Warcraft III: Reforged is introducing a brand-new campaign for the first time in over 23 years. Blizzard revealed the new campaign, "Forsaken Kingdom," at BlizzCon 2026. Following the fall of Lordaeron and the death of King Terenas Menethil II at the hands of Arthas, the story follows the citizens who reclaimed their free will from the Scourge as they establish a new identity as the Forsaken. Bridging the roughly four-year gap between Warcraft III and World of Warcraft, players can witness firsthand how the subterranean depths of Lordaeron transformed into the Undercity.
"Forsaken Kingdom" consists of a prologue and three acts, boasting a total playtime of over 30 hours. In the prologue, players experience the moment Lordaeron falls to the Scourge, after which the living dead establish a stronghold beneath Lordaeron to oppose various factions such as the Scarlet Crusade and the Scourge. The narrative continues as players reclaim their homeland alongside Forsaken heroes including Sylvanas Windrunner and defend a besieged Undercity. The release date is set for November 12, Pacific Time.
The campaign features not only traditional large-scale RTS battles but also RPG-style gameplay focused on characters and quests. The development team drew inspiration from the original Rexxar campaign. The goal was to depict Lordaeron's transformation from the perspective of city guards and ordinary citizens, rather than figures who stand at the forefront of history like kings or princes. Players can travel between the upper and lower levels of the Undercity, explore the Apothecary Quarter led by Putress, and undertake missions given by the dreadlord Varimathras and Sylvanas. As the acts progress, the game world reflects how a city bearing human traces transforms into the capital of the Forsaken.
A new neutral hero, the Forsaken Paladin, will also be added. In life, they were guardians of Lordaeron, but even in death, their lore dictates that they uphold their oaths made to Lordaeron and its people. The Forsaken Paladin will be playable for all Warcraft III players, regardless of whether they purchase "Forsaken Kingdom." Update 3.0 also includes Definitive Edition graphics, which refine terrain, buildings, and units while maintaining the top-down perspective. Players can freely switch between the classic and new graphics. The World Editor will also receive quality-of-life improvements for creation, including lighting and terrain settings.
The development team is also closely monitoring the impact that changes such as a 24-unit selection limit and camera zoom will have on the ladder. Because even small changes can significantly affect match outcomes and balance, the team plans to communicate directly with professional players and make ongoing adjustments based on test results. For new players, a Story Mode is provided so they can learn the game while following the narrative. For existing players, the difficulty has not been lowered excessively. Developer Brad Chan explained that even for those with experience in other RTS games, Warcraft III's Normal difficulty can be quite challenging.
This interview was attended by Brad Chan, Senior Manager of Warcraft RTS and Project Lead for Warcraft III: Reforged – Forsaken Kingdom. Brad Chan is also a former rank-one player on the Warcraft III 2v2 Random Team ladder. He expressed that as long as players want to keep playing, the development team will continue to create new content.
How did "Forsaken Kingdom" come to be planned?
" Brad Chan, Senior Manager of Warcraft RTS: I joined development about two years after Warcraft III: Reforged launched. At first, we started with small annual updates to improve the game, and gradually scaled up the updates. Later, we delivered Patch 2.0 and remasters for Warcraft I and Warcraft II, which achieved great results.
After that, we discussed what more we could do and whether we could undertake something on a larger scale. Personally, I was always curious about how the site of Lordaeron's iconic throne room turned into the Undercity. I also wanted to explore the four-year gap between Warcraft III and World of Warcraft. When I brought up this idea within the team, many members expressed great interest, and that's how we started creating the new campaign.
Some reactions noted that it feels closer to an RPG than previous campaigns, almost like playing World of Warcraft through Warcraft III. Was this an intentional direction?
" Brad Chan, Senior Manager of Warcraft RTS: This campaign drew a lot of inspiration from the original Rexxar campaign, which played like an RPG. However, the most important reason for choosing an RPG format was the story we wanted to tell.
