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. 

The icy winds of Northrend have begun their mournful wail, warning the heroes of Azeroth of the imminent danger the Lich King and his undead Scourge present to all life. Gather your allies, stock up on supplies, and prepare to face the threat ahead.

With the release of the Wrath of the Lich King pre-patch, players can create their first Death Knight Hero class, take up the way of the scribe with the new Inscription Profession, and experience a host of new system updates.

Players in Burning Crusade Classic will get the Joyous Journeys buff to help prepare for Wrath of the Lich King Classic. This buff will increase your experience gains by 50%!

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 Blizzard 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.

Below is a timeline of what players can look forward to in the pre-patch:

• August 30: Pre-patch Begins: Wrath of the Lich King Pre-patch Launches and Fresh Start Realms go live during regional maintenance.
• September 6–13: Zombie Plague Event: A mysterious affliction begins to make its way through the capital cities. Players must be vigilant to avoid falling victim to its deadly effects.
• September 13 – Launch: Scourge Invasion Event: In several locations throughout Azeroth, players must coordinate a defensive stand against the attacking Necropolis and defeat Scourge forces to gain powerful rewards.
• September 20–October 6: Brewfest Begins: Do you love eating delicious fair food, drinking bountiful beverages, and riding rams around barrels of apples? Partake in activities and timed events to earn Brewfest souvenirs and achievements during this brewtiful holiday event.
• September 26: Wrath of the Lich King Classic Launches: At 3:00 p.m. PDT, Wrath of the Lich King Classic will launch, and players are welcome to log in.
• October 4 and 5: Arena Season 5 Begins: Season 5 will begin with the weekly reset.
• October 6: Naxxramas, The Eye of Eternity, and The Obsidian Sanctum are Available at 3:00 p.m. PDT
  • Naxxramas, the giant Necropolis and the seat of the dreaded lich Kel’Thuzad, floats over Wintergarde Keep in Dragonblight, eager to aid the Lich King and his deadly machinations.
  • Located in the center of Coldarra, the Eye of Eternity will challenge players to defeat the blue dragon aspect, Malygos.
  • Dragonblight is home to the Obsidian Sanctum where players must venture below Wyrmrest Temple to bring an end to Sartharion and his lieutenants, Shadron, Tenebron, and Vesperon.

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.