Summary

  • The War Within early access begins at 3 PM PDT on August 22, with full release on August 26 at 3 PM PDT for all players.
  • Players can explore Khaz Algar, level up to 80, and challenge dungeons on Normal difficulty during early access.
  • Pre-purchase the Epic Edition for early access and unlock exclusive in-game rewards before the August 26 global launch.

World of Warcraft recently revealed that The War Within will be playable worldwide at exactly 3 PM PDT on August 22 for early access and August 26 for the full release. Armed with this knowledge, World of Warcraft players can prepare themselves for their first foray into the Worldsoul Saga.

The War Within is nearly here, with the full expansion set to arrive on August 26. Fans who pre-purchased the Epic Edition of World of Warcraft: The War Within get to dive into the game a few days early on August 22. During early access, players will be able to explore Khaz Algar and complete the leveling campaign, learn their Hero Talents as they reach level 80, and challenge the dungeons of WoW: The War Within on Normal difficulty.

Though World of Warcraft fans have known the release dates for The War Within and early access for some time now, Blizzard has now officially shared the precise time when the expansion will go live. At 3 PM PDT on August 22, players with early access to The War Within will be able to dive into the new expansion worldwide, and at the same time, on August 26, everyone who purchased it will be able to do so.

World of Warcraft: The War Within Launch Times

world of warcraft the war within early access launch time zone table
  • Early Access: August 22 at 3 PM PDT/6 PM EDT
  • Global Launch: August 26 at 3 PM PDT/6 PM EDT

During the Pre-Expansion update for The War Within, World of Warcraft had an extended maintenance period to implement the Warbands feature – it was so long that Blizzard gifted some players with free WoW subscription time to compensate. Between that and the weekly maintenance occurring a couple of days before early access, fans shouldn’t expect the servers to be down for too long in the hours leading up to these play periods, if at all.

It is not too late for players to get early access to The War Within. Fans can still pre-purchase the Epic Edition, or upgrade their regular or Heroic editions at any point before launch to enjoy the expansion before release. Doing so will unlock new in-game World of Warcraft rewards as well: three alternative colors for the Squally pet and a normal and upgraded version of three additional Stormrider’s Attire transmog ensembles.

Players still have a few things they can do while they wait for The War Within. WoW Remix: Mists of Pandaria wraps up at 7 AM PDT on August 20, but all content from Dragonflight Season 4, plus the Radiant Echoes Pre-Patch event, will be available throughout all of the early access leading up to the full release of the expansion. World of Warcraft fans should be sure to cross off the last things on their checklists before then.

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World of Warcraft The War Within

World of Warcraft: The War Within
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Released
August 26, 2024
Base Game
World of Warcraft
Developer(s)
Blizzard
Publisher(s)
Blizzard
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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In this opening chapter of The Worldsoul Saga, you’ll journey through never-before-seen subterranean worlds filled with hidden wonders and lurking perils, down to the dark depths of the Nerubian empire, where the inscrutable Harbinger of the Void has gathered her arachnid forces to bring Azeroth to its knees.

Franchise
Warcraft
Platform(s)
PC