During the recent “State of Azeroth” broadcast, Blizzard Entertainment unveiled its ambitious 2026 roadmap for World of Warcraft. The presentation provided a comprehensive look at the game’s trajectory following the highly anticipated launch of the Midnight expansion on March 3.
A primary highlight of the upcoming calendar is the introduction of “Labyrinths.” This new content tier serves as a grander, more complex evolution of Delves—the successful solo-friendly dungeons debuted in The War Within. According to Game Director Ion Hazzikostas, Labyrinths are heavily influenced by “mega-dungeons,” those massive, multi-wing gauntlets that have been a staple of the franchise since the days of Dire Maul.
Labyrinths are scheduled to arrive in the fall of 2026 with Patch 12.1.5. Below is the detailed development timeline for the year:
The post-Midnight era promises a relentless pace for Modern WoW players. Following the initial expansion launch, two minor spring updates will maintain narrative momentum through escalating Void incursions. These patches will also introduce a whimsical “Prop Hunt” game mode and a standalone, single-boss raid encounter—reflecting Blizzard’s new initiative to provide smaller, more frequent raiding opportunities.
The heat picks up in the summer with the massive 12.1 update (Season 2). This milestone patch will deliver a new zone, a fresh raid and dungeon, updated Delves, and the long-awaited housing system. As the year draws to a close, players can look forward to the debut of Labyrinths, an additional raid, and a secret event created by the experimental live team—the same group responsible for the Plunderstorm and Remix modes.
Meanwhile, the World of Warcraft Classic roadmap follows a more traditional path. Anniversary servers are set to transition into The Burning Crusade expansion in February, with subsequent content tiers rolling out across the year. Additionally, Mists of Pandaria Classic will approach its grand finale as the Siege of Orgrimmar raid arrives during the spring and summer months.
While the schedule for Hardcore and Season of Discovery remains somewhat static for now—though Chinese players are receiving specialized “Titan-Reforged” realms—Executive Producer Holly Longdale hinted at surprises yet to come. “We have more brewing behind the scenes,” she noted, assuring the Classic community that global players have significant updates to look forward to.
For those eager to jump back into the action, Blizzard is hosting a “Welcome Back Weekend.” From now until Sunday, Feb. 1, players can access World of Warcraft for free to experience the latest updates firsthand.
Source: Polygon
