Timeline (World of Warcraft)

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This page follows the timeline from the release of World of Warcraft through present day as it applies to the players.

2001

September 2 - World of Warcraft announced

2004

The original World of Warcraft login screen. This was the longest-running login screen, being the login for two years and one month.

World of Warcraft Beta testing

November - WowWiki Launched

November 23 - World of Warcraft launches in North America, Australia and New Zealand.

• Starting level cap is 60

December 18 - Patch 1.2.0

• Maraudon added

2005

February 11 - World of Warcraft launches in Europe

March 7 - Patch 1.3.0

• Dire Maul added

April 8 - Patch 1.4.0

• PvP Honor System

May - The Leeroy Jenkins video becomes popular

June 7 - Patch 1.5.0

• Battlegrounds introduced
  • Warsong Gulch
  • Alterac Valley

July 12 - Patch 1.6.0

• Blackwing Lair added
• Darkmoon Faire added

September 13 - Patch 1.7.0

• Zul'Gurub added
• Arathi Basin battleground added
• Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza
• Corrupted Blood begins as the result of a glitch in Zul'Gurub

October 28-29 - BlizzCon

• Burning Crusade announced

October 10 - Patch 1.8.0

• Corrupted Blood fixed

November 23 - WoW Insider (Later WoW.com) launches.

2006

January 3 - Patch 1.9.0

• The Ruins of Ahn'Qiraj added
• The Temple of Ahn'Qiraj added
• Gates of Ahn'Qiraj event begins
• Faction-Linked Auction Houses

January 23 - Medivh-US becomes the first server to open the Gates of Ahn'Qiraj

March 28 - Patch 1.10.0

• High-Level Armor Set Upgrade Questlines
• Quest Experience to Gold Conversion at Level 60
• Weather Effects
• Linked Flight paths

April - The "-50 DKP/More dots" Onyxia Wipe Animation becomes popular.

June 20 - Patch 1.11.0

• Naxxramas added

July 7 - Wowhead website launched

August 22 - Patch 1.12.0

• Cross-Realm Battlegrounds
• World PvP Objectives

October

• Beta begins for Burning Crusade
• World of Warcraft Trading Card Game released

October 4 - The TV show South Park features a Warcraft-themed episode, Make Love, not Warcraft.

December 5 - Patch 2.0.1

• Looking for Group Interface Tool
• PvP Arenas

2007

The World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade login screen debuted with patch 2.0.1 and was the game login screen for one year and 11 months.

January 9 - Patch 2.0.3

• Dark Portal Opens event
  • Kruul begins attacking places in Azeroth

January 16 - The Burning Crusade Expansion released

• Level cap raised to 70
• Outland added
• Draenei and Blood Elf Races Added
• Eye of the Storm Battleground added

May 22 - Patch 2.1.0

• The Black Temple added

August 3-4 BlizzCon

• Wrath of the Lich King Expansion Announced

September 27 - Patch 2.2.0

• Voice chat introduced.

November 13 - Patch 2.3.0

• Zul’Aman added
• Guild Banks
• Mudsprocket quest hub added to Dustwallow Marsh

2008

In July 29, 2008 a magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck near Blizzard's offices, causing them to post a message on their login screen about the effect on their in-game and telephone support.

The World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King login screen. This login screen debuted in patch 3.0.2

January - World of Warcraft gets to 10 million subscribers globally

March 25 - Patch 2.4.0

• Isle of Quel'Danas added
• Magister's Terrace added
• Sunwell Plateau added
• The Shattered Sun Offensive begins.

April 3 - Proudmoore-US becomes the first server to complete the Shattered Sun Offensive

July - Beta begins for Wrath of the Lich King

October 14 - Patch 3.0.2

• Achievements
• Inscription
• Barbershop
• Several changes were made to the gameworld to prepare for Wrath of the Lich King:
  • The original Naxxramas removed
  • Dalaran Removed
  • Alliance boats rerouted
  • Stormwind Harbor added
  • New Horde Zeppelin Towers

October 23

• The Zombie Infestation heralds the start of the Second Scourge Invasion

November 10

• The Scourge begin regular attacks on Stormwind City and Orgrimmar

November 13 - Wrath of the Lich King Expansion released

• Level cap raised to 80
• Northrend added
• Death knight Class Added
• Strand of the Ancients Battleground added

2009

During the countdown to the Battle.net merger, Blizzard offered a companion pet to accounts that merged before the deadline.

April 14 - Patch 3.1.0

• Ulduar added
• Argent Tournament added
• Dual Talent Specialization

August 4 - Patch 3.2.0

• Crusaders' Coliseum added
• Isle of Conquest battleground added
• Instance Lock Extension

August 21-22 - BlizzCon 2009

• Cataclysm Expansion Announced

September 2 - Faction Change service offered.

September 22 - Patch 3.2.2

• Onyxia's Lair revamped to level 80

October 12 - Announcement that all World of Warcraft accounts must be merged with Battle.net accounts.

October 27 - Race Change service offered

November 11, 12 - The deadline passes for account mergers with Battle.net for US, EU players.