World of Warcraft gets pre-Battle of Azeroth expansion patch with major changes

World of Warcraft remains an incredibly popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game even to this day, and there's new content on the horizon. The "Battle of Azeroth" expansion is scheduled to launch on August 14, 2018, but there's an important update coming to all players before that. Today, Blizzard Entertainment announced that the "Battle for Azeroth Pre-Patch" will arrive on July 18. To help players prepare for this pre-expansion update, the studio released a "Battle for Azeroth Pre-Patch Survival Guide" video providing an overview of what's in store.

The Battle for Azeroth Pre-Patch includes a variety of features and system changes that lay the groundwork for the upcoming expansion. Some of the main changes are listed below.

  • Battle for Azeroth Class Updates: The Pre-Patch will bring with it significant changes for many of the classes in the game. Players will soon be able to start practicing with their updated spells and abilities, giving them an edge before the expansion drops.
  • War Mode and Multiplayer Updates: The Pre-Patch adds the long-awaited "War Mode". Players will be able to toggle War Mode whenever they're in "Orgrimmar" or "Stormwind". When the mode is enabled, you can venture out into the world and fight other players.
  • Communities: Players will be able to create and join "Cross-Realm Communities", a new kind of social group that makes it easier to connect with similar players.

Next week's Pre-Patch also adds more enhancements. For example, Blizzard is also making changes to professions and other aspects of the game. We'll keep you posted as soon as we know more. However, until then, be sure to watch the Survival Guide.

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Asher Madan

Asher Madan handles gaming news for Windows Central. Before joining Windows Central in 2017, Asher worked for a number of different gaming outlets. He has a background in medical science and is passionate about all forms of entertainment, cooking, and antiquing.