Blizzard has addressed the possibility of a World of Warcraft 2, suggesting that a direct sequel is unlikely due to the ongoing development and infrastructure of the current MMO. Instead, the studio announced World of Warcraft: Forever, a reimagined version of the original 2004/5 launch experience.
WoW: Forever aims to offer a familiar yet distinct take on the early days of Azeroth. The expansion will introduce new zones, expand existing ones, and add new dungeons, raids, skills, talents, and race/class combinations. A new playable race, the Skyborne, will also be included, alongside a new battleground and 100 new quests. Players can expect new items, profession updates, reputation rewards, and account-wide perks. The game will also feature significantly improved graphics, with an option to toggle between old and new visuals.
Unlike previous Classic iterations, WoW: Forever is designed to diverge from the original game's established path. "The future is untold," said WoW executive producer Holly Longdale. "We may see stories that could have happened, and some that didn't happen at all." This suggests an alternate-reality approach to the game's lore.
Principal designer Kris Zierhut elaborated on why a sequel is not currently planned. "One of the things that's singularly great about WoW is we have this game and this world and this design that has been continuously developed for the last 25 years," Zierhut stated in an interview with IGN. "And we keep making it better." He highlighted the continuous improvements to the game's engine, server infrastructure, rendering, and combat systems, questioning the benefit of abandoning this robust foundation for a new project.
Zierhut also pointed to the current direction of World of Warcraft, which is midway through its Worldsoul Saga trilogy. "It's not like there's something wrong with [WoW's] story," he said. "We love the story. So going back to the beginning [with World of Warcraft: Forever], there's a chance to explore that story in new and different ways. So it's really hard to say, 'Well, what would a WoW 2 give you that World of Warcraft: Forever isn't already giving you?'"
The development and financial commitment required for a World of Warcraft sequel would be immense, especially considering the game's colossal scale today. Blizzard has also experienced challenges with player migration, such as the transition from Overwatch 1 to Overwatch 2. Furthermore, the studio is currently working on other major titles, including Diablo 5 and a new StarCraft game, while also maintaining existing live services like Overwatch and Hearthstone. Amidst reports of ongoing industry-wide layoffs, pursuing a costly WoW sequel seems improbable.