Champions of Azeroth, prepare to heed the call of battle once more in Warlords of Draenor. The latest expansion in the World of Warcraft Universe was listed on the Battle.net Store today. While no specific release date has been set, Blizzard has said the expansion will be released on or before December 20th 2014. We’re expecting that the expansion will release sooner than that, sometime in early Fall, but that appears to be the worst case scenario launch date.
You’ll find yourself adventuring back in time in Warlords of Draenor, as Garrosh Hellscream has somehow escaped his punishment in Pandaria and made his way back in time to when Draenor was still a lush environment full of life. We expect to meet with many of the characters we’ve only seen in lore up to this point.
When Warlords of Draenor launches this fall, it will introduce a wide variety of epic features and content for players of every kind, whether they’re longtime veterans or new recruits. With the expansion, players will be able to:
- Explore a Savage World: Explore the hostile world of Draenor, home of the orc and draenei races, as it once existed, and adventure in all-new zones alongside characters central to Warcraft history.
- Build a Garrison: Construct, command, and expand your own customizable stronghold on Draenor, and gather NPC followers to collect resources and embark on missions on your orders.
- Instantly Upgrade to Level 90 + : Upon pre-purchasing the expansion, boost one character of your choosing to level 90, making it easier than ever to enjoy the latest content together with your friends.
- Step Into New Character Models: Character models and animations for World of Warcraft’s original playable races are being fully revamped while maintaining the game’s iconically epic style.
- Adventure to Level 100: Reach new heights of power and unlock bonuses to further enhance your abilities on your way to the new level cap of 100.
- . . . And More: Take on a wide array of Dungeons, Raids, Scenarios, Battlegrounds, Challenge Modes, and more—no matter what kind of content you enjoy, new adventures await.
Warlords of Draenor will come in a Standard Edition (physical and digital versions available), which players can pre-purchase now at a suggested retail price of $49.99. Players also have the option to upgrade their pre-purchase to the Digital Deluxe Edition (SRP $69.99), which contains the following in-game bonuses for World of Warcraft and other Blizzard games (each available in-game at the time of pre-purchase):
- World of Warcraft —Dread Raven Mount and Dread Hatchling Pet: Swoop down from the dark of night on the black-winged Dread Raven, a mortal progeny of Anzu, and devour your prey in your next Pet Battle with the adorably ferocious Dread Hatchling.
- StarCraft® II —Warchief Portraits: Summon the strength of two of the most fearsome Iron Horde warchiefs—Grommash Hellscream and Blackhand—as you clash in the Koprulu sector in StarCraft II.
- Diablo® III —Warsong Pennant: Brandish this battle-torn pennant on your back, and channel the rage of the Warsong Clan against the demonic forces of Sanctuary in Diablo III.
Players who pre-purchase Warlords of Draenor will be able to instantly boost a character to level 90 and begin playing it right away. You’ll also be able to purchase additional level 90 character boosts for as many characters as you’d like. For characters that are already above level 60 you’ll get a Veteran’s Bonus which maxes out your two main professions as well as First Aid automatically. You’ll also be setup with flight training, a full set of gear for your chosen spec and a new set of 22 slot bags.
While this new feature has certainly gotten mixed reviews I’m a fan of it personally. I’ve already been through the current content 4 separate times on various characters and I know players that have done it many more times than I have. This allows you to get to the end game immediately and start playing what is, in my opinion, the most fun part of the game. Whether PvE or PvP is more your style World of Warcraft has always been known for it’s massive end game options.
Warlords of Draenor will also be available in a retail-exclusive Collector’s Edition, which comes equipped with the digital bonus items from the Digital Deluxe Edition as well as a full-color hardcover art book, a behind-the-scenes two-disc Blu-ray/DVD set, a CD soundtrack, and a Warlords of Draenor mouse pad. The Collector’s Edition will be available at select retailers for a suggested retail price of $89.99.
If you’re interested in purchasing the physical Collector’s Edition I would suggest heading out to your retailer of choice as soon as possible and pre-ordering it. For the past several expansions it’s been very hard, at least in my local area, to find copies of the Collector’s Edition.
Find out more and pre-order World of Warcraft Warlords of Draenor at https://us.battle.net/shop/en/product/world-of-warcraft-warlords-of-draenor