Midnight’s PVP updates include new epic battleground, permanent Comp Stomp mode

Blizzard has announced some of the bigger updates and philosophies regarding PVP for the upcoming Midnight expansion, including a new 40v40 battleground and the addition of a Comp Stomp evergreen play mode. While we don’t have a great deal of info yet, the quick rundown of new and re-imagined features gives us an idea of what the next chapter of World of Warcraft will bring to PVP.

For the large portion of the player base whose level of participation in PVP content is “dabble” or lower, the most relevant bit of news is the addition of Comp Stomp as a permanent game mode. First added in 2019, this flavor of Brawl entails a match of Arathi Basin where you and 14 other human players are pitted against 15 computer-controlled players. As its name suggests, the computer’s PVP competency is lacking, often resulting in lopsided wins for the humans.

Comp Stomp has proven to be a popular Brawl for its low frustration score and high reputation farming index. The main drawback was its infrequency, as PVP Brawls rotate weekly though quite a few flavors. The next time you can catch a Comp Stomp match is mid-October, then you’ll have to wait until early 2026.

Midnight will see the addition of the Training Grounds, which will eliminate the wait for Comp Stomp to come back up on your calendar. This PVP mode will always be active, and it will be expanded from its original setting of Arathi Basin to include Silvershard Mines and Battle for Gilneas. We’ll have to see it in action first, but the Training Grounds could serve as a useful tool for new or novice PVP players to get the hang of the subtle differences that come along with having a real person controlling the enemy on your screen.

The big-ticket item that will be waiting for World of Warcraft PVP players to unwrap at Midnight’s launch is Slayer’s Rise, a new epic battleground. Two teams of 40 champions will go head-to-head in a clash between two domanaar set in the new Voidstorm zone. The most interesting part about this tidbit of information is that we have very little idea of what a domanaar is. The Voidstorm zone overview describes them as formidable creatures of the void aligned with Xal’atath.

Why we are taking sides in their squabbles is anybody’s guess right now. In any case, this new battleground hearkens back to Alterac Valley and Isle of Conquest with its push toward opposite end goals balanced with bringing down key defensive barriers and NPCs.

Finally, World PVP will get its own corner of the Voidstorm zone as the Slayer’s Rise battleground will spill out onto the world map. The area will have Horde and Alliance Keeps as well as a neutral hub. There will still be some things to do such as World Quests for those players who haven’t turned on War Mode since 2018.

That’s all we know right know concerning the major PVP aspects of Midnight. I’d bet my Astral Gladiator’s Medallion that we’ll hear more details on changes to systems, currencies, and gear at the upcoming Midnight Deep Dive livestream on October 1.