Every World of Warcraft Release Date and Expansion in Order

The World of Warcraft release date was November 23, 2004, in North America, Australia and New Zealand, with Europe following on February 11, 2005. Since then Blizzard has released eleven expansions, from The Burning Crusade in 2007 to Midnight on March 2, 2026, which is the current one. The next announced expansion is The Last Titan, with no release date yet.

When was the World of Warcraft release date?

November 23, 2004. That was the launch in North America, Australia and New Zealand; European players got the game on February 11, 2005, almost three months later. The date sits right after the tenth anniversary of the Warcraft series, and Blizzard still celebrates the game’s birthday around late November every year with an in-game anniversary event. The 20th anniversary celebration in late 2024 is also when the Classic Anniversary servers opened.

Before WoW, Warcraft was a strategy series: Warcraft: Orcs and Humans in 1994, Warcraft II in 1995 and Warcraft III in 2002. Much of WoW’s early world, from Orgrimmar to the Lich King, comes straight out of Warcraft III’s story (which is why longtime fans still argue about Arthas twenty years later).

Every World of Warcraft expansion release date

Here’s the full list for the main game, now called Retail, with the level cap each expansion set:

The level numbers look odd after Battle for Azeroth because Blizzard shrank all levels with Shadowlands: the old 120 became 50, and Shadowlands raised the cap to 60. Since then each expansion has added ten levels again, which is why Midnight ends at 90, the same number Mists of Pandaria reached back in 2012.

What did each WoW expansion add?

Every expansion added a new region and raised the level cap, but each one also brought something that changed how people play. The short version, era by era:

The Burning Crusade opened Outland, added Blood Elves and Draenei, and introduced flying mounts. Wrath of the Lich King took players to Northrend for the fight with Arthas and added the first hero class, the Death Knight. Cataclysm rebuilt the old continents after Deathwing’s return, added Worgen and Goblins, and let players fly in Azeroth itself.

Mists of Pandaria brought the Pandaren and the Monk class. Warlords of Draenor sent players to an alternate Draenor and gave everyone a garrison. Legion added the Demon Hunter and artifact weapons, and it’s still a favourite for many players (ask any veteran, you’ll hear it). Battle for Azeroth turned the faction war into the main story, with Kul Tiras and Zandalar as new lands.

Shadowlands moved the story into the afterlife and squished levels. Dragonflight returned to the Dragon Isles and added the Dracthyr Evoker plus a new way of flying. The War Within went underground to Khaz Algar and added short solo dungeons (run with Brann and his curios) and account-wide Warbands. Midnight, the latest, brings players to Quel’Thalas and adds player housing. Which one was the best? Players have argued about that for twenty years, and they’ll keep arguing.

What is the current WoW expansion?

Midnight, released on March 2, 2026, at 3 PM Pacific time worldwide. It’s the second part of the Worldsoul Saga, a three-expansion story that began with The War Within, and it centres on Quel’Thalas and the Blood Elves. The headline feature is player housing, which players who pre-purchased could try early, from December 2, 2025.

The Epic Edition gave three days of early access before launch, so the most eager players were in Midnight from late February. Our page on the Midnight release date covers that launch in more detail.

When is the next World of Warcraft release date?

Not announced yet. Long story short, nobody outside Blizzard knows. The next expansion is The Last Titan, the third and final chapter of the Worldsoul Saga, which Blizzard revealed in 2024 together with The War Within and Midnight. There’s no date, and Blizzard usually announces one only a few months before launch.

What can you expect from the gaps? Look at the table: Dragonflight to The War Within took about 21 months, and The War Within to Midnight about 18. Those are past gaps, not a schedule, so treat any date you see online for The Last Titan as speculation until Blizzard confirms it.

How does a World of Warcraft release date work now?

As a single global unlock. In 2004 and 2005, regions got the game months apart, and early expansions launched at midnight local time in each region, with queues outside shops for boxed copies. Modern launches work differently. Midnight went live worldwide at the same moment, 3 PM Pacific on March 2, 2026, and the Anniversary servers used the same 3 PM Pacific time for The Burning Crusade a month earlier.

In practice, that means European players often start late in the evening or at midnight, while players in Asia and Oceania start the next morning. Early access is normal now. The more expensive editions of recent expansions included a few days of play before the official date. Put simply, “release date” now often means two dates, one for early access and one for everyone else, so check which one a site is quoting.

World of Warcraft Classic release dates

Classic is the second branch of WoW: older versions of the game, rebuilt and relaunched. One subscription covers both Retail and Classic.

The Anniversary servers are the newest twist: they started with the original game for the 20th anniversary and moved on to The Burning Crusade in 2026. Phase dates and raids for that run are in our guide to the TBC Anniversary release date.

How long between each World of Warcraft expansion?

Usually around two years, with a few exceptions. The longest wait came early: from the original launch to The Burning Crusade took a little over two years, and the gap from Mists of Pandaria to Warlords of Draenor was also long, at just over two years. The shortest recent gap was The War Within to Midnight, about 18 months.

To be fair, the trend in recent years is a bit faster, which fits Blizzard’s plan of a story told across three connected expansions. Still, no gap has been under a year and a half, and the jump from one saga chapter to the next has never been instant.

Which WoW release should you start with in 2026?

Depends on what you want. Honestly, there’s no wrong door, because one subscription opens all of them.

• Retail with Midnight if you want the current story, modern systems, player housing and the biggest population.
• The Anniversary servers if you want The Burning Crusade as it was, with raids released in phases.
• Mists of Pandaria Classic if that era is your favourite.
• Classic Era or Hardcore if you want the original game, with permanent death on Hardcore.

New to WoW altogether? Retail is the easiest start, since leveling is quick and the game guides you more. Our tips on leveling up in World of Warcraft help either way. And if you’d rather skip the early levels in Classic, we currently list one ready EU Anniversary Hunter at level 70 on our WoW character page; buying a character is against Blizzard’s terms, so weigh that before you decide.

Why do so many WoW release dates fall in autumn?

Look at the table again: November 2004, November 2008, December 2010, September 2012, November 2014, November 2020, November 2022. For most of WoW’s life, autumn was the target, as it still is for big launches like GTA 6 on November 19, 2026. Recent launches broke the pattern, with August for The War Within and March for Midnight, so the old rule of thumb no longer holds.

For what it’s worth (and as a small comfort for anyone missing the old rhythm), the in-game anniversary event still lands every November, tied to the original World of Warcraft release date rather than to any expansion. It’s a nice reminder that the game has now run for more than two decades.

FAQ

When did World of Warcraft first come out?

November 23, 2004, in North America, Australia and New Zealand. Europe followed on February 11, 2005.

How many WoW expansions are there?

Eleven, from The Burning Crusade in 2007 to Midnight in 2026. The Last Titan has been announced as the twelfth.

What is the current World of Warcraft expansion?

Midnight, released on March 2, 2026. It is the second part of the Worldsoul Saga.

When is The Last Titan coming out?

Blizzard has not announced a release date for The Last Titan yet.

When did WoW Classic come out?

On August 26, 2019. Burning Crusade Classic followed in 2021, Wrath Classic in 2022, Cataclysm Classic in 2024 and Mists of Pandaria Classic in 2025.

Is one subscription enough for Retail and Classic?

Yes. A WoW subscription or Game Time covers both Retail and all Classic versions.