World of Warcraft is unarguably the most timeless MMORPG to date, as Blizzard continues to regularly update it alongside its Classic version. If you play World of Warcraft Classic, then you likely know that official integration of the fan-created Hardcore mode has been in the works. Following the announcement of WoW Classic’s Hardcore realms, Blizzard had not initially revealed when the game mode would be open to players. WoW Classic’s Hardcore realms now have a release date though, and you can expect the servers to go live soon.
When the WoW Classic Hardcore announcement dropped a couple of months ago, most of us were eager to learn when the official realms would be up. Unfortunately, Blizzard had given a more general release window, disclosing only that Hardcore would be available to play this summer. The developers did share a few of the coming features though, such as the inability to resurrect when playing on a Hardcore server.
We now know a bit more about the upcoming mode itself, as well as its release date, which is coming in less than a month. WoW Classic’s Hardcore realms are set to go live on Thursday, August 24. If you want to play Hardcore once it launches, you should keep in mind that you’ll need to start fresh with an entirely new character each time you die.
In the official release date reveal, Blizzard detailed the new mode, saying that “You only have one life to live, and the Spirit Healers won’t be there to whisper sweet nothings and send you back out into the world of the living when you die.” The devs also state that “Death is permanent, and once you’ve been bested by the environment (or even other players), you’ll need to create a new character to try, try again.”
PvP Battles are set to be opt-in with killing not allowed outside of such consensual combat. PvP Battlegrounds and Battlemasters are disabled, and Hardcore is also bringing a new feature to WoW Classic dubbed Duel to the Death. You can check out Blizzard’s full rundown on WoW Classic Hardcore mode here, but some other changes accompanying the new mode include a 24-hour lockout timer for dungeons if players are below level 60, leashed creatures to prevent gameplay disruption, and more.
While you wait to dive into the punishing Hardcore realms in August, have a look at our WoW Classic leveling guide to help speed up your current in-game climb a bit. Alternatively, browse through our WoW Classic race guide if you need some help deciding how to build your character.