On Sunday, September 13, at BlizzCon, during the 'World of Warcraft: What's Next II' presentation, Blizzard revealed the future update schedule and progress for World of Warcraft: Midnight (hereafter Midnight), as well as a roadmap extending through summer 2027. Below is a summary of the key features coming in Patch 12.2 and future plans announced at the event.
New Roguelite Game Mode Added
A new game mode, 'Talebound', is being added. Players become the protagonist inside stories narrated by the NPC 'Storyteller'. There are four stories in total, all characterized by a macabre or eerie atmosphere. Each story can be played repeatedly.
Inside the Storyteller's tales, players can discover potions, treasure chests, and more to grow their characters and enter subsequent stories even stronger. Rewards include various cosmetic items such as mounts and transmogs usable in the Midnight expansion.
Combat in Talebound revolves around double jumps, dodges, and guards, and can be played using three classes. The Slayer is a physical damage-dealing class that utilizes shotguns, dual blades, mines, and more. With high mobility, Slayers can move quickly and defeat the monsters of ghost stories.
The Inquisitor is a priest-concept caster that uses the Light to burn away evil, buffing themselves and attacking enemies. Finally, the Witch allows for tricky gameplay, such as summoning frogs, spiders, and crows, or transforming into a cat.
Xal'atath Raid Arrives Alongside a Legendary Weapon!
In Midnight Season 3, players will enter a new zone, The Mantle Vault, to stop Xal'atath from targeting Azeroth's Worldsoul. The Mantle Vault is a subterranean cavern hidden away by the Titans hundreds of millions of years ago. It is a location composed half of Azerite crystals and half of Titan machinery.
In The Mantle Vault, Midnight's war between Light and Void will unfold dramatically, alongside various new races exclusive to the area. Players will encounter wildlife made of Azerite, as well as a boss named 'Noctinax', a giant Azerite bat.
The new raid, 'The Worldcore', features a total of eight bosses, with Xal'atath, Herald of Dimensius, appearing as the final boss. Defeating Xal'atath awards the new legendary weapon, 'Midnight's Edge'. It is a legendary dagger for casters; detailed tooltips including stats have not been revealed.
In Season 3, the new dungeon Thraegar's Stand will be added to the Mythic Keystone dungeon (hereafter Mythic+) pool. Joining it are Magisters' Terrace, Maisara Caverns, Uldaman: Legacy of Tyr, Sanguine Depths, The Underrot, Iron Docks, and The Stonecore. Additionally, a top 5% reward will be newly added for Mythic+, with top 1% and top 5% rankings being calculated individually by specialization for each class. In Delves, Astalor Bloodsworn will appear as a new Nemesis, and Valeera's cap will be expanded to level 10.
Furthermore, starting with Midnight Season 3, the races eligible to pick Paladins will expand significantly. Undead, Night Elves, and Trolls will additionally gain the ability to choose the Paladin class. Subsequent roadmap announcements unveiled plans leading into 'The Last Titan' expansion, concluding with a teaser for 'Wrath of the Lich King Remix' set for summer 2027 following the roadmap.
