Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Trending
  • Pokemon Winds and Waves
  • New Games for 2026
  • GamesRadar+ Replay
  • Mario Day deals
Don't miss these
Key art for World of Warcraft: Midnight showing Xal'atath hovering against a dark sky
World of Warcraft World of Warcraft: Midnight review: "My devotion to this RPG world has been renewed"
Crimson Desert: Macduff looking out into the distance during the new game, Crimson Desert.
RPGs Crimson Desert: Everything we know so far about the upcoming game
Marathon Rook scavenger frame cinematic UESC robots
FPS Games Marathon release time and when you can play
Mario Kart World screenshot Switch 2
Super Mario Mario Kart World content update seemingly leaked by Nintendo itself, players think a fan-favorite mode is returning
A shot captured in Final Fantasy 14 of three short elven-like characters known as Lalafells standing together with two humans, and two Miqo'te characters who have cat-like ears
RPGs The 10 best MMORPGs and MMOs to play in 2026
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft After cutting down WoW classes, Blizzard "heard loud and clear from players that it was not what they were looking for"
Xal'atath smugly grins in the World of Warcraft: Midnight cinematic 'Immolation'
World of Warcraft WoW fans question Blizzard's $7.50 trees, prompting discounts – but some say new decor is "still comically overpriced"
Baldur's Gate insignia showing the symbol of Bhaal, a skull surrounded by a ring of tear drops
Baldur's Gate Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 set for a new update "nearly 15 years after the Enhanced Editions" launched
Final Fantasy 14 Dawntrail trailer screenshot showing Wuk Lamat, a Hrothgar woman with fiery long hair, aboard a ship at sea
Final Fantasy New Final Fantasy 14 Live Letter dedicated to 7.5 set for next month, and fans hope for the long-awaited Beastmaster job
World of Warcraft: Midnight
World of Warcraft Blizzard is revamping World of Warcraft's "decades" old zones for Midnight, because "we should be able to use them"
Key art for World of Warcraft: Midnight.
World of Warcraft WoW fans beg Blizzard to "turn down" the "noisy af" Sunwell after Midnight, but others surrender their ears to the light
World of Warcraft: Midnight
World of Warcraft Blizzard pleads with WoW fans not to judge removal of combat mods too early, as Midnight was designed with it in mind
World of Warcraft: Midnight
World of Warcraft WoW Midnight's Prey system is a "don't AFK mode" on its nastiest difficulty, Blizzard says
Screenshot from Diablo 2: Resurrected Reign of Warlock trailer, showing an older man holding a magical grimoire while standing in front of a menacing demon-like monster.
Action RPGs Diablo 2's Reign of the Warlock should've had "substantial new exploration content," Path of Exile co-creator says
Diablo 2 Resurrected's new Warlock class
Diablo It took 25 years for Diablo 2 to get a new class, and less than 2 weeks for players to realize how to make it invincible
  1. Games
  2. MMO
  3. World of Warcraft

World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade Classic release date confirmed for June 1

News
By Jordan Gerblick published 6 May 2021

Time to party like it's 2007

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

World of Warcraft
(Image credit: Blizzard)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

Update: World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade Classic is launching on June 1, Blizzard has announced. This confirms the leak we reported on below and gives players just a few short weeks to prepare for their journey through the Dark Portal to Outland.

The update will go live on June 1 at 3pm PDT / 6pm EDT / 11pm BST, taking players to Hellfire Peninsula, a dangerous wasteland overrun by fel orcs and cruel demons. Remember though, you can choose to stay behind in Azeroth in separate WoW Classic servers, but you'll need to make your choice starting May 18 when the Burning Crusade Classic pre-expansion patch launches. You can stick with the Classic era realm, move on to Burning Crusade, or clone a character for a small fee and enjoy both games. Here's more on that process straight from Blizzard.

Original story:

You may like
  • World of Warcraft: Midnight Blizzard is so concerned with World of Warcraft expansion Midnight's changes that it's already loading balance patches
  • World of Warcraft: Midnight Blizzard squashes major World of Warcraft XP exploit less than an hour before the MMO's Midnight early access begins
  • World of Warcraft: Midnight Blizzard is revamping World of Warcraft's "decades" old zones for Midnight, because "we should be able to use them"

Blizzard seems to have leaked a June release date for the upcoming World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade Classic expansion.

As spotted by a few people on Reddit (via PC Gamer), Blizzard's World of Warcraft Classic launcher briefly featured various notices for The Burning Crusade pegging the release date as June 1. Those who were able to witness the apparent leak weren't able to click through to anything, and the ads were quickly pulled, but as a prophetic Jonah Hill foretold in the year of the original Burning Crusade expansion, "people don't forget." Of course, it's possible the release date was just a placeholder, but similar leaks from the past have proven accurate.

