the Heart of Azeroth and Azerite Armor became the expansion’s main progression systems. The expansion also added Island Expeditions, Warfronts, War Mode, and a renewed Horde-Alliance conflict, with Kul Tiran humans and Zandalari trolls joining later.

Shadowlands

Shadowlands was released on Nov. 23, 2020 and took players into WoW’s realms of death. Characters who had reached level 120 were reduced to level 50 before progressing toward the new cap of 60, the game’s first major level squish. Players joined the Kyrian, Necrolord, Night Fae, or Venthyr Covenants, while Torghast had repeatable tower runs and Legendary crafting. Soulbinds, Renown, Covenant abilities, and Castle Nathria were also added.

Dragonflight

Dragonflight launched on Nov. 28, 2022, bringing players to the Dragon Isles and introducing the Dracthyr Evoker race-class combination. Dragonriding replaced normal flying for much of the new continent with a momentum-based system that later became Skyriding, while class and specialization talent trees received their largest redesign in years. Professions gained work orders, specialization trees, and dedicated equipment, and the Evoker initially launched with Devastation and Preservation specializations.

The War Within

The War Within released on Aug. 26, 2024 as the first expansion in the Worldsoul Saga. Khaz Algar added the Isle of Dorn, Ringing Deeps, Hallowfall, and Azj-Kahet, with Earthen becoming a playable Allied Race for either faction. Delves introduced short solo or small-group instances with NPC companions, Warbands changed large parts of character progression and collections, and Hero Talents added a new progression tree on top of existing class specializations.

Midnight

Midnight released on March 2, 2026 and continued the Worldsoul Saga with Xal’atath’s assault on Quel’Thalas. The expansion raised the level cap to 90 and added new or rebuilt areas across Eversong Woods, Zul’Aman, Harandar, and the Voidstorm, with Silvermoon serving as the main city. Haranir joined as an Allied Race, while Demon Hunters gained the ranged Devourer specialization and became available to Void Elves.

The expansion also added player housing with customizable homes and Neighborhoods, plus the new Prey system for repeatable hunts. Apex Talents expanded class progression from level 81, and the launch endgame included 10 Delves, 8 dungeons, and 3 raids, with 9 bosses in total.

What is the next World of Warcraft expansion?

The Last Titan

The Last Titan is the next World of Warcraft expansion after Midnight and the final chapter of the Worldsoul Saga. Blizzard announced it at BlizzCon 2023 alongside The War Within and Midnight, committing to a trilogy well before either of the first two expansions released.

The expansion returns to Northrend, with Ulduar and the Titans playing a major role in the story. Blizzard has said the Titans will return to Azeroth and that players will uncover a conspiracy connected to their history and intentions. Northrend is also being revisited for the expansion, although Blizzard has not yet detailed how much of the continent will be rebuilt or changed.

Unfortunately, The Last Titan does not have a release date yet, but it’s expected to be revealed at BlizzCon 2026. No other details about races, classes, or dungeons are known either.

The Worldsoul Saga expansion timeline

Blizzard announced the Worldsoul Saga at BlizzCon 2023 as a three-expansion story spanning The War Within, Midnight, and The Last Titan. The War Within began the story beneath Azeroth in 2024, Midnight continued it with Xal’atath’s attack on Quel’Thalas in March 2026, and The Last Titan will finish the trilogy with a return to Northrend.

WoW expansions FAQ