
WoW Expansions in Order – All Games in Chronological Order
There have been eight World of Warcraft expansions so far, and keeping up with the story can be tough. Blizzard often divides its plot across different media outside the game, such as off-game cinematic, books relevant to expansions, and graphic novels. With so much lore to catch up to, it might be confusing to know which expansion came first and which expansion is worth your time.
Here at esports guides, we’ll provide you with all the WoW expansions in order, including their common pros/cons.
The Burning Crusade (2007)

@ Blizzard
This was the first major add-on WoW ever got. The vanilla version allowed players to explore Azeroth and Kalimdor, but The Burning Crusade provided another amazing place called Outlands, as the former home of Draenei and along with Blood Elves, which were the two new playable races added into the game. The Burning Crusade introduced heroic instances, flying mounts, PvP arena, and jewel crafting was implemented into the game, while the cap was raised from 60 to 70.
Pros
- New playable races
- One new profession
- Flying mounts
- PvP content
- Three new areas
- New dungeons
Cons
- No new classes
- Tons of reputation grinds
Wrath Of The Lich King (2008)

@ Blizzard
One could argue that Wrath of the Lich King might be the best wow expansion. This expansion added many features, some of which are still here today. Its changes included a new continent, the Death Knight class, and Northrend, home to the Lich King, Arthas, the Forsaken army, and Sylvannas Windrunner. The last boss of the expansion is the fallen prince, who is still remembered as one of the best boss fights in WoW. The plot of this expansion is mainly driven by the Lich King, and this expansion was one of the most successful in the game’s history.
Pros
- New quests
- New in-game cut scenes
- Hundreds of varied quests
- New class – Death Knight
- Dungeons are accessible to all players
- Actions make an impact on the world around you
Cons
- Many players found it to be “too easy”
- No content for new players
- Unbalanced Death Knight character
- Some character and item models are recycled
Read Also: Best World of Warcraft Classes
Cataclysm (2010)

@ Blizzard
When Cataclysm first came out, many WoW fans felt like it lost some of the cultures that the World of Warcraft franchise had. This included the complete redesign of the continents, 3500 new quests, five new raids, ten new dungeons, new areas, and the skill of Archaeology. The expansion was declared “critically acclaimed” while earning the best critic reviews and being declared the masterpiece in the industry. The original world of Azeroth, the Eastern Kingdoms, and Kalimdor was almost completely redesigned, and the level cap was raised to 85.
Pros
- Streamlined, story centric questing
- Guild leveling and rewards systems
- Level and gear restrictions
- Two new character types and class combos
- New races and starting zones
- Game design improvements
Cons
- Unbalanced new PvP zone
- A boring new profession
- Mount Hyjal
Mists of Pandaria (2012)

@ Blizzard
If you love pandas, you are going to love Mists of Pandaria. It came with a new character class and a playable race of Pandaren. Mists of Pandaria also introduced a way for pets to compete, similar to other games with pet-battling mechanics. The level cap was raised to 90, and a new continent was added called Pandaria, which came with new enemies.
Pros
- Tons of new scenarios and world bosses
- Pet battles
- Lots to explore
- Beautiful expanses to explore
- Pandaren race
- Lots of new activities
Cons
- No PvP raid zones
- Slowly starting to show its age
- Pet battle system is a bit lacking
Warlords of Draenor (2014)

@ Blizzard
This expansion returns many old faces, making the Alliance and Horde join forces with the Draenei. Warlords of Draenor brings in a player-built garrison and a lot of pretty details, textures, and animations. The expansion provided many changes to the classic PvP experience, with an island designed specifically for this feature. Plus, there is an added interesting storyline following an “alternate universe” theme. It also had some of the best WoW raids.
Pros
- Pepe bird
- Character model updates
- Amazing raids
- Garrison and follower system adds depth
Cons
- The plot is lacking
- Patch 6.1
- Garrisons
Legion (2016)

@ Blizzard
In the list of wow expansions, this one can be seen as the best from a technological POV. This expansion also introduced a second hero class to the game, the Demon Hunter. It increased the level cap and added a new zone and artifact weapons that are quite fun to level up with. Those who enjoy WoW’s lore will surely appreciate the beautiful story arc that comes with this expansion and numerous mechanical extras.
Pros
- New dungeons
- The Broken Isles
- PvP Honor Leveling
- Great lore expansion
- Less busywork content
- Tons of new content
Cons
- No new battlegrounds
- A trip back to the old days
- Dated graphics
Battle for Azeroth (2018)

@ Blizzard
This expansion allowed players to reach level 120 in the new continents of Kul’Tiras and Zandalar. Added features included PvE battlegrounds, island expeditions, and the option of unlocking new allied races and best WoW mounts, such as Highmountain Tauren and Lightforged Draenei. In addition, Blizzard established a new currency called Azerite.
Pros
- New quests
- New dungeons
- War Campaign made PvP better
- New continents
Cons
- Drop rates in dungeons are tedious
Shadowlands (2020)

@ Wowhead
With the story progression, old-school WoW players get to see the spirits of the characters who died long ago. This expansion shows us that Sylvannas and Jailer have joined forces, trying to conquer the entire Shadowlands. This is the last wow expansion in order, and it comes with new raids, bosses, items, dungeons, and two new races, the Vulpera and Mechagnomes. The level cap was pushed from 110 to 60, and all the players at the max level went down to 50.
Pros
- Interesting lore
- New character customization
- New dungeons
- New classes
- Great leveling experience
Cons
- Anima system
- Locked content
- Conduits
Which is the Best WoW Expansion?
Opinions vary a lot, but many had stated that the last time WoW was actually good was when The Wrath of the Lich King was released in 2008. This expansion brought us to Northrend, home of the Lich King and his Frozen Throne. It follows the exciting plot from Warcraft III, with the fan service that everyone loved. The Wrath of the Lich King also brought a lot of addictive and fun gameplay, a lot of raids, quiets, and overall better customization. This expansion had a huge role in making World of Warcraft a cultural landmark; it is the highest-voted expansion to this day.
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