The Burning Crusade was the first-ever World of Warcraft expansion, launching in 2007 and opening the Dark Portal to Outland. This time around, you'll have the choice to stick around in Azeroth or venture forth into Outland, essentially splitting World of Warcraft Classic into two distinct timelines. If you want to stay in 2004, just be sure to move your character into an "Era realm" before The Burning Crusade takes over, or you can clone a character for a small fee and experience both realms simultaneously. For what it's worth, baby GamesRadar seemed to enjoy its time with The Burning Crusade way back when.

If the June release date for World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade Classic is the real thing, you can expect to hear the official announcement from Blizzard any old time now.

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Find out where we ranked World of Warcraft on our ranking of the best MMORPGs of all time.

CATEGORIES
PC Gaming Platforms
Jordan Gerblick
Jordan Gerblick
Social Links Navigation
Staff Writer

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.

Read more
World of Warcraft: Midnight
Blizzard is so concerned with World of Warcraft expansion Midnight's changes that it's already loading balance patches
 
 
World of Warcraft: Midnight
Blizzard squashes major World of Warcraft XP exploit less than an hour before the MMO's Midnight early access begins
 
 
World of Warcraft: Midnight
Blizzard is revamping World of Warcraft's "decades" old zones for Midnight, because "we should be able to use them"
 
 
An orc from World of Warcraft roars at the screen
World of Warcraft Midnight pre-patch adds colony of bugs, filling the sky with dragons and turning hills into gray lumps
 
 
Leeroy Jenkins in Hearthstone
World of Warcraft Midnight turns to the MMO's mightiest hero to help us push back against the Void – Leeroy Jenkins
 
 
World of Warcraft: Midnight
World of Warcraft director says the MMO's addon changes have been a long time coming, but better late than never
 
 
Latest in World of Warcraft
Xal'atath smugly grins in the World of Warcraft: Midnight cinematic 'Immolation'
WoW fans question Blizzard's $7.50 trees, prompting discounts – but some say new decor is "still comically overpriced"
 
 
Key art for World of Warcraft: Midnight.
WoW fans beg Blizzard to "turn down" the "noisy af" Sunwell after Midnight, but others surrender their ears to the light
 
 
Key art for World of Warcraft: Midnight showing Xal'atath hovering against a dark sky
World of Warcraft: Midnight review: "My devotion to this RPG world has been renewed"
 
 
World of Warcraft: Midnight
WoW Midnight sees MMO history repeat itself as players slaughter legions of frogs for skins
 
 
World of Warcraft: Midnight
World of Warcraft Midnight composer says Blizzard devs "feel very lucky and happy that we're not using generative AI
 
 
World of Warcraft: Midnight
Blizzard squashes major World of Warcraft XP exploit less than an hour before the MMO's Midnight early access begins
 
 
Latest in News
Pickmon
Pokemon fan artist alleges new Palworld clone Pickmon "stole one of my designs"
 
 
Mortal Kombat movie
Mortal Kombat 2 star joins in with Street Fighter movie beef after Game Awards dig because he "loves a good rivalry"
 
 
Mackenyu as Zoro in One Piece season 2
One Piece season 2 actor Mackenyu says he learned Roronoa Zoro's 15-minute 1 vs 100 fight in just 6 hours
 
 
Fujino and Kyomoto eating in Look Back
Live-action adaptation of Chainsaw Man creator's Look Back will escape Japanese cinemas and come to the west
 
 
Luigi and Mario slot cars on a racetrack
I never played with Scalextric as a kid, so I'm making up for it with this Mario Kart set
 
 
Cropped Helldivers 2 art from the official 'Save Cyberstan' poster.
Helldivers 2 devs "underinvested" in the game's engine, Arrowhead CEO admits, who pledges "things can/will get better"
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Photo of a Mario nendoroid figure holding a microSD Express card with a Turtle Beach Switch 2 case in the background.
    1
    These Mario Day-inspired Switch 2 accessories will power up your console more than a super star
  2. 2
    Pokemon fan artist alleges new Palworld clone Pickmon "stole one of my designs"
  3. 3
    Mortal Kombat 2 star joins in with Street Fighter movie beef after Game Awards dig because he "loves a good rivalry"
  4. 4
    Project Hail Mary review: "Large scale sci-fi with tons of heart"
  5. 5
    My favorite budget Switch 2 headset just got a makeover for Mario Day, and it's pretty super

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...