World of Warcraft's (WoW) next big expansion "Battle for Azeroth" launches on August 13th (or 14th, depending on territory), and it's waving goodbye to the previous expansion "Legion" with a bang.
With the demonic Burning Legion defeated, World of Warcraft's mortal races are once again turning on each other, this time, to fight over an emerging resource known as Azerite, the very lifeblood of the planet itself.
Earlier this week, players were treated to some time-limited story quests that detail the destruction of Teldrassil, the home of one of Warcraft's most iconic races, the Night Elves. The burning of Teldrassil has proven controversial with players, as it seems to indicate the Horde's current leader, Sylvanas Windrunner, is slipping into true villain territory. It seems that players aren't the only ones strained by Sylvanas' actions.
Blizzard's latest WoW cinematic shows High Overlord Varok Saurfang's slip into despair, as decades of war, and Sylvanas' dishonourable actions start to take their toll.
Blizzard is well-known for its insane cinematics, which are built and produced with industry-leading visuals. This latest one precedes the coming war for the Undercity, the home of the Horde's Forsaken faction, as the Alliance seek vengeance for the destruction of Teldrassil.
Battle for Azeroth is going to be a huge expansion, adding two new island continents. Kul Tiras is filled with pirates and nautical legends, while Zandalar, is a primal continent filled with deep jungles, gigantic dinosaurs, and oppressive deserts. Battle for Azeroth places a new emphasis on the war between Alliance and Horde players, with new game modes and PvP opportunities, while offering up new PvE threats as the world recovers from the Burning Legion's invasion.
The previous "Legion" expansion was the best-received WoW expac in years, adding an unprecedented amount of content, lore, and new features. Battle for Azeroth has a tough act to follow, but it seems that Blizzard is keen to up the ante. We'll have to wait and see if it can deliver.
Battle for Azeroth goes live on August 13, 2018, and is available for $49.99.
