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Blizzard Promises World Of Warcraft: Shadowlands Will Launch Fall 2020
The World of Warcraft: Shadowlands release date remains on target for a fall 2020 launch, and Blizzard promised that it would meet that expectation during the expansion's most recent livestream. World of Warcraft: Shadowlands is the latest expansion for a game that is now over 15 years old, and with that age comes a playerbase accustomed to having new major releases at certain points in the title's life cycle.
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands is big even by the game's already momentous expansion standards, both in terms of narrative and gameplay. Story-wise, it's a long-awaited journey back into the world of the Lich King, although that seems to be more of a springboard for an even bigger adventure rather than the core of the expansion itself. Sylvanas' machinations are coming to light, and a lot is on the line as the heroes of Azeroth get to visit another realm. Mechanically, however, World of Warcraft: Shadowlands will bring with it a WoW level squish that has never been attempted before, scaling everyone back to a maximum of 60 (down from 120) alongside major changes to skills, leveling, and more.
Despite the expansion's size - and the recent issues in game development and shipping that coronavirus has brought with it - Blizzard doubled down on a 2020 release date earlier today. The World of Warcraft: Shadowlands release date was discussed during the expansion's most recent YouTube livestream, with executive producer John Hight promising that Blizzard "will be releasing Shadowlands this fall, even if we end up shipping it from our homes." The team also revealed that the World of Warcraft: Shadowlands beta will begin next week, so interested players will want to ensure their account settings have opted in to the beta feature.
The fact that the World of Warcraft: Shadowlands release date is being guaranteed by Blizzard this late into development means it's likely a lock to meet it, though any further disruptions in production or studio work could obviously throw a wrench into those plans. Without any other unforeseen circumstances cropping up, however, it's basically a certainty that World of Warcraft players will be getting their newest expansion before the year is out.
That's big for the World of Warcraft: Shadowlands release date and how it will be received by fans. With so many game delays and an upcoming holiday season that will be dominated by discussion of next-gen consoles, PC owners will be looking for new titles themselves. While it's unlikely many people who want to try World of Warcraft haven't already at some point in its life cycle, the level squish, combined with some big lore moments, might be enough to draw people back in just before the holiday season.
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands launches in fall 2020 for PC and Mac.
