Players last visited Northrend in Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, when Arthas Menethil fused with the spirit of Ner’zhul to become the Lich King, one of the most powerful beings in the Warcraft universe. He now broods atop the Frozen Throne deep in Icecrown Citadel, clutching the rune blade Frostmourne and marshaling the undead armies of the Scourge. In Wrath of the Lich King, the forces of the Alliance and the Horde will venture into battle against the Scourge amid Northrend’s howling winds and fields of jagged ice.

With the opening of the Dark Portal, and the renewed war to stop the Burning Crusade’s destruction of worlds, the heroes of Azeroth have given little thought to the frozen wastes of Northrend - and the terrible, ancient powers that wait there. Yet the brooding evils of the fallen Nerubian empire and their malevolent sovereign have not forgotten Azeroth…

The former death knight and now Lich King Arthas has set in motion events that could lead to the extinction of all life in Azeroth, as his undead armies and the necromantic power of the plague threaten to sweep across the land. Only the mightiest heroes can survive the frozen northlands with any hope of disrupting the plans of Arthas - and perhaps even challenge the Lich King himself and end his reign of terror for all time.

Rising with this expansion is the fearsome Death Knight hero class, available to all players and starting at level 55. As former champions of the Lich King, Death Knights conquer their foes using dark magic and runic power. Also featured is the original iteration of the World of Warcraft achievement system, celebrating a wide range of player accomplishments in the game, and the introduction of the Inscription profession, which enables players to scribe ability-enhancing glyphs that alter the appearance and modify the properties of spells and abilities.

Players will be able to put their skills and new abilities to the test in the 13 memorable dungeons from Wrath of the Lich King, such as Ahn’Kahet: The Old Kingdom, where they’ll face the minions of the Old God Yogg-Saron, and the plague-infested Culling of Stratholme, which recreates the tragic event from Warcraft history that led to the downfall of Prince Arthas. Those seeking the ultimate challenge can take on the 9 raids introduced in the expansion, such as the updated versions of Naxxramas and Onyxia’s Lair from pre-expansion World of Warcraft, and of course Icecrown Citadel, where the story of the Lich Kingreaches its cinematic conclusion.

From atop the frozen throne of Icecrown Citadel, the Lich King Arthas Menethil—once a fierce paladin prince consumed and corrupted by a misguided zeal to save his people at any cost—marshals his undead army into war against the inhabitants of Azeroth. Blizzard Entertainment announced today that the forces of the Horde and the Alliance will have another chance to bring a fitting end to one of World of Warcraft’s most iconic villains starting September 26, 2022, when the company releases Wrath of the Lich King Classic, the authentic re-creation of WoW’s acclaimed second expansion, at no additional cost to all players with an active subscription. This expansion will launch globally at 3pm PDT and will be available on all World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade Classic realms.

“The epic moments in Wrath of the Lich King Classic feature vast icy environments, unique dungeons and raids, and a gripping conclusion to the story of Prince Arthas,” said World of Warcraft executive producer Holly Longdale. “All of this and more made it a favorite of many of our players and us at Blizzard as well. We’re looking forward to providing an authentic experience for returning veterans and an awesome adventure for newcomers exploring Azeroth for the first time.”

Just as it shook up WoW during its original release in 2008, Wrath of the Lich King Classic will thrill both veterans and newcomers with a host of paradigm-shifting features, including:

• The Grim Frozen North: Players will begin their journey in one of two zones in Northrend—Borean Tundra or Howling Fjord—and experience some of the most epic vistas and beloved storylines in all of Warcraft before breaching the seat of the Lich King’s power in Icecrown.
• The Rise of Death Knights: Available to both factions and starting at level 55, Death Knights—WoW’s first hero class—harness the powers of darkness to help combat the evil that threatens Azeroth.
• New profession—Inscription: This new profession allows players to scribe mystical glyphs that alter the appearance and modify the properties of spells and abilities, as well as craft powerful trinkets and off-hand items.
• Achievements Unlocked: Achievements are coming to WoW Classic, giving players a whole new set of rewards for their exploits and accomplishments.
• Dungeons & Raids: Relive seminal 5-player dungeons like Azjol-Nerub and the Culling of Stratholme, and lay siege to Naxxramas in a 10-player raid, an update of its original iteration as a 40-player raid in pre-expansion World of Warcraft.

In the lead-up to launch, players can experience Joyous Journeys, a 50%-bonus-XP event that will run until Wrath of the Lich King Classic’s September 26 launch. Prior to release, all WoW subscribers will be granted the ability to create one Death Knight per Classic realm, which they can bring to level 70 through Burning Crusade Classic content until September 26. In addition, players will also be able to purchase optional upgrades, including new cosmetic items and a level-70 character boost for those who might not yet have a fully leveled character.

When it launches, this finely tuned re-release of the smash-hit 2008 expansion will be available at no additional cost to all players with an active World of Warcraft subscription.

New features:

• Death Knight Hero Class: Create a high-level Death Knight character - the game’s first hero class - once certain challenges have been met.
• Increased Level Cap: Advance to level 80 and gain potent new talents and abilities along the way.
• Northrend: Explore the harsh new continent of Northrend, packed with new zones, quests, dungeons, monsters, and items - and do battle with the undead armies of the Lich King.
• “Inscription” Profession: Learn this exciting new profession and gain unique ways to permanently enhance spells and abilities in the game.
• Siege Weapons and Destructible Buildings: Take the battle to another level with new player-vs.-player game mechanics and new battlefields to wage war on.
• New Character Customization: Change how characters look and express themselves, with different hairstyles and dance animations.

World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Classic is coming to PC on September 26, 2022.