World of Warcraft hosted its What's Next panel yesterday at BlizzCon 2023, with the development highlighting the next expansion, The War Within.
It was evident from the trailer the team showed at the Opening Ceremony that Anduin is legit traumatized over what has occurred the last few years. The thousand-yard stare the once proud High King of the Alliance now has etched onto his face is interrupted only by visions blasting into his mind called the Radiant Song. The War Within will feature iconic characters such as Thrall and Anduin, as we saw in the trailer, but we'll also see Alleria, whose journey Blizzard states will be central to The War Within, and we'll see Magni Bronzebeard and, as Metzen teased onstage yesterday, finally learn what he has been babbling about.
Alleria Windrunner is a "Void Hunter" now, as she's torn between her own nature and the Void itself. Alleria is hunting Xal'atath, the Harbinger of the Void's machinations, as the Harbinger intends to bring about a new dark legacy.
Xal'atath is working with the Nerubians, conscripting their queen Ansurek, to set her plans in motion. In exchange, Xal'atath has given the Nerubians a way to become something better than they were before when just part of the Lich King's army.
New Continent - Khaz Algar
A new continent in the subterranean depths of Azeroth, Khaz Algar, will be where World of Warcraft: The War Within takes place. The new region is home to the Earthen, who are loosely related to the Dwarves themselves, and this society of Earthen is very different than those Titan-forged Earthen from Ulduar, thanks to their long isolation. The Earthen will be a playable allied race for both Alliance and Horde, and they are set in three different groups: Oathsworn, Unbound, and Machine Speakers.
The new zones are pretty varied as well, with the Isle of Dorn's paradise standing in stark contrast to the Hallowfall, a hollow area dominated by a giant crystal that gives the Arathi who make it their home light. The Ringing Deeps is below the Isle of Dorn and is where the Earthen spend their time tending their forges and maintaining the Titans themselves.
Azj-Kahet is the deepest place in the new subterranean region, with a City of Threads dominating the region. The Nerubian city sits upon ruins of itself repeatedly through the ages, extending high into the cavern's "sky." The higher up you are in Nerubian society, namely through the queen's favor, you'll probably find yourself living in the highest part of the city.
Dungeons and Raids
World of Warcraft: The War Within will feature 8 total dungeons - 4 level-up dungeons and 4 max-level dungeons:
Level-up Dungeons:
- The Stonevault
- The Rookery
- City of Threads
- Priory of the Sacred Flame
Max-Level Dungeons
- Cinderbrew Meadery
- Darkflame Cleft
- Old City
- The Dawnbreaker
The Nerub'ar Palace raid will also kick off The War Within's first season, with 8 bosses to encounter i the Azj-Kahet region.
Delves, Warbands, Hero Talents
Delves are coming to The War Within, with these new adventures aimed at giving quick ways to tackle some new content in Warcraft, either as a group or solo. Twelve Delves will be available at launch and will populate Khaz Algar across its four zones.
Delves will feature an NPC companion you can level up as well throughout the journey, with Season One kicking things off with Magni Bronzebeard. These characters can be leveled to help complement what you need in a Delve, whether it be a bit more damage, some healing, and more.
Delves are meant to be quick - just ten to fifteen minutes and should tie into the overall narrative of The War Within.
Warbands are an exciting feature coming with World of Warcraft: The War Within. Warbands are meant to consolidate currencies and more across your account instead of siphoning them off as just one character. This means things such as reputation gain with warbands, flight paths, Delve NPC companions, a shared Warbank Bank across your Battle.net account, and more. This is truly a quality-of-life feature I can get behind.
Hero Talents are also coming with The War Within, aiming to deepen the character fantasy within World of Warcraft. These small trees kick off when you hit level 71, with players earning points through to the cap.
You can check out the full panel in the embeds below for all the information.
