WoW Forever new zones, dungeons and raids

Which new zones are in WoW Forever?

Mount Hyjal

Hyjal is the anticipated zone: a place players have known about for decades but could not reach. You explore the aftermath of the Battle for Mount Hyjal, journey through Darkwhisper Gorge, meet emerging factions and help shape the future of a recovering land. Wowhead lists it as a level 60 endgame leveling zone, and it hosts the 20-player Hyjal Summit raid.

Shen'dralas

Shen'dralas is a long-hidden area between Mulgore and Desolace, reached south of Desolace through the Valley of Bones. Its story is tied to the Shen'dralar, Eldre'Thalas, Dire Maul and the centaur tribes of the region. Wowhead notes that its quests send you into Razorfen Downs and Maraudon.

Riverglades

The Riverglades is the new but familiar zone: a rugged frontier of rivers, grasslands, trade routes, struggling communities and old grudges, built from a previously inaccessible part of the Classic world. Blizzard's What's Next recap counts more than 150 new quests for the mid-30s to mid-40s; the Found Photos recap describes nearly 200 quests for Horde and Alliance.

You reach it by the new Steamwheedle ship route from Tanaris to Powderfuse Port. Gnoll camps, ogre threats, the Powderfuse goblins, the Twilight's Hammer and the Brotherhood of the Horse connect the zone to its neighbours: the Burning Steppes, Redridge Mountains, the Swamp of Sorrows and the Badlands.

Zephras Isle

Zephras Isle is the level 1 to 12 starting zone for the Skyborne, an elemental skybound experience that blends Classic aesthetics with Skywall architecture. It is self-contained and requires the Skyborne Heroic Pack or higher. The Skyborne guide covers the race, its factions and its classes.

Which existing zones are updated?

Every starting area gains NPCs, quests, profession hooks and recipes that sit alongside the original experience. The Wetlands gain quests that build on existing characters, and Desolace's centaur faction quests receive more content and faction rewards.

Tirisfal Glades gains Bandarion Keep in the Whispering Wood, the home of the Forsaken Paladin story, and at level 60 Forsaken paladins get their own epic mount quest. Three new ship routes open: Stormwind Harbor to Auberdine, a Menethil, Southshore and Auberdine route, and the Steamwheedle route from Tanaris to the Riverglades.

What are the nine new dungeons?

Nine new dungeons are open from launch. Blizzard names all nine and gives level ranges for the two in the beta's first week; the remaining ranges and the locations are from Wowhead's dungeon overview.

Dungeon itemization has been redone across the board: every drop reexamined, hundreds of new drops added, unique dungeon boss items raised to blue quality, and set bonuses improved. Blueprint recipes for advanced profession and Camping objects also drop from specific dungeon bosses.

What raids are in WoW Forever and when do they open?

No raid is open at launch. New raids unlock on December 9, 2026. Blizzard has announced two: the Barrow Deeps, planned as a maximum level 10-player challenge, and Hyjal Summit, a 20-player raid. Wowhead and Icy Veins both list Onyxia's Lair returning as a 40-player raid on the same date; Blizzard's recap does not name it.

The raids bring new tier sets and a legendary reward Blizzard has not yet revealed in full. In an interview summarised by Wowhead, the developers said the launch raids will not require attunement, that raid sizes are fixed at 10, 20 and 40 rather than flexible, and that difficulty does not adapt to your level or gear.

What is the Darkspear Islands battleground?

The Darkspear Islands are a new 15 vs 15 battleground off the coast of Kalimdor. It combines strategic control points with Arathi Basin-style flag captures and defense. Wowhead compares its layout to Eye of the Storm with interactable capture points. Blizzard also promises PvP updates, dungeon quests and new rewards after launch.

What zones, dungeons and raids come later?

Blizzard's roadmap continues after December 9 with more raids, dungeons, PvP updates, world content, additional quests across the level 1 to 60 journey, Hardcore and a revamped iconic raid. The roadmap guide lists the spring and summer 2027 windows as Wowhead and Icy Veins report them.