WoW Classic anniversary realms Phase 5 launches July 10 with the start of the Ahn’Qiraj war effort

WoW Classic anniversary realms Phase 5 will launch on July 10, 2025 at 3PM pacific time. In Phase 4, players could start completing quests in Silithus that acted as a lead-in to Phase 5 which begins the Ahn’Qiraj war effort for all to take part in. The war effort is the first step in a multi-part, realm-wide event that hinges on player engagement, so some things may happen faster or slow on depending on how active your realm is.

Here is what you can expect when Phase 5 goes live on the anniversary realms.

What’s in Phase 5 on WoW Classic anniversary realms?

1. The Ahn’Qiraj war effort
2. The Scepter of the Shifting Sands questline
3. The 10 Hour War
4. The Ruins of Ahn’Qiraj raid (20 players)
5. The Temple of Ahn’Qiraj raid (40 players)

Five interconnected activities are the main focus of Phase 5: the Ahn’Qiraj war effort, the Scepter of the Shifting Sands questline, the 10 Hour War, and finally the 20-player Ruins of Ahn’Qiraj and 40-player Temple of Ahn’Qiraj raids. At 3PM on July 10, players will be able to participate in the Ahn’Qiraj war effort which requires each faction to turn in a certain amount of meals, first aid bandages, or crafting materials (herbs, leather, and smelted bars). Players can contribute by picking up and completing the corresponding supply quests using their respective profession skills. Alliance players can turn in their supplies to Field Marshal Snowfall in Ironforge’s Military Ward and Horde players can turn their supplies in to Warlord Gorchuk in the Valley of Spirits in Orgrimmar. When these quests are completed, you’ll earn your respective commendation signets which can then be redeemed for rewards from your faction vendors. The more signets you turn in, the better quality rewards you will get.

Once the target quantities for the war effort are reached, there will be a 5 day pause before activity can be resumed in Silithus. Once this pause has passed, the first player who bangs the Scarab Gong will start the 10 Hour War for the entire realm. During this 10 hour portion of the event only, all players who have completed the Scepter of the Shifting Sands questline are able to ring the Scarab Gong and earn the Black Qiraji Resonating Crystal rare mount. Once the 10 Hour War ends, players will be unable to earn this mount, and the Ahn’Qiraj raids will open to everyone on the realm.

Since the Ahn’Qiraj raids are tied to the completion of the war effort and the Scepter of the Shifting Sands questline, the soonest players will be able to enter these raids will be just over a week after the war effort begins, which is sometime on or after July 17. In order to make sure Ahn’Qiraj is open to all, if the war effort supplies have not been completed after 15 days by your faction on your realm, it will slowly auto-complete until the target quantity is reached and someone rings the Scarab Gong, and give everyone a chance to get in to Ahn’Qiraj before the release of Naxxramas in Phase 6.

Originally published on May 29, 2025. Updated on June 18, 2025.