Blizzard aren’t dragon their feet (!) as they drop the bombshell that the World of Warcraft: Dragonflight expansion will release “on or before December 31st, 2022.”
There’s far less time to wait for the next World of Warcraft expansion than previously though, as Blizzard today reveals that World of Warcraft: Dragonflight will release in 2022. The tentative release date of December 31st, 2022 was revealed as Blizzard put Dragon Flight up for Pre-sale on Battle.net, along with an accompanying press release.
In the product details for the Dragonflight pre-purchase, a note on release date was included. This stated that “World of Warcraft: Dragonflight will be available on or before December 31, 2022.”
This blows previous estimates of a 2023 release out of the water. Dragonflight is now scheduled to drop at the end of 2022.
WoW Dragonflight pre-purchase
The WoW Dragonflight pre-purchase has three editions, Base Edition ($49.99), Heroic Edition ($69.99), and Epic Edition ($89.99):
- Base Edition will include Drakks, a pre-purchase bonus pet to accompany you on your quests.
- Heroic Edition will include Drakks pre-purchase bonus pet, the new Murkastrasza pet, a Dragonflight-level character boost (level 60). It will also feature a new Tangled Dreamweaver flying mount to soar on.
- Epic Edition Includes all Base and Heroic items. Additionally the Timewalker’s Hearthstone effect, the Diadem of the Spell-keeper head-slot transmog. And the Wings of Awakening back-slot transmog in five color variants, and 30 days of game time.
Additionally, the Physical Edition, the Dragonflight Epic Edition Collector's Set, contains truly crazy amount of features:
- World of Warcraft Dragonflight Epic Edition Game Key
- The Art of Dragonflight - Hardback Art Book
- Alexstrasza Mouse Pad
- Dragonflight Five-Pin Collector's Set
- Epic Edition In-Game Content
- A Dragonflight-Level Character Boost
- Wings of Awakening
- Tangled Dreamweaver Mount
- Murkastrasza Pet & Drakks Pet
- Diadem of the Spell-Keeper
- Timewalker’s Hearthstone Effect
- 30 Days of Game Time
Overall, these are on-par with previous expansion pre-releases. Although with the new flying system that’s already been previewed the mount may be a little more valuable.
Dragonflight being rushed?
The obvious question that springs to mind with a late 2022 release window is, ofcourse, “Is Dragonflight being rushed?” This is a full World of Warcraft expansion that will have gone from preview to release in less than 10 months. Blizzard may be eager to put to bed Shadowlands which has seen a large amount of criticism from across the internet.
As with any project, a fresh start is something that we all yearn for. And Blizzard perhaps more than most. A chance to wrap up the issue created in Shadowlands, take what they learned with the good, and execute on new and interesting ideas seems like the best move.
"Dragonflight is a return to Azeroth, and the freedom and exploration that World of Warcraft is known for."
In the press release, executive producer Holly Longdale explained why it was so important for the expansion to release this year. “We are thrilled to share that we’ll be bringing our next expansion to players later this year. Dragonflight is a return to Azeroth, and the freedom and exploration that World of Warcraft is known for. This is your chance to get up close and personal with the rich history of the storied Dragon Isles, and to immerse yourself in the high-fantasy at the core of the Warcraft universe.”
Overall, if Shadowlands was a turn-off for you as a WoW fan, Blizzard is gambling that Dragon Isles won't be. With it's more traditional fantasy setting, they're hoping it's going to draw you back in. More details on the Dragonflight pre-purchase are available on Battle.net.