Blizzard Entertainment took the stage at BlizzCon 2026 in Anaheim to map out the next phase of the Warcraft franchise, delivering a mixture of immediate releases and long-term expansions. The marquee announcement came as a shadow-drop during the opening ceremony: a full 30-hour story campaign for Warcraft III: Reforged titled Forsaken Kingdom, marking the Real-Time Strategy (RTS) title's first official narrative content since 2003's The Frozen Throne.
Alongside the RTS revival, Blizzard unveiled World of Warcraft: Forever, a third standalone operational branch running parallel to Modern and Classic WoW. The studio also shared concrete release windows for Hearthstone's upcoming expansion and class update, as well as narrative progress on the Worldsoul Saga's concluding chapter, The Last Titan.
Warcraft III: Reforged Gets Its First New Story Campaign Since 2003
Available immediately following the key note, Warcraft III: Reforged – Forsaken Kingdom bridges historical lore gaps surrounding the fall of Lordaeron. The expansion opens with a four-mission prologue, Last Days of Lordaeron, before transitioning into a main campaign structured around a soft open-world RPG design reminiscent of the iconic Rexxar mission arc in The Frozen Throne. The story chronicles the immediate fallout of Prince Arthas Menethil's betrayal, following Sylvanas Windrunner as she breaks free from the Lich King's control to unite the Forsaken and establish the Undercity beneath Stratholme.
Accompanying the campaign drop is Patch 3.0, which introduces significant structural updates to Reforged. Key changes include a Definitive Edition graphics toggle, reworked World Editor engine lighting, an updated campaign talent and inventory system, and an expanded 24-unit group selection limit for tactical control. Multiplayer modes also receive a new neutral hero unit, the Forsaken Paladin.
World of Warcraft: Forever Expands the Classic Level 1 to 60 Era
For MMORPG players, Blizzard detailed World of Warcraft: Forever, scheduled to launch on November 4, with closed beta testing beginning September 17. Positioned as a separate client experience alongside current retail expansions and progression Classic servers, WoW: Forever revisits the core level 1-60 progression timeline while expanding Azeroth with fresh content.
The expansion adds four dedicated zones: Mount Hyjal, Zephras Isle, Shen'dralas, and the Riverglades. Players will have access to more than 1,000 new quests, nine original dungeons, two raid instances tailored for 10-player and 20-player groups, and a 15-versus-15 battleground set in the Darkspear Islands. Character creation is expanding as well, introducing the Skyborne, a neutral elven race capable of aligning with either the Alliance or the Horde, alongside expanded class combinations such as Dwarf Shamans and Forsaken Paladins.
What Lies Ahead for Hearthstone and The Last Titan
Blizzard also outlined upcoming milestones for its digital card game and main MMORPG storyline. Hearthstone's next card expansion, Reign of the Black Empire, will release on October 20. It introduces an Old God card mechanic, a card-merging Assemble keyword, and an Aberrations minion type for the Battlegrounds auto-battler mode. Looking further ahead, Blizzard confirmed that the Monk will arrive as Hearthstone's newest playable class in March 2027, featuring Pandaren brewmaster Chen Stormstout as its introductory Hero portrait.
Finally, Blizzard reaffirmed a 2027 release target for The Last Titan, the final chapter in the ongoing Worldsoul Saga following the upcoming Midnight expansion. A brief cinematic teaser confirmed the story will take players back to a modernized, rebuilt Northrend, focusing on an ancient Titan conspiracy centered around the Ulduar complex.
