How Long Will The Burning Crusade Pre-Patch Last on Anniversary Servers?

Posted 2025/12/30 at 12:49 PM by PopularTopular

Pre-Patch set to release in just two weeksozzy_roy on r/classicwowThe Burning Crusade will release on February 10thdoubling

Comment by jbizzproThe "pre-patch" Blizzard BLUE POST announcement specifically calls out what will be made available to subscribers on January 13th, 2026

Level increase to level 70

The Exiled World of Outland

Playable Races: Blood Elves and Draenei

Three Challenging Raids: Karazhan, Gruul’s Lair, and Magtheridon’s Lair

PvP Arena Season 1

Flying Mounts

Jewelcrafting

Guild Bank

shouldis NOTComment by Msara2 weeks for pre-patch was short and 4 weeks is long.i think 3 weeks is enough for itComment by mewhywhyI hope we're not getting 4 weeks that's 4 weeks more waiting for the ones that don't care about leveling a new paladin/shaman on a new race.

I don't see it happening as well due them not wanting people to be in peak TBC launch hype when midnight is about to release i assume.
If the issue is that people complained they weren't given enough time to level then give them the XP buff alongside the TBC pre-patch XP reductions but making everyone wait two weeks longer would be horrible.Comment by DengololIts taking forever to release TBC, and 4 weeks that is not a pre-patch thats A PATCH.Comment by ExtremelyCrustyIt would be nice if Blizzard F'ing told us.Comment by LoKHorThe "pre-patch" Blizzard BLUE POST announcement specifically calls out what will be made available to subscribers on January 13th, 2026

Level increase to level 70
The Exiled World of Outland
Playable Races: Blood Elves and Draenei
Three Challenging Raids: Karazhan, Gruul’s Lair, and Magtheridon’s Lair
PvP Arena Season 1
Flying Mounts
Jewelcrafting
Guild Bank

What people should be asking is what is NOT included in the pre-patch? We know that the shop boost included in the "Epic Pack" will not be available for use on new races, that was also called out in a blue post - Is that all that's being held back? No "Predictions" are needed for what will be included, all of that has been outlined by Blizzard already.

Thanks for reading.

Introducing the new playable races, Blood Elves and Draenei, to Azeroth.

Adding the new Jewelcrafting profession.

Allowing characters on the classic anniversary realms to choose whether to advance to the Burning Crusade content or transfer to a Classic Era realm.

Comment by PlusTech4 weeks that is not a pre-patch thats A PATCH.Comment by ZizuqtPrepatch was moved to Jan 31st. You can see the updated information on their store page here - https://us.shop.battle.net/en-us/product/world-of-warcraft-burning-crusade-classic-anniversary-edition-upgrades

"Item will also be available to use in WoW® Classic Anniversary Edition collection starting with the Burning Crusade pre-patch, anticipated on or before January 31, 2026."Comment by TangePrepatch was moved to Jan 31st. You can see the updated information on their store page here - https://us.shop.battle.net/en-us/product/world-of-warcraft-burning-crusade-classic-anniversary-edition-upgrades

"Item will also be available to use in WoW® Classic Anniversary Edition collection starting with the Burning Crusade pre-patch, anticipated on or before January 31, 2026."Comment by RellyneBack in classic, Blizzard promissed a 4 week TBC pre-patch, so people could level the new races and faction classes without needing to rush (or buying a rush/boost).

But it ended up as one of their biggest fumbles with classic, because they decided to push for an earlier release of TBC so the numbers could make into their WoW's MAUs report at the time.

In the end, it screwed both the pre-patch and also TBC, since this made Retail WoW its direct competitor and the new patch would be released a few weeks later, moving many players back to retail earlier than they expected, reducing the overall effect/illusion of player MAU retention for WoW in general.

Later Blizzard acknowledged this flop and announced that they would pace and spread better the releases for retail and classic, to give time for players to enjoy both. Downtime of retail would translate into people playing classic and vice-versa, keeping numbers higher for longer. They actually kept their promisse with WotLK classic and Dragonflight at least.Comment by TremereSo nice we have official communication from blizzard when tbc will launch...do we? nah...Comment by DrushThe fact that we're speculating about this when it's coming in 2 weeks is $%^&ING INSANEComment by AngryClassicAndy4 Weeks Pre-Patch is way too close to the Midnight Launch, you can't schedule them only 3 weeks apart from one another.

It's not enough time for the MMO Tourist Nostalgia Hype to die down, maybe Blizzard hopes to divert most of them from TBC to Midnight with a different Nostalgia Bait to catch 2 birds with one stone.

Also 4 weeks gives way too much for the aging wow and especially classic playerbase to level a character to 60, this way you can't upsell the ridiculous expensive Boost to the players, also since they added anti-boosting mechanics they are free to sell the Wow Token too. *stonks*

They know exactly what they are doing here, maybe we get 3 weeks maximum if they deem it not too disruptive for their plans.

Their plans:
Pre-Patch Hype --> Tourists come back --> only 2-3 weeks of leveling to 60, if not expensive Boost in Shop available to catch up + Wow Token
After 3 weeks of TBC --> Hype dies slowly down, Tourists lose slowly interest --> Midnight with TBC Vibes launches --> Midnight Expansion SaleComment by destrodarkozzy_roy on r/classicwow knows as much about the length of the prepatch as I do - as in they have zero clue how long it will beComment by Swordose4 weeks of pre-patch is good and fun.
It's like a Classic 2.0 to me.

Playing prot paladin with tbc gameplay but on classic content.Comment by Shock1102ozzy_roy on r/classicwow knows as much about the length of the prepatch as I do - as in they have zero clue how long it will beComment by RosePrepatch was moved to Jan 31st. You can see the updated information on their store page here - https://us.shop.battle.net/en-us/product/world-of-warcraft-burning-crusade-classic-anniversary-edition-upgrades

"Item will also be available to use in WoW® Classic Anniversary Edition collection starting with the Burning Crusade pre-patch, anticipated on or before January 31, 2026."Comment by fran117I wish they do major classic release not too close with major patches on retail. I remember i would like to play MoP release, but they did that a week or 2 close to retail karesh patch.Comment by BlindfoldlolIf this is correct then it would seem the Blizzard Devs need to do some serious soul searching and deep reflection on why they are unable to properly time content releases for all of the various versions of WoW available. MoP just got the Throne of Thunder new content a few weeks ago after 5 months of stale raids. Now we are about to be into TBC and if this is correct then TBC will be launching 17 days before Midnight is released. I already refunded Midnight due to the inability to play three versions of WoW at the same time. Make it make sense lmfaoComment by hestmedzSimply to long prepatch.