Blizzard Entertainment Drops ‘World of Warcraft: The War Within’ Expansion Pack

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The video game World of Warcraft has been going strong since its launch in 2004. For 20 years, the massively multiplayer online role-playing game has thrilled and excited gamers with new campaigns, stories, and characters that deepen the lore of Azeroth.

For its tenth expansion, World of Warcraft is kicking off The War Within — which starts at $49.99 for the base edition and drops on Monday, Aug. 26 — the first entry in a new trilogy called The Worldsoul Saga.

“It begins with a mysterious threat facing the very world of Azeroth,” says Ion Hazzikostas, World of Warcraft game director to Rolling Stone. “Visions and echoes of dark dreams that are being experienced by heroes around the world that all call them together. And what we learned pretty quickly is that the Worldsoul, the living part of our world, is being threatened by its mysterious entity known as Xal’atath, the harbinger representing the dark powers of the void.”

The War Within is literally a war inside of Azeroth, but the title also has another meaning that showcases the depths of the characters in World of Warcraft.

“In our quest to discover the nature of that threat, let alone how to stop it, we’re gonna go beneath the surface of Azeroth,” continues Hazzikostas. “Meet all manner of new friends and foes. But as we go on that journey, the title, The War Within, has multiple meanings. Yes, it is literally an expansion where we are going within the world and we are fighting a war down there, but it’s also a journey of self-discovery.”

Although World of Warcraft might be intimidating to those who have never played it, especially with its deep lore, expansive world building, and established characters, we found that the experience of playing to be really addictive and simple to pick up. One of the best things about the game is that it goes at your own pace, so the more you’re familiar with the controls and mechanics, the more you’ll get into the rhythms of the game, explore new realms, and start building relationships with fellow gamers.

The War Within expansion is also a great opportunity to get into World of Warcraft, if you’ve never played it before, since it’s the start of a new storyline and new trilogy.

Starting at $49.99, World of Warcraft: The War Within for PC (via Battle.net) drops on Monday, Aug. 26 at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT. However, if you get the Epic Edition, you get early access to the expansion — ahead of the official release.

In the meantime, watch the cinematic trailer for The World Within below:

Where To Buy ‘World of Warcraft: The War Within’ Within Apparel & Collectibles

To celebrate the release of World of Warcraft: The War Within, Blizzard Entertainment dropped new apparel and collectibles for fans to show off their love for the video game franchise. There’s also new apparel to celebrate the game’s 20th anniversary. Scroll down and shop our picks, below: