WoWClassicUI

Your Classic UI, Upgraded.

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  • World of Warcraft: Forever announced — launching November 4, 2026

    World of Warcraft: Forever announced — launching November 4, 2026

    World of Warcraft: Forever announced — launching November 4, 2026

    Blizzard has unveiled World of Warcraft: Forever, a new, permanent branch alongside other Classic iterations. Forever launches on November 4, 2026, with a roadmap that stretches through summer 2027. The outline below pulls from the official reveal and hands-on reporting by Blizzard Watch’s roadmap summary, Wowhead’s Legacy system explainer, and Blizzard’s Blue Tracker post. You can also bookmark the official hub at worldofwarcraft.blizzard.com/forever.

    Note: Features shown at BlizzCon and in early previews are from beta/alpha builds and may change before or after launch. Dates for 2027 content are windows, not final days.

    Play

    Key dates at a glance

    • September 17 – October 22, 2026: Forever beta (level cap 30) — via Blizzard Watch
    • October 27, 2026: Early name reservation and character creation
    • November 4, 2026: Launch
    • December 9, 2026: First raid unlocks
      • Barrow Deeps (10-player)
      • Hyjal Summit (20-player)
      • Onyxia’s Lair (40-player)

    Spring 2027 targets include two new raids (10- and 20-player), two new dungeons, a new zone and questing, a new Legendary questline, and a PvP season refresh. Summer 2027 is framed around a revamped iconic raid, another new raid, expanded world content, two more dungeons, another PvP refresh, and updates to Professions and the new Legacy system (roadmap details via Blizzard Watch).

    What Forever is aiming to be

    Blizzard positions Forever as an alternate-timeline Azeroth built for persistent progress rather than a fixed “no changes” museum. The studio has stated that frequent major updates will evolve this branch over time (as summarized by Blizzard Watch). The first year meets that promise with new zones, dungeons, and raids rather than a strict re-tread of 2004.

    Legacy: the new account-wide progression layer

    Forever introduces Legacy, a system with three parts — Challenges, a Legacy Tree, and a Progress Track. You complete achievement-like Challenges across activities to earn Legacy Points, spend those in themed trees (Professions, Adventure, Resourcefulness as seen so far), and pick up additional rewards through the track. Blizzard Watch’s hands-on from the show floor breaks down the structure and early examples, including convenience-style perks such as not needing to carry certain spell components in your bags in the current demo build (Legacy first look).

    Wowhead’s preview lists sample perks currently appearing in the build, with an emphasis on non-combat bonuses. Examples include more frequent skill-ups while crafting, extra fish when using a lure, an increased rested XP cap, and talent points starting at level 9 instead of 10. There also appear to be some activated utilities, plus a cap on total unlocks, though exact progression rules aren’t final (Legacy system explained).

    UI angle: Legacy looks tailor-made for quality-of-life tuning across your roster — professions, rested gains, and travel/utility tweaks. None of this removes Classic’s combat edge; it just trims friction in places veterans feel every day.

    New and remastered places to level

    Forever’s leveling journey mixes new regions with reimagined corners of the original continents. Highlights called out by Wowhead include Mount Hyjal post-Archimonde with Darkwhisper Gorge, Shen’dralas connecting Dire Maul and regional centaur lore between Mulgore and Desolace, the Riverglades frontier with 150+ quests in the mid-30s to 40s, and Zephras Isle as an elemental skybound 1–12 starting experience. Zephras is also home to the Skyborne, a new playable race with different faction-aligned class options (new zones overview).

    From the BlizzCon demo, Blizzard Watch notes that Skyborne can choose Horde or Alliance at creation. In the current build, Horde Skyborne can be Shamans and Alliance Skyborne can be Mages, while both sides can choose Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, or Druid. The article cautions that class options could change during testing (demo impressions).

    Raids and dungeons on deck

    Three raids are scheduled to open December 9: the 10-player Barrow Deeps, the 20-player Hyjal Summit, and a 40-player return to Onyxia’s Lair, per the roadmap summary at Blizzard Watch. Wowhead also points to a slate of new dungeons surfaced by achievements, with more names revealed during Blizzard’s panels (dungeons and raids preview).

    Early UI and controls notes from the demo

    Blizzard Watch’s hands-on reports two notable quality-of-life details for UI-focused players. First, Edit Mode is present and felt comparable to modern WoW’s layout tools. Second, an alpha-stage controller option exists — there was an Xbox gamepad at the station and a toggle in-game, though it’s early and not the focus of the demo (demo impressions).

    Character creation also prompted a secondary name in the demo, which is worth planning for if you like your characters neatly labeled (same source).

    Addons/macros: Blizzard has not shared Forever-specific addon API or macro constraints in the sources cited here. If you rely on custom layouts or controller setups, use the beta and name reservation window (October 27) to test your baseline UI plan and keybinds early.

    W

    If you only have time to do one thing now, mark your calendar for name reservations on October 27 and plan your first character — the Skyborne starting flow on Zephras Isle and the early Legacy perks both look like clean on-ramps for a fresh roster.

  • Skyborne in Warcraft: Forever — What’s Confirmed So Far

    Skyborne in Warcraft: Forever — What’s Confirmed So Far

    Blizzard’s BlizzCon 2026 reveal for World of Warcraft: Forever included a new neutral race, the Skyborne. Based on Wowhead’s first look, we’ve got early details on class options, druid forms, and customization—though some pieces are still missing.

    Note: Wowhead reports that models were shown during an auditorium presentation, but there’s no official artwork posted yet, and not all details are final or public.

    What’s confirmed so far

    From Wowhead’s coverage of the announcement, here’s what Blizzard has shown for Skyborne in World of Warcraft: Forever:

    • Neutral race: Skyborne appear in World of Warcraft: Forever as a neutral option.
    • Core class access: All Skyborne can play Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, and Druid.
    • Faction-specific picks: Horde Skyborne can be Shaman; Alliance Skyborne can be Mage.
    • Druid forms preview: Sky-blue Bear, Cat, Travel, and Moonkin forms were shown; no indication of a Tree form at this time.
    • Customization direction: A wide range of skin tones, hairstyles, eyes, and markings is planned.
    • Art availability: No official artwork released yet; models were shown live during the presentation (source).

    Community conversation

    An ongoing MMO-Champion forum thread shows a split reaction around adding a neutral race to Forever. Some posters consider the decision settled; others argue it doesn’t fit their vision of the project. As with most big reveals, expect opinion to keep evolving as official details solidify.

    That’s all we can confirm for now. We’ll revisit this topic as Blizzard shares more concrete info, especially around racials, starting flow, and art reveals.

  • Burning Crusade Anniversary Phase 3 is live: Black Temple, Hyjal, Netherwing, and Epic gems

    Burning Crusade Anniversary Phase 3 is live: Black Temple, Hyjal, Netherwing, and Epic gems

    Burning Crusade Anniversary Phase 3 is live: Black Temple, Hyjal Summit, Netherwing, and Epic gems

    Burning Crusade Anniversary realms have moved into Phase 3, bringing two iconic raids and a round of endgame unlocks. Both Blizzard Watch and Wowhead confirm that Black Temple and Hyjal Summit are open now, Netherwing daily quests are available, Epic gems are obtainable, and Arena Season 3 is next on the calendar.

    • Black Temple: Face Illidan Stormrage and earn Ashtongue Deathsworn reputation. Vendors are inside the raid, and bosses can drop Epic gems (per Blizzard Watch).
    • Hyjal Summit (Battle for Mount Hyjal): Progress Scale of the Sands reputation, access its vendor, and mine Epic gems within the instance (via Blizzard Watch).
    • Netherwing: Daily quests on Netherwing Ledge lead to Exalted and Netherdrake mounts; you’ll need a flying mount or form to get started (per Blizzard Watch).
    • Epic gems: Available from the new raids, with Hyjal offering mining nodes and Black Temple bosses also dropping them (via Blizzard Watch).
    • Arena: Season 3 begins September 1 after weekly maintenance (as outlined by Blizzard Watch and Wowhead’s Phase 3 compendium).

    If you’re heading straight into progression, note the attunements. For Black Temple, Blizzard Watch highlights that the chain starts with The Tablets of Baa’ri, which you pick up from your chosen Shattrath faction (Aldor or Scryers). You can see that quest on Wowhead here: The Tablets of Baa’ri. Hyjal Summit requires The Vials of Eternity line from Soridormi in the Caverns of Time. Wowhead also notes that Black Temple attunement includes defeating Hyjal’s first boss, Rage Winterchill, as part of the process (Phase 3 compendium).

    Hyjal and Black Temple each grant reputation as you clear them, with vendors inside the instances: Scale of the Sands in Hyjal and Ashtongue Deathsworn in Black Temple. Both raids are also sources of Epic gems, and Hyjal specifically includes mineable Epic gem nodes (all via Blizzard Watch).

    Arena timeline and gear notes: Arena Season 3 starts September 1 after weekly maintenance. Blizzard Watch adds that Season 2 ended on August 18, with remaining Arena points converting to Honor at a 1:10 rate. Season 2 Arena gear moves to discounted vendors in Area 52, and Season 1 sets are available from Honor vendors in Orgrimmar and Stormwind.

    If you want boss-by-boss prep, Wowhead’s announcement collects strategy links for every encounter in both raids, and their Phase 3 compendium gathers key timelines, loot highlights, and class gearing updates. Useful starting points: the Black Temple & Hyjal now live post and the fuller Phase 3 compendium.

    On the UI side, this is a good week-one routine: double-check your boss timers and threat readouts, bind a reliable focus interrupt, and tidy your raid frames for Hyjal’s add waves. Nothing fancy—just the basics that keep a first night smooth.

    Good luck in Black Temple and Hyjal. We’ll keep an eye on addon quality-of-life updates as the phase settles in.

  • Burning Crusade Classic Phase 3 PTR: Black Temple and Hyjal Testing Aug 14–17

    Burning Crusade Classic Phase 3 PTR: Black Temple and Hyjal Testing Aug 14–17

    Blizzard has opened the Burning Crusade Classic Phase 3 PTR, with Black Temple and The Battle for Mount Hyjal scheduled for raid testing from August 14 through August 17. If you’ve been waiting to shake down your raid UI in Illidan and Archimonde’s houses, this is your weekend. Details come from Blizzard’s Phase 3 PTR development notes, with additional coverage on Wowhead’s update.

    Phase 3 itself is planned to go live on August 27 at 3:00 p.m. PDT / 6:00 p.m. EDT, per Blizzard’s notes linked above.

    What’s included in Phase 3 (per Blizzard)

    According to the PTR development notes, Phase 3 brings:

    • New raids: Black Temple (Illidan) and The Battle for Mount Hyjal (Archimonde).
    • New daily faction and quest hub: The Netherwing in Shadowmoon Valley.
    • Arena Season 3, with new rewards and updated progression.
    • Epic gems.

    Raid testing schedule

    Blizzard plans to enable PTR raid testing at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, August 14, with testing concluding at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, August 17. These windows and the participating raids (Black Temple and Mount Hyjal) are reiterated in Wowhead’s post and the Blizzard raid-testing note.

    Note: Blizzard’s raid-testing times above were posted without a timezone. The Phase 3 launch time was specified as 3:00 p.m. PDT / 6:00 p.m. EDT in the same forum thread.

    For this raid test, Blizzard is also trying out Haste and Destruction potions that can be obtained with Marks of Illidari from Phase 3 raids, alongside the usual flask redemptions. That detail comes directly from the raid-testing update.

    Quick UI prep if you’re hopping onto PTR

    This is a good window to sanity-check your raid setup in Outland-scale encounters. Keep it simple: make sure your boss mods are enabled, your raid frames show the debuffs you actually care about, your cooldown tracking is readable, and your logging/benchmark tools are toggled on. If you’re planning to play with the potion redemptions, consider surfacing your Marks of Illidari count somewhere visible so you don’t have to dig for it between pulls.

    If Blizzard posts further changes to test or adjusts the schedule, we’ll update this note. For now, the authoritative details are in the Phase 3 PTR development notes.

  • D&D: World of Warcraft tabletop expansion launches November 17 with early access on November 3

    D&D: World of Warcraft tabletop expansion launches November 17 with early access on November 3

    D&D: World of Warcraft launches November 17 — tabletop Azeroth returns with Classic-era dungeons and an Icecrown adventure

    Blizzard has announced a new tabletop crossover, D&D: World of Warcraft, arriving November 17 with early access on November 3. The reveal and dates are covered in Blizzard’s forum announcement thread and roundup coverage (Blue Tracker; Wowhead). Blizzard Watch refers to the book as the “Dungeons & Dragons World of Warcraft Gameplay Expansion,” while Wowhead and Blizzard’s post call it “D&D: World of Warcraft.”

