Blizzard’s massive autumn World of Warcraft blitz continues today with the release of the Wrath of the Lich King’s prepatch in WoW Classic. As folks who were around back in 2008 will recall, Wrath was a beloved expansion to the original game when it launched; it adds the Death Knight hero class, the inscription crafting skill, the achievement system, and of course, the frigid continent of Northrend. The prologue plague events, however, will begin next week and run for three full weeks until the expansion officially launches.
Today’s update also heralds the launch of new fresh start servers for folks who want to start, well, fresh without all the cruft from the existing servers that have been swirling around in endgame for ages. On these new servers, nobody can use boosters or transfer over for at least three months, and no one can roll up a DK without doing the work to get to 55 the old-fashioned way. The first such server today will be Skyfury (PvP), though we’re expecting more. Server up should be around 6 p.m. EDT, but as MMO players are well aware, it might wind up a bit delayed.
Of course, if you’re not into playing the leveling game – even with huge experience buffs – and just want to boost right to 70 to begin your Wrath journey, you’ll be able to buy a boost and do just that, according to Blizzard’s Brian Birmingham.
Meanwhile, if you somehow need a refresher on the Death Knight, Blizzard has dropped a whole video for you.
And some to-do list additions:
All our coverage of Wrath Classic so far:
• WoW Factor: Just be honest about what WoW Classic is now
• World of Warcraft is adding Heroic Plus dungeons to Wrath of the Lich King Classic when Ulduar arrives
• Here’s how World of Warcraft’s PvP is changing in Wrath of the Lich King Classic
• Blizzard is considering WoW Classic Cataclysm, according to new survey
• Get ready for Wrath Classic with global release schedule, survival guide
• World of Warcraft Classic opens new fresh start realms, offers free transfers to relieve population crush
• WoW Classic’s abruptly started Zombie Plague event is already over
• Wrath Classic servers unexpectedly experience the Scourge Invasion ahead of schedule
• Blizzard begs WoW Classic players to transfer away from queues as tech can’t resolve capacity chaos
• World of Warcraft Classic players are still dealing with server queues even after a week
• World of Warcraft Classic reconsiders earlier proposed changes to Wrath’s Ulduar raid
• Wrath Classic’s pre-patch arrived last night with unsightly queues, level boost sales
• World of Warcraft’s Wrath of the Lich King prepatch launches in WoW Classic tonight
• World of Warcraft devs discuss raids, PvP, and faction populations for Wrath Classic
• World of Warcraft tests Halls of Infusion dungeon, Wrath Classic welcomes Death Knights next week
• World of Warcraft previews more zones of Northrend for Wrath of the Lich King Classic, gears up for the Great Push competition
• WoW Classic adjusts raids while WoW retail creates a trade service channel
• Wrath of the Lich King Classic shows off the starter zones of Northrend, Borean Tundra and Howling Fjord
• World of Warcraft previews Ohn’ahran Plains while Wrath Classic zombie plague event undergoes testing
• Blizzard addresses Wrath Classic feedback, refuses to budge an inch on dungeon finder decision
• The Daily Grind: Would you go back to WoW Classic if it had Wrath’s LFD?
• Wrath Classic explains big emblems change, preps pre-patch event
• WoW Factor: Dragonflight, Wrath Classic, and trying to stop the bleeding
• WoW Factor: How Blizzard squandered the potential and desire for WoW Classic
• WoW Classic’s Wrath of the Lich King launches September 26 according to yet another Blizzard leak
• Wrath Classic testing shifts to Death Knight experience, arena battles, and raids
• Blizzard reassures players that Wrath of the Lich King Classic will in fact have quest helper features in it
• WoW Classic begins Wrath beta, defends #SomeChanges design philosophy
• World of Warcraft begins Midsummer Fire Festival, WoW Classic previews new group finder
• Blizzard tells Wrath Classic players that new fresh start servers might not have transfers open after 90 days
• Fresh start realms are planned for Wrath of the Lich King Classic when it arrives
• WoW Classic to retire 21 servers while Diablo II improves its lobby
• WoW Classic interview doubles down on Wrath Classic’s lack of a dungeon finder
• WoW Classic’s Wrath of the Lich King beta is coming later this summer
• Working As Intended: LFD, community accountability, and the balance of power in classic MMOs
• World of Warcraft Classic interview confirms that there will be no servers for The Burning Crusade Classic at launch
• Massively Overthinking: The WoW Dragonflight and Wrath Classic roundtable
• WoW Factor: Good job torching Wrath of the Lich King Classic, my dudes!
• World of Warcraft devs address Dragonflight’s dragon flying limitations, Classic Wrath’s missing LFD
• World of Warcraft’s next expansion is called Dragonflight, WoW Classic Wrath launches this year