Blizzard Unveils 'World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor' Expansion

Game maker Blizzard is remaking history with the fifth expansion of its massively multiplayer online role-playing game, World of Warcraft.

Announced at BlizzCon 2013, Warlords of Draenor sends players back in time to fight for the war-torn world of Draenor.

Azeroth's heroes will face mystical draenei champions and mighty orc clans, cross axes with Grommash, Hellscream, Blackhand, and Ner-zhul, and recruit allies to help build a defense against the Iron Horde — all in hopes of stopping a bloody history from repeating itself.

"Warlords of Draenor gives players a chance to take a commanding role in one of the Warcraft series' most crucial conflicts," Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime said in a statement. "This expansion also includes features that make it easy for anyone to jump right into the action, whether they've played WoW at some point in the past or are just setting foot in Azeroth for the first time."

As added incentive to new and returning players, Blizzard's expansion allows all players to instantly boost any one character to level 90, bypassing the getting-to-know-you stages and beginning on a more level playing field.

Gamers will also be able to construct their own expandable, customizable Garrison, with the added power to recruit allies and gather resources. Additionally, the expansion introduces fully revamped player character models and animations for a number of existing races.

Blizzard also talked up fresh content — new zones, dungeons, raids, scenarios, battlegrounds, etc. — along the way to the increased 100-level cap.

:story: PC Magazine