The heroes of the Alliance and Horde have fought against the evils in Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms, against the demons of the Burning Legion in Outland, and against each other—unaware that an imminent threat was looming in the vast and icy continent of Northrend.

The Lich King, Arthas Menethil, sits in the ominous Icecrown Citadel scheming to claim the world as his own—a plan that threatens all life on Azeroth. Heroes of the Alliance and Horde must stand against the malevolent being who dares to declare himself the one true king of Azeroth...and seeks to scour all life from the world.

Later this year, you will again get to explore bone-chilling lands, storm Icecrown Citadel, and halt the Lich King's baleful efforts. Only the most stalwart can challenge the Lich King and end his reign of terror in this rerelease of the expansion.

Join a full panel of World of Warcraft developers in this deep dive as they take you into the Dragon Isles and share insights about the new lands to explore, the creatures you'll meet, and take you deeper into the various systems and changes that will come with the expansion.

Weaving the Story

Once the broodlands of the Dragonflights, the Dragon Isles was once the center of the dragons' kingdom when the world was young, and the mortal races were just starting to form kingdoms of their own. When the Legion invaded in the War of the Ancients and the Great Sundering broke the world draining much of the magic of the land, the dragons were forced to leave their homeland behind. But they didn’t leave it without the watchers to stand in wait—ready to call back the flights when the elemental energy resurged, and the dragons could be drawn home to re-establish their kingdom.

The time has come for the sky to light up with the colors of the aspects once again and for Alexstrasza and the others to come home. But the land has changed a lot in all these thousands of years they've been away, and some old threats have awakened as well.

The dragons we know of today are quite different than the early past of Azeroth. They were more primitive, much more savage—what we now know as the protodragons.

In more recent history the dragons we know were empowered to become the Aspects—the green dragonflight, red dragonflight, blue dragonflight, bronze dragonflight, and black dragonflight—each with unique powers and abilities to protect the world in different ways. These pillars of draconic powers were appointed to defend Azeroth from threats within and without. This power was used for good in the case of most of the Aspects, but also for more nefarious reasons in the case of the black dragonflight led by Neltharion who would later become Deathwing.

An opportunity to reclaim their legacy and return once more as the protectors of Azeroth lays before the dragons, but they'll need the help of the heroes of Azeroth to face the challenges of this reawakening. The land has not been peacefully awaiting their return— old enemies have awakened as well and will need to be confronted and overcome if the flights are to make it their home once more.

One of those old foes they will have to overcome are the elemental half-giants, the Djaradin. They aren't the only residents of the Dragon Isles, however, and there are many more occupants to get to know along your explorations. You'll encounter the beloved tuskarr as well as get to know the civilization of the centaurs which predates those who we came to know in Kalimdor.

We'll also get to reconnect with Wrathion and see if he is ready to step into the leadership role as the leader of the black dragonflight, or if there's another path for him. We'll also meet up with Kalecgos, Ebonhorn, and Ysera's daughter Merithra to see where their return to the Dragon Isles takes them.

A new playable race will also be available — the dracthyr. Dracthyr were an experiment created by Neltharion with the essence of the dragons and imbued with their strength, nobility, wisdom, and adaptability to become the perfect soldiers.

Exploration is a key theme for this expansion and players will be able to adventure in this ancient land and explore the landscapes and its architectural history. We've created huge zones with many places to delve into with many old treasures and secrets tucked away. The heroes of Azeroth will work alongside The Reliquary and the Explorers' League to help the dragonflights to help them find their legacy, as they have long helped the residents of Azeroth.

It's a true Azerothian adventure waiting to be had and explored.

Do you have a flag? You'll have more than one to keep an eye on in this week's PvP Brawl: Warsong Scramble.

Packed House Warfare

We've put more PvP in your PvP! In Packed House, there's nowhere to hide as you face not 2, not 3, not 5, but 15 adversaries in this 15 vs. 15 Arena battle.

Deep Six Resource Race

Deep Six pits teams of six players against each other in three iconic Battlegrounds: Warsong Gulch, Silvershard Mines, and Temple of Kotmogu. Each Battleground offers a little variation on the traditional format, such as flags that are a bit closer in Warsong Gulch, less carts to keep track of in Silvershard Mines, and only two orbs within the Temple of Kotmogu.

Frozen Arathi Blizzard Resource Race

Put away your bathing suit, pull out your parka, and enter a winter wonderland as the Arathi Basin you know and love gets a fresh coat of ice and snow. You'll be racing your way between the farm, stables, mine, lumberyard, and blacksmith through piles of snow and over a - mostly - frozen lake. One more thing: the weather forecast calls for a bit of fog of war. We hope you're prepared for the weather.

About PvP Brawls

Every week, a new PvP Brawl will be available to players looking for something just a little different. Each Brawl will offer a variety of modes, rules, and scenic changes to the usual Battleground gameplay, and you'll find them in the Group Finder tool (hotkey “I”) in the Player vs. Player tab. Just like Random Battlegrounds, you'll receive a reward for achieving victory.

Put your best battle pet teams to the test with this week's event. To get in on the action, open your Pet Journal (Collections Shift+ P) and click the “Find Battle” button to match up with an opponent with their own team of well-trained companions.

Every Week

The Bonus Events system consists of a rotating schedule of different activities, currently scheduled to run each week beginning on Tuesdays. Each Bonus Event grants a passive bonus to a particular game activity and offers a once-per-event quest with a noteworthy reward for accomplishing a related goal. The in-game calendar can serve as your one-stop reference for the event schedule. The Adventure Guide also offers a direct link to active Bonus Events, allowing you to easily accept any associated quests.

Step right up and prepare to be amazed!

The Darkmoon Faire celebrates the wondrous, exotic, and mysterious from around Azeroth! This mist-shrouded island is a conundrum wrapped in an enigma, accessible for one week only at the beginning of each month.

Come closer for a tantalizing glimpse of what Faire founder, Silas Darkmoon, brings for all to see!

When

Starting on the first Sunday of each month, lasting one week.

Where

Make your way to Darkmoon Island through portals in Elwynn Forest (Alliance) and Mulgore (Horde). You can easily reach the portals located in Elwynn Forest and Mulgore by paying a Darkmoon Faire Mystic Mage (located in Stormwind, Orgrimmar, and Dalaran) to teleport you there.

Although there is no level restriction to attend the Faire, you can only travel to the island while the Darkmoon Faire is open.

It's time to give back to the children of Azeroth during Children's Week! Take an orphan under your wing and show them the wonders of the world.

Throughout the year, the orphans of Azeroth spend much of their time wandering their home cities, dreaming of the day they'll be old enough (and big enough) to go out into the world to experience the adventures and marvels they've missed as children. During Children's Week, the giving souls of the Horde and the Alliance can help make those dreams come true.

All orphans (except Wolvar and Oracle) now have their own mounts, making it all that much easier to show them the wonders of Azeroth.

Have fun traveling around the world with your little buddy!