World of Warcraft just dropped the Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary Edition—and it’s live worldwide as of midnight. If you’ve got an active WoW subscription or Game Time, you’re already in. No extra purchase, no waiting.
Outland is back. Step through the Dark Portal and revisit the shattered skies and chaos-soaked landscapes. This isn’t just a nostalgia trip: the Anniversary Edition brings fresh content and a few quality-of-life tweaks for veterans and new players alike.
What’s actually new?
- Blood Elves and Draenei are now playable. That means new racial abilities and two fresh starting zones to explore.
- Level cap is bumped to 70. More grind, more endgame, more bragging rights.
- Flying mounts are in. If you hated walking, rejoice—just don’t forget to save up for the training.
- The Jewelcrafting profession debuts. Min-maxers and auction house sharks, your time is now.
- Three classic raids return, tuned for the Classic experience. Rally your guild or wipe in style.
Why should you care?
This Anniversary Edition isn’t a cash grab. It’s included with your existing subscription or Game Time—no upsell. That means anyone still subbed gets instant access to Outland, new races, and all the content drops.
For returning players, it’s a low-friction way to jump back in. No expansion purchase required. If you skipped Burning Crusade the first time, now’s your shot to experience the raids and storylines that defined WoW’s golden era.
Competitive angle: the fresh level cap and new profession mean the meta’s about to shift. Expect a rush for server-firsts, economy shakeups, and plenty of PvP drama as everyone races to 70.
What’s next for Azeroth?
While Outland is the focus now, World of Warcraft: Midnight™ is already on the horizon. The next major expansion lands March 3, 2026, promising a showdown with Xal’atath and the Voidstorm. But for now, it’s all about Outland and the Burning Legion.
The bottom line
- Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary Edition is live now—no extra cost for subscribers.
- New races, flying mounts, Jewelcrafting, and classic raids are in.
- Perfect time to return or start fresh before the next big expansion hits in 2026.