All you need to know about the release of World of Warcraft Shadowlands
We have collected all the important information about the release of WoW: Shadowlands for you – find out here when it’s starting and what you need for the perfect start.
The release of World of Warcraft: Shadowlands is just around the corner: This Tuesday, the game will be launched and many fans are eagerly awaiting the expansion, which Blizzard claims is the most pre-ordered expansion ever.
To help you prepare for the launch, we’ve put together a guide to the release that contains all the information you need to know.
Release time: When does it start?
WoW: Shadowlands is getting a global release, so it will be launched simultaneously worldwide. In German-speaking countries, players can start their journey to Shadowlands on November 24, 2020 at exactly 0:00 a.m. – provided the servers can withstand the rush.
The release also marks the end of the pre-event, during which Azeroth is currently being overrun by the Scourge: All important information about loot, quests, and more can be found in our big overview.
When does the preload start?
If you currently have WoW installed, the preload is already complete: Already with the pre-patch 9.0.1, which was released on November 11, 2020, all important data for Shadowlands has been installed. All Blizzard has to do for the release is to flip the switch.
What are the system requirements for Shadowlands?
In order to be able to play the new expansion smoothly at all times, your gaming PC must meet the following minimum specifications:
Operating system: Windows 7/10 64bit
CPU: Intel Core i5-3450 / AMD FX 8300
Graphics card: DirectX-11 compatible GPU with 2 GB VRAM, such as NVIDIA GeForce 760 or AMD Radeon RX 560
Working memory: 4 GB RAM
Storage space: 100 GB (SSD recommended)
Internet connection: Broadband Internet access
Input method: mouse and keyboard (mouse with additional buttons and mouse wheel recommended)
So the demands on your system are relatively moderate overall. Nevertheless, they have changed massively over the last 16 years:
Which editions of Shadowlands are available?
You can choose between four different editions: The Base Edition, Heroic Edition, Epic Edition and the Collector’s Edition. All four editions have different prices and contents, which we list here for you:
Base Edition: For 40 Euro you can get the addon World of Warcraft: Shadowlands.
Heroic Edition: For 55 Euros, you can get the add-on, a character upgrade to level 120, the flying mount Enchanted Ewigwyrm, and a quest for the transmogrification set “Garments of the Eternal Traveler.
Epic Edition: For 75 Euro you get everything from the Heroic Edition plus 30 days of game time, the pet Animawyrmling, the off-world effect of Eternal Traveler for your resting stone and the cosmetic effect Illusion: Ghost Frost for your weapon.
Collector’s Edition: For 120 Euro you get all the contents of the Epic Edition and additionally physical goodies in the form of four collector’s pins, an artbook, a mouse pad and a download key for the soundtrack.
On which platforms will Shadowlands appear?
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, like all previous expansions, will continue to be released on Blizzard’s own launcher, the Battle.net Desktop App. There will be no release on Steam or the Epic Games Store.
If you do not already own the Battle.net app, you can download it from Blizzard.
Although the new addon will be released soon after the release of the new consoles PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, a console conversion is currently not in progress. As Game Director Ion Hazzikostas told us in an interview, there is a chance that the MMO could be released on consoles in the future:
“At its core, World of Warcraft was designed to be played on the PC. Its engine, its interface. And while I believe that the idea of opening up WoW to a new audience is exciting, this would be a huge undertaking. It is not something we would do lightly.
We would have to be sure that we could deliver an experience that is as polished as it is on the PC. (…) Right now we are concentrating on making the best possible game out of WoW on the PC, but I don’t want to close any doors in the future.
By the way, the Pre-Event is currently taking place in WoW. What you can still experience until the Shadowlands release on November 24th, you can read in our Pre-Event overview and our tips article, which explains what you should do before Shadowlands.
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