Blizzard Leaks WoW: Burning Crusade Classic, Chains Of Domination Update

A leaked press release containing information planned to be announced at BlizzCon Online reveals that Blizzard Entertainment is re-releasing the World of Warcraft expansion, The Burning Crusade, and bringing the Forsaken Horde leader Sylvanas to Shadowlands in the Chains of Domination update. This will seemingly work similarly to World of Warcraft: Classic, which provides an experience nearly identical to the original 2004 release. [Update: Blizzard has confirmed both of these announcements as part of BlizzCon. Burning Crusade Classic is real and coming this year, and the company detailed the Chains of Domination update for Shadowlands.]

According to the document Blizzard allegedly released early by accident (spotted first by MMO Champion), the company will re-release The Burning Crusade later this year, though exactly when remains unknown. Originally launched in 2007, The Burning Crusade will bring a number of changes to World of Warcraft: Classic, like adding the Alliance Draenei and Horde Blood Elves races. Like Classic before it, The Burning Crusade will roll out in phases, and subscribers to World of Warcraft can play The Burning Crusade Classic at no additional cost.

The leaked press release also reveals Shadowlands' next update, which includes a new raid and boss. Titled Chains of Domination, players face off against the Jailer and Sylvanas Windrunner to unite the four covenants. The expansion also introduces a 10-boss raid called the Sanctum of Domination (located in Torghast), an eight-boss Mythic mega-dungeon set in a bazaar of the mysterious Brokers, a new season of PvP content, and more. There's no word on when this expansion drops, but patch 9.0.5 is currently in the game's Public Test Realm.

There's other news planned for BlizzCon Online on top of the accidentally leaked World of Warcraft information. Overwatch 2 will make an appearance with a "sneak peek" at something, Diablo will be talked about (though it remains to be seen if Diablo IV or Diablo Immortal will get some sort of updates), and Hearthstone will show up at the tail end of the digital event. It also looks like we'll get news some a retro-focused pack called the Blizzard Arcade Collection that features some of Blizzard's oldest games.