    What’s inside is meant to let you run full Warcraft campaigns at your table. Both Blizzard Watch and Wowhead report support for sixteen playable species and all thirteen WoW classes, with Warcraft-flavored subclass options layered on top of familiar D&D class foundations. The scope spans iconic locations and villains from across the franchise, and Blizzard Watch notes a mix of Classic-era dungeons plus an optional Icecrown Citadel adventure if you want to jump straight into a curated run.

    Blizzard Watch describes the main book as a 256-page sourcebook that bundles character options, monsters, items, and DM guidance into one volume, with “dozens” of spells and magic items and a large bestiary. It also calls out seven detailed dungeons (mostly from Classic) and an Icecrown Citadel Adventure Map Pack with maps and tokens available separately. Wowhead’s announcement similarly highlights the breadth of playable options and content, with counts listed in the “50+ to 60+” range for monsters, spells, and items.

    Note: The pre-purchase bonuses mentioned by Blizzard and Wowhead — a Black Dragon mount, Gazer pet, Mimic Chest toy, and Mimic Chest decor — are for retail World of Warcraft, not Classic. Wowhead also notes these digital bonuses are included with the digital base, Ultimate Bundle, or Collector’s Edition, and do not appear to come with the base physical book.

    • Release: November 17, with early access starting November 3 (per Blue Tracker and Wowhead).
    • Content scope: 16 species and all 13 WoW classes, plus Warcraft-themed subclasses; campaigns can pull from across Azeroth’s history (per Blizzard Watch and Wowhead).
    • Classic tie-ins: Blizzard Watch cites seven dungeons “mostly from Classic,” plus a separate Icecrown Citadel adventure with maps and tokens.
    • Pre-order perks: Digital dice and character sheet backgrounds on D&D Beyond, a promo Murloc mini (limited), a mini-adventure, and a code for retail WoW items (per Blizzard Watch).

    Pricing varies a bit across reports. Blizzard Watch lists the main book at $59.99 USD physical or $39.99 digital, a physical+digital bundle at $79.99, the Icecrown Citadel Map Pack at $29.99 physical or $19.99 digital, an Ultimate Bundle at $124.99, and an Ultimate Collector’s Edition at $149.99. Wowhead summarizes editions ranging from $39.99 up to $144.99 for a top-end bundle.

    For Classic players, the appeal is straightforward: familiar dungeons and factions, a ruleset that mirrors your in-game class fantasy, and a ready-made Icecrown one-shot for a guild off-night. If you want to see the exact contents and current bundles before you commit, read Blizzard Watch’s hands-on overview and Wowhead’s announcement post — they’re tracking the details and preorder options as they stand today.

    Further reading: Blizzard Watch’s breakdown, Wowhead’s announcement, and Blizzard’s forum thread.

  • Stock Up on Arena Points While You Can — TBC Classic Arena Season 2 Ends August 17

    Stock Up on Arena Points While You Can — TBC Classic Arena Season 2 Ends August 17

    Blizzard has confirmed the end date for the Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary PvP Season 2: it wraps up at 10:00 p.m. PDT on Monday, August 17 (1:00 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, August 18). Season 3 begins with the weekly reset on Tuesday, September 1, when Season 2 rewards will also be distributed. You can read the announcement on the Blizzard forums via Blue Tracker: Season 2 Ends on August 17.

    That gives you a short runway to finish your games and bank any last Arena Points. Wowhead’s report also notes there will be a roughly two-week offseason before Season 3 and that Season 2 Arena gear will be heavily discounted during this break. Blizzard’s forum post does not include pricing details, so treat the discount note as reporting rather than an official pricing sheet.

    Dates at a glance

    • Season 2 ends: Monday, August 17 at 10:00 p.m. PDT (Tuesday, August 18 at 1:00 a.m. EDT) — per Blizzard.
    • Offseason: From Season 2 end until Season 3 begins.
    • Season 3 start and reward distribution: Tuesday, September 1 weekly reset — per Blizzard.

