Classic players, get ready for the Day that Deathwing Came (again): Cataclysm Classic release date is May 20, 2024!

World of Warcraft‘s next Classic expansion will be Cataclysm Classic, launching on May 20, 2024. This fits right in with the WoW Classic roadmap, which pinned the release date somewhere between spring and summer.

There were two major events prior to the release of Cataclysm: the faction scenarios of Operation Gnomeregan and Zalazane’s Fall (currently live in Wrath Classic), and the Elemental Invasion leading up to the Shattering and the revamped maps. Operation Gnomeregan and Zalazane’s Fall was released on March 26, and the Elemental Invasion and the Shattering are releasing together on April 30.

The interval between the release of the final phase of Warcraft Classic and the first phase of Burning Crusade Classic was six months and from BCC to Wrath Classic was four-and-a-half months. With the final phase of Wrath Classic launching on October 10 of this year, that sets a potential release of Cataclysm Classic between the end of February and mid-April. The Season of Discovery is having a significant impact on WoW Classic‘s plans for the first half of the year, as there will be two major updates prior to the Cataclysm Classic prelaunch events. In addition, the Hardcore mode will have an update as well in the first few months of 2024. Even with the longer delay before release, however, the phases of Cataclysm Classic will be coming at a quick cadence:

• Pre-patch – April 30  
• Cataclysm Classic – May 20  
• Rise of the Zandalari (original patch 4.1) – July 2024  
• Rage of the Firelands (original patch 4.2) – October 2024  
• Hour of Twilight (original patch 4.3) – January 2025

The pre-patch brings the following features:

• New Player Races: Goblin and Worgen
• New Race and Class Combinations
• Leveling Updates: Level through a changed landscape in Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms from level 1 through 60.
• Class Updates: New Talents, Trees, spells and More
• New Race and Class Combinations
• New Profession: Archaeology
• New Feature: Transmog Collection
• Updated Character and Gear Stats

Upon release of Cataclysm Classic on May 20 you’ll also have access to:

• 7 new zones: Mount Hyjal, Vash’jir, Twilight Highlands, Uldum, Deepholm, Kezan, and Gilneas.
• 9 new dungeons: Blackrock Caverns, Throne of the Tides, Vortex Pinnacle, The Stonecore, The Lost City of Tol’vir, The Halls of Origination, Grim Batol, Deadmines, Shadowfang Keep
• Dungeon Journal
• 3 new raids: Throne of the Four Winds, Blackwing Descent, and Bastion of Twilight
• Flexible raid lock system: Allowing players to do both 10 and 25-player raids in the same week.
• Tol Barad PVP Zone
• Darkmoon Island: Discover the mysteries Silas Darkmoon has in store for you.
• Flying in Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor

Originally published November 4, 2023. Updated April 9, 2024.