Expansion packs are gifts for gaming. In particular, in the popular MMORPG “World of Warcraft,” expansions introduce brand-new zones, classes, dungeons, mechanics, and more, taking your gameplay variety and player progression to a whole new level.
Presently, there are 10 expansions released for this game, and it’s interesting because, unlike the release of other famous games like “GTA,” or animes maybe, players did not have to wait a long time to see the expansion in action. Here is every expansion in “World of Warcraft” in chronology.
2007 – ‘The Burning Crusade’
This very first expansion pack for “WoW” introduced two new races, namely the Blood Elves for the Horde and the Draenei for the Alliance. These changes allowed the Horde to have Paladins and Shamans for the Alliance, thereby breaking previous classes exclusive to factions.
Furthermore, the level cap increased to 70. A new world was added, Outland, offering new zones, dungeons, and flying mounts exclusive to Outland. Concerning PvP enhancements, Eye of the Storm is the latest battleground, and there’s the Arena System with 2v2, 3v3, and 5v5 battles. Yes, Arena Systems are popular in eSports, and “WoW” has adopted them to improve your gameplay.
2008 – ‘Wrath Of The Lich King’
Another exciting expansion introduced for “World of Warcraft” in 2008 was “Wrath of the Lich King.” This expansion pack added a considerable amount of brand-new content into the game’s world, including the Northrend continent, the home of The Lich King Arthas himself and his undead followers.
For you to advance across Northrend, you must reach at least level 68, with the level cap being 80. The Death Knight, the first hero class, was also introduced, which starts at Level 55.
2010 – ‘Cataclysm’
In “Cataclysm,” the level cap is raised to 85, and then dramatically redesigns the Kalimdor and Eastern Kingdom landscapes. It also introduces new quests, raids, and dungeons. You have the opportunity to explore revamped zones, finish more than 3,500 quests, and utilize the new Archaeology skill to your advantage.
Plus, there are also two new playable races, namely the Worgen for the Alliance and the Goblins for the Horde. This expansion is also overhauling the talent and glyph systems. As a result, abilities are more customizable.
Additionally, its story focuses on the comeback of Deathwing, causing a “cataclysm” that reshapes Azeroth and reignites the conflict between those two new races. You also get to battle across elemental realms and, guess what? Time travel to thwart the plans of Deathwing, culminating in an epic fight using the strong Dragon Soul artifact.
2012 – ‘Mists Of Pandaria’
Next up is “Mists of Pandaria.” So what’s new here? First, this expansion has raised the current level cap from 85 to 90. The monk and the pandaren (humanoid pandas) were introduced as a new character class and playable race, respectively. Remember the vanity pet system? It was overhauled, together with the introduction of the pet battle system.
Scenarios and Challenge Modes are also present in the dungeons. A new system of tiered talents awarded to you every 15 levels replaces the existing talent trees. You will also notice that “Mists of Pandaria” draws inspiration from Asian and Chinese imagery and folklore.
2014 – ‘Warlords Of Draenor’
It’s the expansion that every “WoW” player got happy about. “Warlords of Draenor” raised the existing level cap from 90 to 100 whilst introducing player-built garrisons you can upgrade, too. Most player models were also updated to present more detailed textures, facial expressions, and animations. Thus, if there’s a downside, it would be the increased system requirements. Nonetheless amazing.
2016 – ‘Legion’
It is plain and simple on the title but grand in its content. This expansion has raised the existing level cap to 110 from 100. As you play, there are artifact weapons for each specialization of each class, with a brand-new area called Broken Isles on Azeroth, whilst introducing the demon hunter, a hero class that you’ll encounter at Level 98. There are also 10 five-person dungeons and two raids.
2018 – ‘Battle For Azeroth’
Now with a level cap of 120, you can enjoy new dungeons, including the Mythic Plus mode, alongside the Uldir raid in this expansion. There’s also a stat and item squish that reduced gear levels, not to mention the Heart of Azeroth necklace that became a crucial artifact you can upgrade.
Moreover, Allied races were unlocked via quests, adding unique Heritage Armor and mounts. Warfronts, 20-player PvE settings, focused on controlling territories, while Island Expeditions challenged smaller teams to gather Azerite or the crystallized blood of Azeroth.
In addition, there’s a new War Mode for optional PvP and the expansion of level scaling across older versions, letting players choose where to level. New battlegrounds and changes to class-specific buffs enhance the overall gameplay.
2020 – ‘Shadowlands’
With more and more gamers hopping in “WoW” in 2020, there’s a need to upgrade what each expansion offers, such as in the case of “Shadowlands.” Here, you get to explore the titular world, the realm of the dead in Warcraft lore. It also features the game’s “level squish,” a historic first,” as well as a completely overhauled system of levels, access to the Death Knight class for the races that did not have access to it previously, new zones Covenants, and new raids and dungeons. Quite a thrilling game to play.
2022 – ‘Dragonflight’
Here, everything happens on Dragon Isles, which features five zones, namely the Thaldraszus, Waking Shores, Azure Span, Ohn’ahran Plains, and the Forbidden Reach, with the last serving as the starting area for the new Dracthyr race.
The level cap is now at 70, then introducing the Dracthyr-exclusive Evoker class, specializing in heavy damage, support, and healing. This pack also revamps the game’s user interface, talent trees, and professions, paving the way for item commissions through work orders. You’ll also get to try the momentum-based flying system known as Dragonriding, where players can customize and fly dragons from the very start of “Dragonflight” without reaching the maximum level.
2024 – ‘The War Within’
Getting us down to the most recent expansion for “WoW,” “The War Within.” The developers of “World of Warcraft” never get weary of impressing their gamers. Khaz Algar is the setting, a subterranean continent that features four zones. However, the main hub is the capital city of Dornogal.
The story revolves around Xal’atath, the Harbinger of the Void, threatening both Khaz Algar and Azeroth (yes, you’ll see Azeroth here once again). You may also unlock the earthen race, provided you’ve completed the highlight campaign. Eighty is now the level cap, which introduces new Hero Talents beginning at the 71st level. There are also new dungeons, a brand-new raid, and the Skyriding feature for fast-faced exploration. Gamers can participate in solo or co-op Delves, and then utilize the Warbands system for account-wide progress. Just wow.
So, what are you waiting for? Collect them all! Happy gaming.