"Forsaken Kingdom" is not a story about grand heroes, kings, or princes. It focuses on relatively ordinary figures in history, such as city guards. We felt that an RPG approach was best suited for telling a character-driven story. If we handle larger-scale stories in the future, we will actively utilize RTS elements to fit that narrative.
You had to implement the conflict between the Scarlet Crusade, the Forsaken, and the Scourge in Warcraft III using existing World of Warcraft lore and assets. What challenges did you face?
" Brad Chan, Senior Manager of Warcraft RTS: We referenced a lot of World of Warcraft material to maintain narrative continuity. However, we didn't just bring those assets over as-is. We tried to re-interpret every element to fit Warcraft III's visual style.
Since Warcraft III is a top-down RTS, information must be easily readable from that perspective. We had to balance accurately reflecting lore settings with ensuring clarity from the RTS camera while keeping that distinct Warcraft III style. Balancing those two requirements was key.
Changes like the Forsaken Paladin, the 24-unit selection limit, and camera zoom can significantly impact ladder balance. How is the development team reviewing this?
" Brad Chan, Senior Manager of Warcraft RTS: Changes like a new hero, 24-unit selection groups, and camera zoom can have a major impact on the entire game. We are fully aware of that.
We decide on changes based on player feedback and conduct actual testing. If areas needing improvement or readjustment are identified, we will continue to iterate on them. We are also communicating directly with several professional players. We intend to actively listen to their feedback and reflect it in development.
In this campaign, players can witness the creation of the Undercity firsthand. What did you focus on most when building this environment and world?
" Brad Chan, Senior Manager of Warcraft RTS: What I particularly wanted to emphasize in the campaign was the scale of space and vertical structure. Players can explore the city by moving directly between the upper and lower levels of the Undercity. They will inspect the Apothecary Quarter associated with Putress and undertake quests for the dreadlord Varimathras and Sylvanas.
While I can't reveal every detail, the appearance of the city actually changes as you transition from Act 1 to Act 2. At first, many traces of the human city remain, but as you progress through the campaign, it transforms into a proper capital for the Forsaken and Undead. Players will be able to witness the birth of the Undercity through gameplay.
Recently, the Warcraft franchise has been expanding its lore by filling in gaps within the existing world rather than moving forward in time. Will this direction continue?
" Brad Chan, Senior Manager of Warcraft RTS: Warcraft has so many stories. There are diverse narratives across various media, including not just World of Warcraft but also books and novels.
We will continue internal discussions about what stories to tackle next. We plan to determine our direction after looking at both the stories our team feels are important and the ones players are excited about and want to know more about.
You've come to create a new Warcraft III campaign after more than 20 years. How do you feel in a gaming landscape where single-player RTS campaigns have become rare?
" Brad Chan, Senior Manager of Warcraft RTS: I am truly happy and excited to be able to do this work. Personally, it's something I've wanted to do for a long time. I love Warcraft III and have played it continuously over the past 20 years. I even ranked number one on the 2v2 Random Team ladder in the past.
I want to play this game for another 20 years, or even longer. As long as players continue to play Warcraft III and ask for new content, we will keep creating it.
What steps have you taken to help new players who are unfamiliar with RTS enter the game alongside returning veterans?
" Brad Chan, Senior Manager of Warcraft RTS: New players are always welcome. In particular, we want to provide a great entry point for players who want to learn more about Warcraft's lore. Creating an environment where people interested in the story can follow the campaign without pressure is a key way to welcome new players.
In terms of gameplay, we wanted to fully respect existing Warcraft III players. They should feel that this is still their game. We didn't want to make the challenge that existing players enjoy overly easy just to cater to newcomers.
That's why we offer multiple difficulty options. If you are new to the game and just want to follow the story, you can select Story Mode. Normal difficulty is tuned for existing Warcraft III players. Even if you are good at StarCraft, if you're playing Warcraft III for the first time, Normal difficulty might feel a bit challenging. I think RTS players generally enjoy a challenge. I hope you give it a try.
