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WoWFeb 7, 2018 3:05 pm CT

Battle for Azeroth alpha testing has begun

Updated

The World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth alpha test has started and the first batch of testers are receiving their invitations this afternoon. Those who have been invited to the alpha test report the client appearing as an option in their Battle.net launcher rather than receiving any sort of email notification.

The alpha testing phase of World of Warcraft expansions are by invitation only, primarily including friends and family of Blizzard Entertainment, members of the media, and World of Warcraft content creators. Members of the general audience typically begin receiving their invitations when an expansion enters the beta testing phase.

The test currently includes the Drustvar (Alliance) and Nazmir (Horde) zones as well as the Atal’Dazar and Freehold dungeons. If you weren’t lucky enough to get an invite of your own, we previewed the two dungeons at BlizzCon and there are a number of streamers — including Towlliee and Wowhead — who are showing off the alpha.

Or, for the official rundown of the new content, check out Blizzard’s development notes below.

Originally Posted by Kaivax (Official Post)
Welcome to the World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth alpha test!

Please note that this test provides a very early look at the next expansion, so your feedback and understanding are very much appreciated at this stage. As with any test environment, none of your progress here applies to your live character, and anything you see here is subject to change before the final version. You’re welcome to publicly share your experiences and adventures in the alpha , so feel free to stream, record video, and post articles and screenshots.

Here’s a quick summary of what’s available in this phase of the alpha test:

Two Zones: Drustvar (Alliance) and Nazmir (Horde)

Drustvar: The harsh lands of Drustvar are ruled by House Waycrest, who conquered these lands after vanquishing the ancient, evil Drust. The edifices of the Drust still stand in ruin across the land, but that’s not all that remains of this accursed people. Recently, their evil leader has been awakened—and if left unchecked, his dark power will spread throughout all of Kul Tiras.

Upon arriving in Drustvar, you will be met with a request to visit Mayor Cyril White of Fallhaven in eastern Drustvar.

Nazmir: Once the shining heart of troll civilization, Nazmir is now a swamp riddled with bleak, ruined reminders of its greatness. Its inhabitants are the vile blood trolls, dedicated to the worship of the Blood God G’huun and to a single-minded purpose: the destruction of the last functioning titan disc within the city of Zuldazar. Should the trolls shatter this seal, G’huun will be freed from its eons-long confinement to rule the world.

Upon arriving in Nazmir, you will meet Princess Talanji, who will ask you to escort her as you look for signs of blood troll activity in the area.

Two Dungeons: Atal’Dazar and Freehold

Atal’Dazar: For millennia, the Zandalari kings were laid to rest within the tombs of Atal’Dazar, secluded high atop the mountain Mugamba. These pyramids grew more elaborate with each passing ruler, as new rooms were constructed to house the deceased’s vast wealth. Now, these once pristine halls have been corrupted by the Prophet Zul and his trusted lieutenant, Yazma, who seek to twist the power of these ancient kings for their own dark machinations.

Freehold: Freehold has traditionally served as a haven for pirates, scoundrels, and those who wish to live free of Kul Tiran control. Now, the Irontide Raiders have brought the city under their harsh rule and are coercing the various pirate crews under their banner. While the pirates gather, a small group of heroes must infiltrate the town and eliminate their leadership to dissolve this growing alliance of cutthroats.

Dungeons
You can access dungeons via the Dungeon Finder system (hotkey “I”). Select Random Battle for Azeroth Dungeon or specify which one of the dungeons you’d like to explore, then select Find Group.

General Known Issues:

• Not all class talents will work as intended.
• Boss mechanics may not work as intended.
• Not all areas of the zones are active.
• Players may receive UI errors.
• Terrain and NPCs may clip.
• Work-in-progress art assets will be present.
• Limited voiceover, audio, and music is present.

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