World of Warcraft: Tides of War out in December, Rise of Azshara update 8.2 takes us to Mechagon and Nazjatar
Blizzard announced a few tidbits of news regarding World of Warcraft during the BlizzCon 2018 opening ceremony, but the bulk came from the panel which took place afterward.
There wasn't a ton of World of Warcraft news dropped during the BlizzCon 2018 opening ceremony , but there was enough news to please the fanbase in the panel devoted to the game.
One of the biggest bits from the panel was news of the Rise of Azshara update 8.2 which will take players to the gnome city Mechagon and to Azjatar for starters. Be prepared for the naga, denizens of the seas of Azeroth, to attack both sides'outposts along the shore.
In update 8.2, players can also expect new Heritage armor for Gnomes and Tauren races.
Class choices for the next two Allied Races were also announced.
For the Alliance, the Kul Tiran Human race will be able to choose the Druid, Hunter, Monk, Priest, Rogue, Shaman, or Warrior class.
The Horde's Zandalari Troll can be a Druid, Hunter, Mage, Monk, Paladin, Priest, Rogue, Shaman, or Warrior.
Each will be unlocked after the Battle of Dazar'alor raid which is slated for 2019, according to Wowhead.
World of Warcraft: Tides of War - update 8.1
Along with the new class choices, Blizzard also dropped a date for the Tides of Vengeance update to Battle for Azeroth. Most players know this will be the first major content update for the expansion, and features new islands, the Shrine raid, and it expands on the story.
Currently in testing on the WoW PTR, players can expect update 8.1 to arrive on December 11, per Wowhead.
You can get a look at the storyline for 8.1 in the new cinematic above.
Tides of Vengeance will also feature Heritage Armor for non-allied races seen in the images below, new Incursions, and a new Warfront, the Battle for Darkshore.
Heritage Armor - Dwarf and Blood Elf
WoW: Tides of Vengeance
The Warfront focuses on the Night Elves and their battle with the Forsaken. Alliance players will be tasked with aiding Malfurion and Tyrande as they try to suppress the Horde. The video below provides a bit of background on the upcoming Warfront.
Finally, in a future patch, new models for the Worgen and Goblin race will be released.
You can check out all the news from the World of Warcraft: What's Next Panel, which was included with the Virtual Ticket, through the links to Wowhead.
Blizzard also sent over the press release regarding Tides of War, which included the following breakdown of what to expect.
World of Warcraft: Tides of War content
- New Story and Character Quests – Discover the next chapters in the stories of Tyrande, Saurfang, and Vol’jin in new character-driven quest lines, and strike against the enemy in the ongoing War Campaign.
- Raid: Battle of Dazar'alor– War crashes upon the shores of Zandalar in an all-new raid in the Zandalari trolls’ capital. Battle Horde or Alliance leaders such as High Tinker Mekkatorque and King Rastakhan in faction-specific encounters, and fight on the front lines of one of Battle for Azeroth’s defining conflicts.
- Warfront: Battle for Dark Shore – In the ashen shadow of Teldrassil, the night elves strike back against the Forsaken to reclaim their ancestral homeland in an all-new co-op Warfront. In between battles, discover what awaits in a new version of the Darkshore zone reshaped by the fires of war.
- Horde and Alliance Assaults – Defend Kul Tiras and Zandalar from the enemy faction’s invading forces in Horde and Alliance Assaults, breaking out across Battle for Azeroth’s outdoor world. Sabotage the enemy airship, take out the commander, and earn loot and Artifact power to prepare for new conflicts.
- New Island Expeditions – Claim Azerite on the new islands of Jorundall and Havenswood, with updates to the Islands Expeditions system including capturable Azerite extractors.
- Dwarf and Blood Elf heritage Armor – Max-level dwarves and blood elves can delve deeper into their race’s history and lore, and unlock cosmetic Heritage Armor to honor their legacy.
- More to Come – As Tides of Vengeance continues to unfold, discover the dark secrets lurking in Stormsong Valley in the Crucible of Storms raid; prepare to recruit the Zandalari trolls and Kul Tiran humans as Allied Races; and brace for the emergence of ancient foes in future chapters of Battle for Azeroth.
World of Warcraft Charity Pet 2018
Not only did Blizzard drop news regarding upcoming WoW content, it also announced a new Charity Pet: the baby yeti Womper.
Players can adopt the cute fella in-game or in plushie form. Hard choice. We'll probably grab both.
This year, Blizzard is supporting Code.org which expands computer science education to students worldwide.
Those who purchase the in-game Womper by December 31 through the Blizzard Shop or from the in-game shop, will see 100% of the purchase price go to Code.org.