    If you’re still queuing, plan your remaining sessions around that final deadline. Even if you’re not pushing rating, a few clean play sessions can top off your points so you’re ready to spend when Season 3 lands (or during the reported discount window).

    Make your last lockouts count

    Keep it simple and reduce avoidable mistakes. Before your next queue:

    • Mark the end time on your calendar so you don’t miss your final session.
    • Double-check your keybinds for interrupts, trinket, and defensive cooldowns.
    • Lock down your frames and nameplates so nothing shifts mid-match.
    • Use focus targeting for clean CC and kicks; verify your focus keybind works.
    • Avoid major UI changes on your push night; test any addon updates in a skirmish first.

    Tip: Bank your Arena Points if you’re unsure what to buy. Rewards are handed out at Season 3 start, and—per Wowhead’s report—Season 2 items are expected to be discounted during the break. Waiting a week or two could stretch your points further.

    Good luck in your remaining games. Finish strong, keep the UI tidy, and spend smart when the offseason hits. For the official dates, see Blizzard’s post on the forums via Blue Tracker: Season 2 Ends on August 17. For additional context, including the reported discount window, see Wowhead’s coverage.

  • Blizzard Restores Hardcore Characters Lost During July 21 DDoS

    Blizzard Restores Hardcore Characters Lost During July 21 DDoS

    Blizzard has confirmed that restorations are complete for Classic Hardcore characters lost during the July 21 DDoS incident that affected three North American Hardcore realms. In the official forum post, Blizzard states that characters who died during the DDoS timeframe and who remained on their Hardcore realm should now be playable again.

    What Blizzard confirmed: Restorations cover Hardcore deaths that occurred during the July 21 DDoS window on three NA Hardcore realms, provided the characters stayed on their Hardcore realm. Blizzard says these restorations are complete.

    If you believe your character meets those conditions, the guidance is simple: try logging into that Hardcore realm on the character. The announcement does not list any extra steps or ticket process. If Blizzard adds more detail, we’ll update this post.

    For a quick recap alongside the blue post, see Wowhead’s brief coverage: Hardcore characters lost to the July 21 DDoS have been restored.

    The forum note only addresses characters lost during the DDoS window who remained on their Hardcore realm. It doesn’t speak to other scenarios.

  • TBC Anniversary Phase 3 PTR Is Live — Service Systems Only

    TBC Anniversary Phase 3 PTR Is Live — Service Systems Only

    TBC Anniversary Phase 3 PTR Is Live — Service Systems Only

    Blizzard has opened the Burning Crusade Classic 2.5.6 Public Test Realm for the Anniversary Phase 3, with the scope limited to service systems. In the official forum note, Blizzard states there are no gameplay-impacting changes in this build and specifically asks addon authors to jump in and make sure their work still behaves as expected (Blue Tracker post).

    Wowhead’s coverage echoes this and clarifies that you should not expect things like new raid access, new gear, or consumables in this round of testing (Wowhead: TBC Anniversary Phase 3 PTR).

    Note: This PTR is about underlying service systems. Blizzard did not list gameplay features for testing, so players looking for new content won’t find any here (yet).

    Why this matters for addon authors

    When Blizzard calls out service-system updates, it’s a nudge for UI developers to sanity-check load paths, SavedVariables interactions, and any code that leans on client-provided services. Blizzard hasn’t detailed which pieces changed, so the safest path is to run your addon on the PTR and look for early errors or odd behavior before these updates roll to live.

    A quick testing pass you can do today

    • Log into the PTR with only your addon enabled first, then add dependencies and commonly co-installed addons to spot conflicts.
    • Watch for load-time Lua errors and taint warnings; exercise core features (frames opening, chat hooks, tooltips, slash commands).
    • Confirm SavedVariables read/write cleanly across sessions; check for unexpected resets or nil data.
    • Test basic flows that touch UI panels (Character, Spellbook, Talent, Auction, Mail) your addon interacts with.
    • Keep a clean WTF/Interface copy for PTR so you can reproduce issues without live-realm noise.

    If you maintain a public addon, this is also a good moment to add a PTR branch or tag, note findings in your changelog, and invite users to try that build.

