The development team from Blizzard Entertainment had been on hand during Gamescom 2025 to officially announce the newest expansion, WoW: Midnight. Following the cinematic shown during the Opening Night Live, the developers have held a number of separate panels to reveal some further details, including the new Demon Hunter specialization, updated Silvermoon, new systems, and more.
In WoW: Midnight, players return to the legendary kingdom of Quel’thalas to take up arms against a dark invasion. The update serves as the second chapter of The Worldsoul Saga, with The Last Titan still ahead. During the Developer Panel that you can find above, Senior Game Director Ion Hazzikostas and Associate Design Director Maria Hamilton took players further into zones, quests, and the story of the upcoming expansion.
Xal’atath and her forces of the Void seek to corrupt or destroy the Sunwell, nestled within the Blood Elf lands. To oppose her, the Blood Knight Matriarch Liadrin calls upon the Army of the Light, heroes of Azeroth and some familiar faces to band together and protect this font of holy energy. Alleria, Turalyon, and their son Arator are among the leading NPCs of the expansion. Magister Umbric and the Void Elves have a lot to contribute to the efforts against the Void. But it just might put them at odds with the Army of the Light, as well.
On the not-so-elf front, we will learn more about the Haranir – the newest Allied race – first introduced during the current expansion, The War Within. The Amani trolls make a comeback, led by the grandchildren of Zul’jin: Zul’jarra and Zul’jan. The Amani have their own share of Void problems, and in return for the assistance, we will get to experience their culture as allies instead of enemies for once. The Blood Elves, however, are rather uninspired.
Before the events of World of Warcraft, the High Elf kingdom of Quel’thalas suffered terribly from the Scourge. Seeking to revive the lich Kel’Thuzad, Arthas razed the city and defiled the Sunwell, destroying a great deal of the elven population. However, even more death followed as the then High Elves suffered withdrawal from the energies of the Sunwell, eventually turning to the Fel energies.
However, the city had been rebuilt, and the nature had recovered – but not fully. To reflect this change, the team updated both the city of Silvermoon and the surrounding areas.
But it’s not just about the Elves and the Throlls, the Haranir and their area of Harandar will give players a chance to explore a primordial jungle where the roots of World Trees converge. Still, there’s further to go: the Voidstorm, a world consumed by the Void. This is a dangerous and unwelcoming place, so make sure you’re well-prepared before setting off!
Midnight will feature 10 new Delves, now more involved with the story, with a new companion, Valeera Sanguinar, to fight at your side. On the Dungeon-side of things, there are 4 new leveling Dungeons – Windrunner’s Spire, Magister’s Terrace, Murder Row, and Den of Nalorakk – and four more max-level only dungeons, Maisara Cavern, The Blinding Vale, Voidscar Arena, Nexus Point Xenas.
The expansion will also feature three starting raids: the Voidspire, the Dreamrift, and the March of Quel’Danas.
Senior Game Director Ion Hazzikostas and Associate Game Director Paul Kubit then outlined the features coming in WoW: Midnight.
The developers have started with the new Demon Hunter spec: the Devourer. Unlike its Fel-themed counterparts, this one is all about the Void. Fittingly, Void Elves will be able to become Demon Hunters in Midnight. It is a mobile, ranged DPS spec, depending on your build you’d either case from mid-range or dart in and out of the melee range while using your abilities. Additionally, Demon Hunters will get a new Hero Talent tree, the Annihilator – available to the Devourer and Vengeance spec DHs.
Note that the Nightborne did not get the same treatment. Keep your eyes peeled for the new class-spec combos coming later.
WoW: Midnight comes with the new level cap – 90 up from 80 – and thus new talents and talent points. There are three new Hero Talents to add to your arsenal by the time you hit the max level. At the very bottom of your Specialization tree, you will have the Apex Talent node that can use a total of 4 talent points. All four are impactful, but the first and the fourth offer the biggest change.
WoW: Midnight will introduce a new world content system: Prey, letting you pursue powerful targets across Azeroth and beyond. The developers want it to feel unpredictable and keep players on their toes. There are three difficulty levels: normal, hard and nightmare. Prey rewards cosmetics, including a mount, transmog, housing items, and more. Prey is also included in the Great Vault rewards, so participating also gives you a power boost. If you are someone who prefers to do world content or adventure solo, it’s a nice way to earn some cool stuff playing your preferred way.
The updated leveling experience arrives in the new expansion, aimed at new and returning players. The Exile’s Reach starter area will lead players directly into the Dragonflight expansion, which also received a number of changes with new players in mind. The story raid difficulties will help players see how the stories resolve without encountering a pause in the storytelling and questing.
PvP receives a number of updates as well. First, the Comp Stomp brawl will become a permanent mode, adding Silvershard Mines and Battle for Gilneas to the existing rotation. Secondly, PvP players will receive a new Epic 40v40 battleground inspired by Alterac and IoC: Slayer’s Rise.
The User Interface will undergo further transformation, including the baseline Nameplates addition, Boss Alerts, and more. The Transmog will also receive major updates, including the appearance applying to a slot instead of the item. You will also be able to create items for specific situations: specializations, housing, raid, etc.
