# Blizzard is rebuilding year one of World of Warcraft

> Blizzard is going back to 2004 with a new game built around the first year of World of Warcraft, and it arrives in November.
- Title: Blizzard is rebuilding year one of World of Warcraft · Variety
- Summary: Blizzard is going back to 2004 with a new game built around the first year of World of Warcraft, and it arrives in November. World of Warcraft Forever…
- Keywords: blizzard, world of warcraft, mmo, blizzcon, gaming, entertainment, culture, rebuilding, year, one, World, Warcraft
- Source: Variety — https://variety.com/2026/gaming/news/world-of-warcraft-forever-release-november-1236859755
- Author: Jennifer Maas
- Published: 2026-09-12T19:04:48+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: blizzard, world of warcraft, mmo, blizzcon, gaming, entertainment, culture
## Blizzard goes back to 2004
Blizzard Entertainment is launching World of Warcraft Forever, a new game built around the original 2004 release rather than the modern one.
## Set in year one
The game takes place during the first year of the original World of Warcraft, the window before any expansion reshaped Azeroth.

> a game set during the first year of the original 2004 "World of Warcraft"
## It lands November 4
Blizzard gave it a firm date: Nov. 4. That is weeks away, not a vague window somewhere in the next fiscal year.
## Saved for the finale
The reveal closed out the opening ceremony of BlizzCon 2026 at the Anaheim Convention Center on Saturday, the slot Blizzard reserves for its biggest news.

> the final announcement during the opening ceremony of BlizzCon 2026
## Fans already called it
Players had been speculating about the title for weeks under a nickname of their own, treating it as the expanded Classic they kept asking Blizzard for.

> colloquially known as "World of Warcraft Classic+" among fans speculating online
## One of three big reveals
Forever shared the day with a Diablo 5 date of spring 2029 and StarCraft 3, an open-world shooter set for 2030.
## Key takeaway

World of Warcraft Forever launches Nov. 4 and expands the original 2004 game's first year, the Classic+ fans have been asking for.