The long-rumored "Classic Plus" expansion for World of Warcraft has been officially revealed as World of Warcraft: Forever. This new iteration of the massively multiplayer online role-playing game will reset the clock to the MMO's original 2004 launch year but will diverge from the original timeline by exploring untold stories and new areas within Azeroth.
Unlike previous classic versions that aimed to replicate the original experience, World of Warcraft: Forever intends to build upon the foundation of the game's early years. The level cap will remain at 60 for the foreseeable future, but new content will be accessible to players across all level ranges, not just those at maximum level. The expansion introduces three new zones and overhauls several existing zones, aiming to fill in unexplored areas of the original World of Warcraft map.
In terms of endgame content, players can expect nine new dungeons and two new raids. The announcement also hints at new playable options, with the trailer suggesting a Forsaken paladin, a dwarf shaman, and an orc mage. A new playable race, the Skyborne Elves, has also been confirmed.
This approach echoes that of Old School RuneScape, which has successfully used its original 2006 state as a launchpad for new content, leading to significant player growth. While the existence of three distinct World of Warcraft branches could potentially fragment the player base, Blizzard's resources and the game's established popularity suggest it may be capable of supporting multiple versions.
World of Warcraft: Forever will be playable at BlizzCon, with a beta test scheduled to begin this Thursday. The full release is slated for November 4.