The announcement has finally arrived, The Burning Crusade makes its pre-patch return on January 13 on the World of Warcraft Classic Anniversary Edition servers.
This will make way for an increased level cap up to 70 for players on Classic Anniversary Edition and bring back content ranging from the Tower of Karazhan in Deadwind Pass to The Sunwell in the northern Eastern Kingdoms.
The Burning Crusade also introduces Flying Mounts to the game, though you won't be able to fly in the old world, only on the new Outland continent. Jewelcrafting also gets added to the game allowing players to cut gems to increase your stats, create rings, and craft neck pieces.
Realm Transfers for Players Who Don't Want to Continue
Starting on November 25, anyone who does not want to play The Burning Crusade can opt to move to a Classic Era realm. This choice will no longer be available on January 12, 2026 so you have some time to decide, but don't forget!
All characters that remain on Classic Anniversary Edition realms on January 13 will move automatically to Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary.
Quote From Blizzard Prepare to tread once again through the Dark Portal and into the fel-scarred realm of Outland with the WoW®: Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary Edition, launching early next year and included with your WoW Subscription or Game Time. The Pre-Expansion Patch releases on January 13.
Beginning January 13, after each regional scheduled maintenance, the Pre-expansion Patch will be released, and each character must choose whether to advance onward to WoW: Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary Edition or move to a Classic Era realm.
New Features and Adventures Await
Your journey continues with a level increase to level 70, an increased level cadence, and a slew of other features:
- The Exiled World of Outland
- Playable Races: Blood Elves and Draenei
- Three Challenging Raids: Karazhan, Gruul's Lair, and Magtheridon's Lair
- PvP Arena Season 1
- Take to the Skies on Flying Mounts
- A New Profession: Jewelcrafting
- Guild Bank
The Exiled World of Outland
Unite against the Burning Legion! Champions level 60 or higher, join fellow heroes and rally together to confront the formidable forces of the Burning Legion. Adventure across the shattered skies and torn lands of Outland, an exiled world fraught with peril and mystery, as you strive to protect Azeroth from destruction.
Playable Races: Blood Elves and Draenei
Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary Edition introduces two new playable races to World of Warcraft. Get ready to harness new powers as Draenei and Blood Elves and explore an Azeroth untouched by the world-breaking Cataclysm during the Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary Edition Pre-Patch Update, before you prepare to enter the Dark Portal and cross over into Outland.
The Blood Elves and Draenei enrich the game's lore and offer players unique racial abilities and new areas to explore.
Blood Elf
Devastated by the Burning Legion's past invasion, these vengeful outsiders offer their aid to Azeroth's factions off-world in Outland. Survivors of the Burning Legion's devastating invasion during the Third War, the powerful Blood Elves seek revenge on the demonic invaders who slaughtered their people and corrupted their beloved font of power, the Sunwell.
Blood Elves can take up the fight as Mages, Hunters, Rogues, Priests, Warlocks, and a class previously exclusive to the Alliance, Paladins.
Draenei
Exiled from their home world and pursued across the cosmos by the Burning Legion, these gifted renegades arrived on Azeroth to join the Alliance and end their Fel-touched enemies once and for all.
Draenei can take up the fight as Warriors, Paladins, Priests, Mages, Hunters, and a class new to the Alliance, the Shaman. Draenai characters also get an edge on the new Jewelcrafting profession with Gem Cutting. This passive increases their Jewelcrafting skill so they can make rings and neck pieces, along with gems that can be socketed into gear to make it more powerful.
Three Challenging Raids
Karazhan
The decrepit tower of Karazhan once housed one of the greatest powers Azeroth has ever known: the sorcerer Medivh. Since his death, a terrible curse has pervaded the tower and the surrounding lands. The spirits of nobles from nearby Darkshire reportedly walk its halls, suffering a fate worse than death for their curiosity.
More dangerous spirits wait within Medivh's study, for it was there that he summoned demonic entities to do his bidding. However, the brave and foolish are still relentlessly drawn to Karazhan, tempted by rumors of unspeakable secrets and powerful treasures.
Gruul's Lair
Gruul the Dragonkiller is worshipped as a deity by the ogres of Blade's Edge Mountains. His powerful sons ravage both the spires of their home and the plains of Nagrand. Gruul's unparalleled strength and experience in battle would pose a serious threat if he ever chose to attack Horde or Alliance forces in Outland.
Magtheridon's Lair
Magtheridon, former lord of Outland, has been imprisoned in the citadel by Illidan Stormrage and now looks to reclaim Outland as his own. Gather fellow defenders to bring him down, once and for all.
PvP Arena Season 1
Are you ready to rumble? Burning Crusade PvP Arena Season 1 requires the finest combatants in all of Outland to converge and compete in three arenas—Ring of Trials in Nagrand, the Circle of Blood in Blade’s Edge Mountains, and the Ruins of Lordaeron above Undercity.
Up for grabs are gear, mounts, title rewards, and most importantly—immortal glory. Step into the arena, champion, and test your mettle.
There will not be a ranking system associated with the honor system, so you won’t need to worry about keeping a rank or standing. Players still interested in ranking up by battling others can participate in the Arena system.
Take to the Skies on Flying Mounts
Players can now hop into the saddle of a flying mount, granting access to the most remote and dangerous regions of Outland. This new mode of transportation opens previously unreachable areas, so get out there and explore the heights and lows of Azeroth.
A New Profession: Jewelcrafting
Craft rings, amulets, trinkets, healing statues, and gems to augment your gear. To learn Jewelcrafting, look for the Master Jewelcrafting trainers in Hellfire Peninsula. Heroes of the Horde can learn it from Kalaen at Thrallmar, and champions of the Alliance can learn it from Tatiana at Honor Hold.
Guild Bank
Unlike Burning Crusade Classic, the Anniversary Edition will deliver you and your Guild a place to store all your items and gold to be shared among guildmates, right out the gate.
The Guild Bank is found inside the bank and accessible by clicking on the vault near the bankers. There are eight purchasable tabs with 98 item slots each; unlike regular banks, bags are not needed for these slots. The price for the first tab is 100 gold, and increases for each successive tab.
Players with the appropriate permissions can store items and money for use by the rest of the guild, with the guild master giving different permissions to each tab as needed.
Anniversary Realm to Classic Era Realm Transfers
For those Classic Anniversary players who do not want their characters to continue to WoW: Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary Edition, we will open up free character transfers from Anniversary Realms to Classic Era realms for a limited time starting November 25. This choice to move Classic Anniversary characters to Classic Era realms will last until January 12, 2026.
After January 12, 2026, the transfer option will no longer be available, and you will not be able to transfer your Classic Anniversary characters to Classic Era realms. Any characters remaining on Classic Anniversary realms will continue to Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary.
Get Ready for the Ultimate Adventure
To get to the WoW: Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary Edition realms, launch World of Warcraft Classic, click Change Realm, click the Anniversary Edition tab, and choose an available Anniversary realm for your preferred play style—PvE, PvP, or Hardcore.
On the new Anniversary realms, Normal PvE realm characters must remain on Normal PvE realms, and characters on PvP realms will be locked in PvP realms. However, just like our previous, existing Hardcore realms, should players wish to transfer characters off of Hardcore realms, they can do so.
Heroes who choose to cross the Dark Portal—it is up to you to fight for this shattered world to rid it of evil… or watch its demonic denizens consume everything held dear.
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