The World of Warcraft: Dragonflight expansion is still some way off, but we might have got a hint about the WoW: Dragonflight release date thanks to an upcoming prequel novel for the MMORPG’s next major outing. Amazon has posted a listing for an ‘Untitled Dragonflight Prequel’ written by Ballantine, with a release date of November 22.
In the past, prequel novels for World of Warcraft expansions have been released three to four months prior to the actual expansion. This would suggest that Blizzard is planning a release date around March 2023 for Dragonflight. This lines up nicely with a forum post from a Blizzard community manager saying that Shadowlands Season 4 is due to arrive later this year.
World of Warcraft: Dragonflight is set in the Dragon Isles, and features a new draconic race, the Dracthyr, which uses its own unique class called the Evoker. While no details are given on the novel, it will almost certainly serve as an introduction to both the Dracthyr and the Dragon Isles, the latter of which has its veil of secrecy lifted at the start of Dragonflight – allowing dragons and players to visit the isles for the first time in-game.
If you’re looking to get your hands on the new expansion earlier than 2023, WoW: Dragonflight beta sign-ups are already available. Blizzard also promises that the Dragonflight Mythic raid race won’t be “unhealthy” after one team estimated a cost of over $93k USD spent across 18 days for the Sepulcher of the First Ones race.
In July 2021, the state of California filed a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard alleging years of workplace discrimination and harassment. The story has since embroiled CEO Bobby Kotick and prompted the US federal government to open an investigation. It continues to unfold and to be of immense importance to the game industry. You can catch up on all the developments so far in this regularly updated explainer article.
Elsewhere in Blizzard’s fantasy MMO, a new patch makes an event mount grind easier, while WoW Lich King Classic adds more inclusive facial options. We’ve also got a list of the best World of Warcraft addons to get the most out of your time in Azeroth.