Category: gamescom

World of Warcraft: Midnight 101 – Everything You Need to Know About the Next Expansion

Amelia Savery, Blizzard Entertainment

Summary

The next expansion for World of Warcraft embraces the duality of Azeroth—balancing world-shattering battles between the Light and the Void with the long-awaited Player Housing feature.
For the first time, you can truly make your place in Azeroth your own with robust Housing tools, customizing spaces as unique and personal as your journey.
Pre-orders for World of Warcraft: Midnight are available now on PC via Battle.net.

Let’s be honest: when you hear the word “Midnight,” you probably imagine something ominous. Maybe a shadowy figure in a voidstorm, maybe a whisper drawing you into darkness. Maybe a capybara screaming in the distance*.

But what if I told you that Midnight is also the expansion where you can finally build a cozy cottage, dye your dining chairs to match your outfit, and invite your raid team over for a neighborhood barbecue?

Welcome to the duality of World of Warcraft: Midnight. It’s terrifying. It’s heartwarming. It’s a story of the all-consuming battle between the Light and the Void—both within the world and within ourselves—while also a story of whether you should block your neighbor’s view of the lake with a giant pink flamingo.

Here’s your full rundown of what’s coming in the second chapter of the Worldsoul Saga.

A Return to the Surface — and to Silvermoon

After diving deep into the heart of Azeroth in the current expansion The War Within, Midnight brings us back to the surface (mostly), where the Void is rising and the stakes couldn’t be higher. The expansion kicks off with a desperate defense of the Sunwell, as Xal’atath’s forces descend on Silvermoon. From there, you’ll journey through four major zones.

Eversong Woods: Rebuilt and reimagined, Silvermoon City is now a shared space for Horde and Alliance—for now, at least. You’ll uncover secrets beneath its gleaming surface, face the return of the Amani trolls, and explore three new Delves, including one in Murder Row.

Zul’Aman: The ancestral homeland of the Forest Trolls is finally open. You’ll meet Zul’jarra and Zul’jan, grandchildren of Zul’jin, and uncover the mystery of the Loa’s silence. Expect punch-out dream trials, necromantic monstrosities, and capybaras.

Harandar: A primordial jungle built around the roots of the World Trees, Harandar is home to the Haranir, a new allied race. It’s a zone with no mammals, no mercy, and a whole lot of glowing mushrooms. You’ll explore fungal towers, living murals, and the Cradle of a long-lost goddess.

Voidstorm: A chaotic, gravity-defying world drenched in Void energy. You’ll work with Alleria, Arator, and the Void Elves to survive stormfields, face off against ancient domanaar, and battle in a massive PvP warzone. This is where the campaign reaches its boiling point—and where the Voidspire looms.

Three Raids. One Legendary Season.

The raids in Midnight are bringing more variety, more spectacle, and more story than expansions past. So we’re kicking off Midnight with not one, not two, but three raids in Season One:

The Voidspire: A six-boss siege on Xal’atath’s stronghold, where Light and Void clash in spectacular fashion.
The Dreamrift: A surreal hunt through a realm of half-born nightmares and undreamt gods.
March on Quel’danas: A 2-boss raid with super story spoilers, so we’ll keep this one quiet… for now.

All three raids will be available in Story Mode, so everyone can experience the full narrative arc—whether you’re a Mythic raider or just here for the lore.

PREY: Opt-In Chaos

If you’ve ever thought, “What if I got ambushed mid-quest by a nightmare creature while trying to pick herbs?”—I’ve got good news for you. PREY is a new opt-in hunting system that lets you track powerful targets across the world. Choose your zone, pick your prey, and prepare for unpredictable ambushes.

Led by Astalor Bloodsworn from his station located within Murder Row of Silvermoon City, PREY introduces a morally murky progression system powered by Anguish. You’ll unlock tougher challenges, face off in confined final encounters, and earn cosmetics, mounts, titles, and even Housing items. Just… maybe bring a friend. Or five.

New Race, New Class Specialization, New Chaos

Two major additions are joining wide array of how you can choose to represent yourself in World of Warcraft:

The Haranir: An ancient, bioluminescent race deeply connected to Azeroth’s roots. Think glowing fungi, bark-carved tools, and a culture shaped by the earth itself. Haranir can be Warriors, Hunters, Rogues, Priests, Shamans, Mages, Warlocks, Monks, and Druids.
Devourer Demon Hunter: A new ranged DPS spec that has traded fel for Void. You’ll rip soul fragments from enemies, fuel devastating spells, and transform into a Void-corrupted form that lasts as long as you keep feeding it.

And because the Void Elves are such good mates during our Midnight campaign, it’s only fitting that will be able to play as a Void Elf Demon Hunter.

Housing. Finally.

Let’s talk about the feature our players have been asking for since… forever. Housing is here, and it’s not just a side system: it’s a full-blown lifestyle.

Build Your Home: Place, rotate, scale, and dye hundreds of decor items. Snap to grid or go full chaos gremlin. Want to turn a rowboat into a canopy bed? Go for it.
Neighborhoods: Live alongside ~50 players in public or private neighborhoods. Form a guild commune, a spooky village, or a fashion-forward cul-de-sac. Your house, your vibe.
Decor and Progression: Earn decor from raids, quests, crafting, achievements, and more. Track it all in your Housing Chest. Level up your home with Neighborhood Favor and unlock new rooms, floors, and dye options.

This isn’t just a feature: it’s a shift in how we think about Azeroth. You’re not just a hero in an ever-growing world anymore. Your feet are on the ground.

Quality-of-Life Overhaul

Midnight also brings a ton of UI and gameplay improvements:

Transmog 2.0: Save outfits, swap them for free, and set automatic changes based on context—think wearing your battle-ready best for raiding, then automatically switching into your murloc onsie when you walk in the door of your house to rest.
Cooldown Manager: Track auras, debuffs, and external defensives with customizable profiles and sound alerts.
Combat Assistant: Smarter logic, better highlights, and single-button rotation support.
Nameplate and HUD Updates: More clarity, more customization, less clutter.

New and Returning Player Experience

Whether you’re brand new to World of Warcraft or haven’t logged in since Wrath, Midnight makes it easy to jump in:

Streamlined Leveling: Exile’s Reach flows into Dragonflight, with a complete story arc and Story Mode raids.
Catch-Up Gear and Tour: Returning players get gear and a guided tour with Jaina or Thrall.
Speedrun Part One of the Trilogy: Catch up on part one of the Worldsoul Saga, The War Within, in just a few hours!
Lorewalking: Relive key moments from past expansions through curated, playable storylines.

Midnight Is Just the Beginning

This expansion is more than the second chapter of the Worldsoul Saga—it’s a turning point. A reimagining of what it means to live in Azeroth. Whether you’re storming the Voidspire or dyeing your curtains to match your dog, Midnight is about making this world yours.

So grab your glaives. Or your gardening gloves. We’ll see you in Silvermoon.

And don’t forget to lock your door. The Void doesn’t knock.

* The dev who leads the Zul’Aman zone maintains that the capybaras are just squeaking. I don’t believe him—when you explore the zone, you’ll see for yourself!