    We’ll keep an eye on Blizzard’s thread and update if testing scope changes. For now, treat this as a compatibility sweep: quick to run, valuable to finish. You can follow the official PTR note here: The Burning Crusade Classic 2.5.6 PTR (Blue Tracker).

  • Celestial Dungeons Season 3 on June 16; Diamond Challenge Modes on June 23 (MoP Classic)

    Celestial Dungeons Season 3 on June 16; Diamond Challenge Modes on June 23 (MoP Classic)

    Blizzard has set the next stretch of Mists of Pandaria Classic dungeon content: Celestial Dungeons Season 3 begins with regional weekly resets on Tuesday, June 16, followed by the new Diamond Challenge Mode difficulty on Tuesday, June 23. These dates and features come from Blizzard’s forum post, which also outlines the buffs and rewards coming with the season. You can read the full announcement on the official forums, with a concise recap from Wowhead’s coverage.

    Note: Blizzard specifies these updates arrive “with weekly resets in each region.” Check your local reset time to know exactly when Season 3 and Diamond unlock for you.

    Dates and the big reward

    • Celestial Dungeons Season 3: Tuesday, June 16 (regional reset)

    • Challenge Modes – Diamond difficulty: Tuesday, June 23 (regional reset)

    Clearing Diamond times in Season 3 awards the Celestial Ox transformation mount, per Blizzard’s post.

    What’s changing in Celestial Dungeons Season 3

    Season 3 adds new pressure on enemies and a powerful boon for players:

    • Glory to the True Horde: Creatures in Celestial Dungeons have increased damage and health.
    • Kor’kron Banners: Banners appear throughout dungeons and empower nearby enemies.
    • Garrosh’s influence: At times, a boss gains an extra ability inspired by a Siege of Orgrimmar lieutenant. Blizzard calls out General Nazgrim, Wavebinder Kardis, and Siegecrafter Blackfuse specifically.

    On the player side, when all four Celestials are present at once, a special moment triggers the Celestial Witness buff. Blizzard describes it as a sizable increase to your damage and healing with reduced damage taken, lasting for a good window. Line up cooldowns when this hits.

    Practical prep for your UI and group

    • Update your addons before reset. If you track dungeon timers or interrupts, make sure those are current.
    • Plan pulls around Kor’kron Banner zones. Treat empowered packs like mini-danger areas and save stuns/defensives accordingly.
    • Expect boss ability shifts from Garrosh’s influence. Keep an interrupt order ready and be ready to reposition.
    • Call out the Celestial Witness window. Stack personal and group cooldowns to capitalize on the buff’s burst.

    That’s the confirmed package for launch: new enemy buffs, the Celestial Witness boon, the Diamond difficulty start date, and the Celestial Ox reward. If Blizzard adjusts details in the forum post, we’ll follow up with any notable changes.

  • Season of Discovery Hotfix: You Can Now Turn XP Gains Off (and Back On)

    Season of Discovery Hotfix: You Can Now Turn XP Gains Off (and Back On)

    Blizzard’s June 10 Season of Discovery hotfix adds a long-requested toggle: you can now turn experience gains off and back on. The change is live now and documented in Blizzard’s hotfix notes.

    How to toggle XP gains

    Speak with Grendag Brightbeard in either city to disable or re-enable your XP:

    • Ironforge – Forlorn Cavern
    • Orgrimmar – Valley of Strength

    Known issue: If you disable XP and then log out, the setting does not currently persist after you log back in. Blizzard has acknowledged this in the hotfix notes and is investigating.

    Cost temporarily removed: While Blizzard works on the persistence issue, the usual 1g fee to disable or re-enable XP is temporarily waived, per the official post.

    Why this matters for SoD

    This toggle makes it easier to hold your character at earlier level brackets and revisit content at the intended power level. As highlighted by Wowhead’s coverage, it’s a straightforward way to park at a chosen cap and run bracketed content with friends.

    If you’re returning to Season of Discovery or rolling an alt specifically for earlier-phase runs, this saves you from micromanaging quest hand-ins or skipping content to avoid over-leveling—just talk to Grendag, flip the switch, and play.

    Until Blizzard resolves the logout persistence bug, double-check your XP setting each session. If your bar starts moving again, a quick visit to Grendag will put the brakes back on.