Blizzard has officially confirmed that The Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary launch date is set on January 13, 2026, with the pre-patch. Once the update goes live following regional maintenance, players will face a major choice: advance their characters into Burning Crusade Anniversary realms or transfer them to Classic Era servers.
The pre-patch ushers in a wave of returning features and long-awaited updates, including the debut of Blood Elves and Draenei, the level cap increase to 70, and access to Jewelcrafting. Classic players will also get their first look at the iconic raids: Karazhan, Gruul’s Lair, and Magtheridon’s Lair, alongside the launch of Arena Season 1.
Guild Banks, flying mounts, and fresh Outland adventures will all be available from day one of the anniversary edition, which is a notable change from the original Classic progression. Blizzard has also opened free transfers from Anniversary realms to Classic Era servers until January 12, 2026, for players who prefer to stay behind in pre-expansion Azeroth. Read more in our The Burning Crusade Anniversary Overview!