All World of Warcraft Expansions in Chronological Order

World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by Blizzard Entertainment and released on November 23, 2004. Set in the fantasy universe of Azeroth, WoW lets players create characters, explore regions, complete quests, and engage in both PvE and PvP combat.

Since its launch in 2004, the game has received multiple expansions that have added new continents, races, classes, and storylines to the world. Each expansion builds upon the previous one, continuing the epic saga of Azeroth and its inhabitants while introducing fresh gameplay mechanics and features.

In this article, we’ll list all World of Warcraft expansions in chronological order from its original release to the present day, tracking how the game has evolved over nearly two decades of continuous development.

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All World of Warcraft Expansions

World of Warcraft has gone through 10 major expansions so far, with two announced expansions to come in the future. Here are all the expansions and their release dates:

The game's first expansion started with The Burning Crusade on January 16, 2007, all the way to the current expansion, The War Within, released on August 26, 2024. Two future expansions, Midnight and The Last Titan, have been announced, but their release dates remain to be determined.

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1. The Burning Crusade

The first expansion introduced the shattered world of Outland, added Blood Elves to the Horde, and Draenei to the Alliance. It raised the level cap from 60 to 70 and introduced flying mounts for the first time. Players faced the Burning Legion and confronted Illidan Stormrage in the Black Temple.

2. Wrath of the Lich King

Taking players to the frozen continent of Northrend, this expansion centered on the fight against the Lich King. It introduced the first hero class, Death Knights, and raised the level cap to 80. The expansion is widely regarded as one of WoW's finest, with memorable raids like Ulduar and Icecrown Citadel.

3. Cataclysm

Deathwing's emergence shattered Azeroth, permanently altering many original zones. This expansion revamped the old world, added Goblins to the Horde and Worgen to the Alliance, and raised the level cap to 85. It also introduced transmog and reforging systems.

4. Mists of Pandaria

Players discovered the previously hidden continent of Pandaria, home to the Pandaren. This expansion added Monks as a new class, raised the level cap to 90, and introduced pet battles. Its storyline focused on the escalating conflict between Alliance and Horde under Garrosh Hellscream's leadership.

5. Warlords of Draenor

This expansion took players to an alternate timeline Draenor before its destruction. It featured updated character models, garrisons as player housing, and raised the level cap to 100. The expansion is known for its strong initial questing experience but is criticized for its lack of endgame content.

6. Legion

The Burning Legion returned in full force. Legion added the Demon Hunter hero class, the Broken Isles continent, and artifact weapons with progression systems. It raised the level cap to 110 and introduced world quests and Mythic+ dungeons that remain popular features.

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7. Battle for Azeroth

Focusing on the faction war between Alliance and Horde, this expansion added the continents of Kul Tiras and Zandalar. It introduced Allied Races, raised the level cap to 120, and featured systems like Island Expeditions and Warfronts. The expansion concluded with the rise of N'Zoth, an Old God.

8. Shadowlands

Players ventured into the afterlife realms of the Shadowlands after Sylvanas broke the barrier between life and death. It featured a level squish (reducing the cap from 120 to 60), Covenants as a major progression system, and the roguelike Torghast tower.

9. Dragonflight

Taking place on the Dragon Isles, this expansion introduced the Dracthyr race and Evoker class. It revamped talents, added dragonriding as a new flying system, and included profession specializations. Dragonflight marked a return to more traditional WoW systems after several experimental expansions.

10. The War Within

The current expansion takes players deep beneath Azeroth to the subterranean realm of Khaz Algar. It introduced Hero Talents, Warbands for alt character progression, and Delves as a new dungeon-like system. The story focuses on the ancient threat of the Nerubians and their mysterious masters.

Final Words

World of Warcraft's journey from its 2004 release to today spans 10 major expansions, each adding new dimensions to Azeroth and beyond. From battling Illidan in The Burning Crusade to delving beneath Azeroth in The War Within, the game has continuously evolved its storytelling, gameplay systems, and world. With Midnight and The Last Titan expansions on the horizon, WoW's saga shows no signs of slowing down.

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