Blizzard has confirmed the remaining content schedule for Mists of Pandaria Classic. The Escalation update drops within weeks, and the Siege of Orgrimmar raid arrives later this summer alongside the return of Timeless Isle.
The roadmap came as part of Blizzard's State of Azeroth presentation on January 29, 2026. For MoP Classic players waiting on concrete dates, the announcement finally lays out how the expansion wraps up.
Classic WoW's Journey
Mists of Pandaria Classic is the latest stop in Classic WoW's ongoing journey through the game's history. Blizzard called Classic "an expression of love for the early years of WoW," pointing to the variety of ways players can now experience older content.
The Classic ecosystem has grown well beyond simple server reruns. Hardcore realms offer permadeath challenges. Seasonal realms run time-limited experiences with unique rulesets. Progression realms like those hosting MoP Classic deliver the traditional expansion-by-expansion experience.
MoP Classic launched in summer 2025 on the original progression realms after Cataclysm Classic wrapped up. The initial roadmap only covered the pre-patch and launch, leaving the rest of 2025 and beyond unclear. Phase 2 (Landfall) hit September 23, 2025, and Phase 3 (Rise of the Thunder King) followed on December 9, 2025.
Now the 2026 roadmap fills in the gaps through the expansion's finale.
Phase Timing
MoP Classic has stuck to roughly 10-11 weeks between phases, matching Blizzard's approach to previous Classic expansions. Players have used this pattern to plan their progression and set expectations.
Phase 4 and Phase 5 might break from this cycle, though. The 2026 roadmap slots Phase 4 into early spring and Phase 5 into summer, which could mean extended phase durations. More time per phase gives players breathing room, but also means longer waits between major drops.
All dates beyond official announcements remain estimates based on these patterns.
Phase 4: Escalation
Blizzard confirmed Escalation arrives "in just a few weeks" from the January 29 announcement. Based on typical timing, that puts Phase 4 around early March.
No new raid this phase. Instead, Escalation focuses on scenarios and world content, giving players a breather between Throne of Thunder and the expansion's final raid.
New Scenarios and Heroic Modes
Four new scenarios join the rotation:
- Battle on the High Seas
- Blood in the Snow
- Dark Heart of Pandaria
- Secrets of Ragefire
Every scenario from previous phases also gets a heroic version, adding new challenges and rewards to older content.
PvP Additions
Deepwind Gorge enters the battleground pool. Tiger's Peak joins the arena rotation.
World Content
The Battlefield: Barrens world event kicks off with a new quest campaign. Darkspear Troll storylines take center stage here, tying directly into the faction conflict that explodes in Siege of Orgrimmar.
Legendary Progress
Wrathion's Legendary Cloak questline continues with new steps. Players keeping up with the chain can push further toward their reward.
Phase 5: Siege of Orgrimmar
The expansion ends with Phase 5. Blizzard confirmed both Siege of Orgrimmar and Timeless Isle for "later this year," with the roadmap pointing to summer. Current estimates place it around late May.
The Final Raid
Siege of Orgrimmar closes out Mists of Pandaria's story. This is the capstone for MoP Classic raiders, bringing the expansion's faction conflict to its conclusion.
Timeless Isle Returns
The iconic endgame zone comes back, offering exploration content and activities outside the raid scene. Timeless Isle was a fan favorite in the original MoP and gives players an alternative way to spend their endgame hours.
Legendary Cloak Finale
Wrathion's questline wraps up in Phase 5. After an expansion-long grind that started back in Phase 2, players finally get their choice of legendary cloak.
Complete Phase Timeline
Here's every MoP Classic phase from pre-patch to finale:
Pre-Patch (July 1, 2025)
Cataclysm Classic realms converted to MoP Classic. Pandaren and Monks became playable. Pet Battles went live. The Theramore's Fall scenario introduced the new instance type and set up the expansion's story.
Phase 1: Launch (July 21, 2025)
Level cap hit 90. Nine zones opened across Pandaria.
Six new dungeons launched: Temple of the Jade Serpent, Stormstout Brewery, Shado-Pan Monastery, Mogu'shan Palace, Gate of the Setting Sun, and Siege of Niuzao Temple. Three classic dungeons got revamped: Scholomance, Scarlet Halls, and Scarlet Monastery. All available in Normal and Heroic.
Six scenarios dropped at launch: Greenstone Village, Unga Ingoo, Brewmoon Festival, A Brewing Storm, Arena of Annihilation, and Crypt of the Forgotten Kings.
Three raids opened: Mogu'shan Vaults, Heart of Fear, and Terrace of Endless Spring.
PvP got Silvershard Mines and Temple of Kotmogu battlegrounds plus the Tol'viron Proving Grounds arena.
A bonus for retail WoW players: completing the Pandaren starting zone between July 1-30 unlocked the Shaohao Sage Serpent mount in modern WoW.
Phase 2: Landfall (September 23, 2025)
The Pandaren Campaign pushed forward with faction-specific content. Five scenarios arrived: A Little Patience, Assault on Zan'vess, Dagger in the Dark, Lion's Landing (Alliance), and Domination Point (Horde).
Wrathion's Legendary Cloak quest started here. Brawler's Guild opened for solo combat challenges. The game also received an HD textures update.
Phase 3: Rise of the Thunder King (December 9, 2025)
Throne of Thunder raid dropped as the second tier. Isle of Thunder opened with zone-wide offensive quests (think Isle of Quel'Danas style). Isle of Giants brought world bosses Nalak, the Storm Lord and Oondasta. The legendary questline continued.
Phase 4: Escalation (Estimated March 9, 2026)
Four new scenarios plus heroic modes for all existing ones. Battlefield: Barrens world event with Darkspear Troll content. Deepwind Gorge battleground and Tiger's Peak arena. More legendary quest progress.
Phase 5: Siege of Orgrimmar (Estimated Summer 2026)
Siege of Orgrimmar raid. Timeless Isle zone. Legendary Cloak questline conclusion.
Future of Classic WoW
MoP Classic isn't the end of the road for Classic players. Blizzard laid out several initiatives during the State of Azeroth.
Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary Edition launches soon. Blizzard described it as "another round of Illidan taunts and Fel Reaver terror," with Karazhan's chess event, Magtheridon, and more rolling out through the year.
Seasonal Titan Reforged Realms went live in China. Blizzard built these specifically for Chinese players based on regional playstyle differences. "Not only are the audiences between modern and Classic World of Warcraft unique, but so are the players in China," the company explained.
More unannounced content is in the works. Blizzard was direct about this: "This is not all we have cooking up. We can say with confidence all Classic players across the globe have a lot to look forward to. We'll save that for later."
Roofus charity pet arrives in both modern WoW and Classic as part of a Habitat for Humanity partnership. The charity has helped more than 65 million people globally. Roofus loves to build, which shows up in his idle animations.
Key Takeaways
Phase 4 hits within weeks. Phase 5 closes things out this summer. MoP Classic should wrap its content cycle by mid-2026.
Anyone chasing Wrathion's Legendary Cloak needs to keep pushing. The questline runs through Phase 4 and only finishes in Phase 5, so the full reward is still months out. Players who fell behind have time to catch up, but the legendary should be a priority.
Escalation's scenario focus (rather than a new raid) creates a natural break between Throne of Thunder and Siege of Orgrimmar. Time to finish legendary progress, farm out remaining gear, and prep for the final tier.
Blizzard hasn't locked in specific dates beyond what's already passed. These estimates follow established patterns and the roadmap's general windows. Watch for official announcements as each phase approaches.
