World of Warcraft has officially revealed Scorching Valor and Smoldering Courage, a new mount and pet players can get for modern and Classic WoW, respectively, by purchasing a recurring subscription plan of at least six months. Gamers who get a qualifying World of Warcraft subscription, or who are already on one, will receive these infernal equines at no additional cost, no later than January 31.
Since 2018, World of Warcraft has given out special rewards for fans who are on a recurring subscription of six or more months. Refreshing every January and July, these bundles often include a mount for retail WoW and a pet for Classic. Additionally, the January offers are usually inspired by the Zodiac animal and element of the Lunar New Year, such as World of Warcraft’s Timbered Sky Snake in 2025 for the Year of the Wood Snake.
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January 2026 Six-Month World of Warcraft Subscription Offer
- Scorching Valor Skyriding mount for World of Warcraft: The War Within and Midnight
- Smoldering Courage pet for Mists of Pandaria Classic
Now, World of Warcraft has officially rolled over the July six-month subscription offer for its first of 2026. Scorching Valor is a new fiery pegasus Skyriding mount for modern WoW, while Smoldering Courage is a pony battle pet version of the mount for Classic. Both of these Year of the Fire Horse-themed items can be purchased individually from the cash shop, but are included as free bonuses for any players who buy or are already on a 6- or 12-month subscription. It may take a little time for these items to appear in the game, but they should be delivered no later than January 31 if they have not already shown up.
Scorching Valor isn't just another World of Warcraft mount, however. The flaming pegasus sports a brand-new rig full of unique animations and flashy special effects made specifically for this World of Warcraft mount, as showcased by WoW developer Rebecca Oxford on Bluesky, who served as the point animator for Scorching Valor. While Smoldering Courage does not have a completely new set of animations, it does have a charming fireworks effect during its idle animation.
I can finally upload this reel! The Lunar New Year mount for WoW this year was the first rig I got to be point animator on. This is a brand new horse rig with all-new animations 🐴 huge huge HUGE thanks to @shrommy.bsky.social for her amazing work on the VFX! #warcraft #animation — Bex (@formbextron.bsky.social) 2026-01-13T20:41:36.552Z
In addition to these gorgeous new items, fans on a recurring 12-month subscription to World of Warcraft will also receive a slew of other free rewards, including the Astral Aurochs, the Grandiose Grrloc, the Herald of Sa’bak from July’s 6-month subscription, and the upcoming rewards from the offer rollover coming in July. If players plan accordingly, they can even get January 2027’s Lunar New Year mount, which will likely be a fiery goat.
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World of Warcraft: The War Within/Midnight
- Astral Aurochs Skyriding mount
- Grandiose Grrloc
- Herald of Sa'bak (previous 6-month subscription reward from July 2025)
- Scorching Valor (current 6-month subscription reward)
- Upcoming Summer Mount (6-month subscription reward coming July 2026)
- Upcoming Winter Mount (6-month subscription reward coming January 2027)
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World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria Classic
- Sha-scarred Drake
- Sa'bak's Favored Pet (previous 6-month subscription reward from July 2025)
- Smoldering Courage (current 6-month subscription reward)
- Upcoming Summer Pet (6-month subscription reward coming July 2026)
- Upcoming Winter Pet (6-month subscription reward coming January 2027)
There is technically a pet for modern WoW and a mount for Classic that matches Scorching Valor and Smoldering Courage, but they are not included in this subscription offer. Fans who want the Smoldering Valor pet for retail or the Scorching Courage mount for Mists of Pandaria Classic will need to spend $10 or $25, respectively, or otherwise wait for them to go on sale at some point in the future.
Now Is the Perfect Time to Buy a WoW Subscription
There are a lot of things coming to World of Warcraft in the near future, making it an ideal time to lock in a big subscription. The World of Warcraft: Midnight Pre-Expansion Update arrives on January 20, bringing most of the expansion’s system changes to the game, including talent tree reworks, a native damage meter, and the Devourer Demon Hunter specialization. Additionally, the Twilight Ascension Pre-Patch event will kick off on January 27, giving players the chance to experience a new storyline while collecting some catch-up gear.
Then, on March 2, World of Warcraft: Midnight drops, opening the gates of Eversong Woods, Zul’Aman, and the other zones coming in the World of Warcraft expansion. A new level cap of 90, three endgame raids, and more await fans in Midnight, so players will have plenty of reasons to consider getting a subscription.
- Released
- 2026
- Base Game
- World of Warcraft
- Developer(s)
- Blizzard
- Publisher(s)
- Blizzard
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
WHERE TO PLAY
Prepare to embark on an epic journey in World of Warcraft: Midnight. Explore new and reimagined zones, unlock a new race, and master thrilling new systems.
Return to the elven kingdom of Quel'Thalas as Xal’atath’s invasion of Azeroth begins, and the Voidstorm threatens to cover the world in darkness.
Explore New and Reimagined Zones - The battle between the Light and the Void spans across four zones as you discover new allies and confront ancient enemies.
New Features and Improvements - As the Void invasion descends upon Quel'Thalas, an array of new features add more depth and improvements to our evolving world.
Hunt Elusive Enemies - Sign up to pursue powerful targets across Azeroth and beyond - but beware; once on the hunt, your prey can strike you at any time.
Fight Void with Void - Instead of fel energy, Devourer Demon Hunters rip fragments of the Void straight from their enemies to unleash ranged Void abilities.
Recruit New Allies - Discover the wonder of Harandar and recruit the haranir to your cause by completing their quests.
Stand Against the Void - Battle your way through eight dungeons, then confront nine bosses across three new raids while uncovering the depth of Xal'atath's plotting, discovering her true objectives.
Get Back into the Fight - Get caught up with streamlined leveling experience through Dragonflight, fully preparing you to jump directly into Midnight.
Streamlined Customization - Save and show off your favorite looks with ease, and even set default appearances on your gear slots with updates to the Transmogrification system.
