WoW: Cataclysm Classic pre-expansion patch launching on April 30

Classic World of Warcraft is set to take its next big step as it moves towards the re-release of the Cataclysm expansion, with the pre-expansion patch set to arrive on April 30.

The release of Cataclysm Classic was first announced back at Blizzcon 2023. The expansion is one of the more controversial in WoW’s history, with many unhappy at the way the arrival of Deathwing altered the original world of Azeroth.

With Classic-Era servers remaining on the table for players, it seems less divisive this time around, and the community is generally looking forward to the refreshed experience after almost two years of Wrath of the Lich King Classic.

The full game is set to release on May 20, at 3 pm PDT and in the run-up to that, Blizzard will be rolling out the usual major pre-patch. The full list of changes that it will bring with it are as follows:

• New Player Races: Goblin and Worgen
• New Race and Class Combinations
• Leveling Updates: Level through a changed landscape in Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms from level 1 through 60.
• Class Updates: New Talents, Trees, spells and More
• New Race and Class Combinations
• New Profession: Archaeology
• New Feature: Transmog Collection
• Updated Character and Gear Stats

Some of the above features are perhaps unexpected additions at this earlier stage. New races and class combinations would usually be reserved for the full expansion release, so it’s nice to see Blizzard aiming to make that transition a little more seamless.

With a little over a month to go before the expansion arrives, it’s a hugely exciting time to be a World of Warcraft player. In addition to the return of Deathwing, The War Within expansion is set to release later this year for Modern WoW.

Alongside seasonal experiences like Plunderstorm and Season of Discovery, there has never been more ways to jump into Azeroth.