Blizzard Entertainment has confirmed that World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary Edition launches February 5, 2026 at 3:00 PM PST. The expansion comes included with all active WoW Subscriptions and Game Time purchases.
The pre-expansion patch arrives January 13, 2026, giving players roughly three weeks to prepare before stepping through the Dark Portal into Outland. Classic Anniversary players face a critical decision during this window: continue into TBC or transfer to Classic Era realms. Free transfers opened November 25, 2025, and close permanently on January 12, 2026. Characters remaining on Anniversary realms after that date automatically move forward into Burning Crusade.
Pre-Patch Duration
The three-week pre-patch represents a middle ground between previous Classic expansion launches. The original Burning Crusade pre-patch in 2006 ran approximately five weeks. When TBC Classic launched in 2021, players only got two weeks to prepare, a window many found too tight for leveling new races and adjusting to system changes.
Wrath of the Lich King Classic gave players about a month in 2022. Both Cataclysm Classic and Mists of Pandaria Classic featured 21-day pre-patch periods. The February 5 launch date puts this iteration closer to the Cataclysm/MoP model.
Blood Elves and Draenei
Two new playable races arrive with the January 13 pre-patch.
Blood Elves join the Horde as survivors of the Burning Legion's Third War devastation. Their people lost everything when demonic forces destroyed their homeland and corrupted the Sunwell. Available classes include Mage, Hunter, Rogue, Priest, Warlock, and Paladin. That last one matters: Paladins were previously Alliance-exclusive.
Draenei fled their homeworld and endured pursuit across the cosmos by the Burning Legion before arriving on Azeroth. They've joined the Alliance to end the demonic threat permanently. Draenei can play as Warriors, Paladins, Priests, Mages, Hunters, and Shamans. Shamans were previously Horde-only, making this a significant faction shift.
Draenei also get a leg up on the new Jewelcrafting profession through their Gem Cutting racial passive, which boosts their skill and lets them craft rings, neck pieces, and socketed gems faster than other races.
Both races become playable during the pre-patch period, letting players level through pre-Cataclysm Azeroth before Outland opens.
Level 58 Boost
The Level 58 Character Boost (Anniversary) becomes available as a standalone purchase on January 13. It's also included in the Outland Epic Pack bundle.
Blood Elf and Draenei characters can use this boost, a reversal from earlier restrictions that prevented new race characters from skipping the leveling process. The boost only works on Classic Anniversary realm characters and is locked to the specific WoW account that purchased it.
Outland and Level 70 Cap
The expansion's primary setting is Outland, the shattered remnant of the orcish homeworld Draenor. Players who've reached level 60 can venture through the Dark Portal to fight the Burning Legion across this torn landscape. The level cap increases to 70, with Blizzard noting faster leveling compared to previous content.
Flying mounts debut in this expansion. Once unlocked, players can take to Outland's skies and reach areas that were previously inaccessible on foot.
Raids Unlock February 19
Three raid instances open on February 19, 2026 at 3:00 PM PST, giving players two weeks after launch to hit 70 and gear up.
Karazhan sits in the decrepit tower once home to Medivh, one of Azeroth's most powerful sorcerers. A terrible curse pervades the structure following his death. Spirits of nobles from nearby Darkshire walk its halls, and more dangerous entities lurk in Medivh's study where he once summoned demons.
Gruul's Lair houses Gruul the Dragonkiller, worshipped as a deity by the ogres of Blade's Edge Mountains. His sons ravage both the mountain spires and the plains of Nagrand. Blizzard describes Gruul's strength and battle experience as a serious threat to Horde and Alliance forces in Outland.
Magtheridon's Lair contains the former lord of Outland, now imprisoned by Illidan Stormrage. The fallen pit lord wants his domain back.
PvP Arena Season 1
Arena Season 1 begins February 17, 2026 with each region's weekly reset. Three arenas host the competition: Ring of Trials in Nagrand, Circle of Blood in Blade's Edge Mountains, and Ruins of Lordaeron above Undercity.
Players can earn gear, mounts, and titles through Arena matches. Blizzard confirmed there's no ranking system tied to the honor system in this version. Players won't need to maintain ranks through constant play. Competitive ranking exists solely through the Arena system.
Jewelcrafting
Jewelcrafting lets players create rings, amulets, trinkets, healing statues, and gems that socket into gear. Master trainers are located in Hellfire Peninsula. Horde characters learn from Kalaen at Thrallmar. Alliance characters find Tatiana at Honor Hold.
Guild Banks
Unlike the original Burning Crusade Classic, Guild Banks are available immediately at launch. This quality-of-life addition lets guilds store items and gold for shared use among members without waiting for a later patch.
Guild Banks sit inside regular bank buildings, accessed by clicking the vault near bankers. The system offers eight purchasable tabs with 98 item slots each. No bags required. The first tab costs 100 gold, with prices increasing for each additional tab. Guild masters can assign different permission levels to each tab, controlling who can deposit, withdraw, or view specific storage sections.
Community Reaction
The announcement sparked significant discussion across the WoW Classic community.
Boost Eligibility Divides Players
Blood Elves and Draenei being eligible for the Level 58 boost has proven divisive. Blizzard reversed an earlier restriction that blocked new race characters from using it.
Some players welcomed the change as a convenience that skips repetitive leveling. Others argue it undermines the pre-patch's purpose and floods Outland with players unfamiliar with their classes. The topic remains contentious in community discussions.
Pre-Patch Length Gets Praise
The 24-day pre-patch window has received positive feedback. Players remember the cramped two-week window from 2021's TBC Classic launch, which left many rushing to level new characters before Outland opened. The additional time lets players actually experience the new starting zones and prepare properly.
Quality-of-Life Features Spark Debate
Dual Specialization, day-one Guild Banks, and the GDKP ban continue generating debate. Many players appreciate the reduced friction for respeccing and guild organization. A vocal portion of the community argues these changes move too far from the authentic Classic experience.
The GDKP ban has split the community as well. Some players prefer raids that don't revolve around gold-buying power. Others say the restriction removes a legitimate tool for organizing pickup groups.
PvP Honor Transition
PvP-focused players have raised concerns on the official forums about honor system transitions. With the pre-patch arriving January 13, questions remain about final-week ranking progress. During the 2021 TBC Classic transition, Blizzard calculated final honor rankings on the Monday before pre-patch. The community is waiting for confirmation that something similar will happen this time.
What's Still Unknown
Blizzard hasn't announced the specific phase release schedule for later content. The Classic Anniversary realm phases showed some unpredictability in their timing, and it's unclear if TBC Classic Anniversary will follow a similar pattern. Players hoping for a 2026 roadmap will need to wait for further announcements.
Preparing for Launch
With the pre-patch arriving January 13 and the full expansion launching February 5, players have limited time to make decisions. Those wanting to keep characters in Classic Era content must complete transfers before January 12. Everyone else should prepare for Outland, whether through existing characters, new Blood Elves and Draenei during pre-patch, or the Level 58 boost once it goes live.
The Dark Portal opens in less than a month.
