WoW Cataclysm Classic Is Coming Next Year, But With Some Changes

World of Warcraft Classic is continuing forward to the game's Cataclysm expansion, Blizzard has announced, but not without some key changes.

Announced as part of BlizzCon 2023's opening ceremony, Warcraft executive producer Holly Longdale said Blizzard has listened to fan feedback about the expansion and will be making "#changes" to the 2010 WoW expansion. Cataclysm Classic will arrive in the first half of 2024, Longdale said.

As for the changes players can expect, Cataclysm Classic will feature "increased and streamlined leveling," with faster leveling speeds and a faster content release schedule. Additionally, the Titan Rune dungeon system introduced as part of Wrath of the Lich King Classic will be added to Cataclysm Classic, as will an expanded, account-wide collections system, improved guild features, and updates to the game's auction house.

Cataclysm Classic is included in WoW's base subscription, but Blizzard is offering two optional bundles for players who want extra items or a way to jump straight into the expansion without having to level through older content. A $30 Blazing Heroic Pack will grant a flying Ragnaros mount and Lil' Wrathion pet, both usable in Cataclysm Classic and the modern version of the game. Additionally, a goblin town toy and Twilight Cultist transmog set will be usable only in Cataclysm Classic. Another bundle, the $80 Blazing Epic Upgrade Pack, includes everything from the Heroic pack alongside a level 80 character boost and 30 days of game time.

Cataclysm is somewhat of a controversial expansion among players of the Classic version of Blizzard's MMORPG. It revamped Azeroth, in the process altering zones and removing quests and content that had existed since the game's launch in 2004. For many, it's also when the old-school version of WoW began its transformation into the modern version of the game. It's for that reason many fans questioned whether Blizzard would ever release a Classic version of Cataclysm.

The news that Cataclysm Classic is coming next year was just one of Blizzard's big WoW-related announcements as part of BlizzCon. Blizzard veteran Chris Metzen took the stage to announce what's next for the modern version of the game, and announced three expansions all at once, including next year's The War Within. The three expansions are collectively called The Worldsoul Saga, with future expansions looking to revamp old-world zones like Northrend and Quel'Thalas.