WoW Forever Raids to Open on December 9
Blizzard plans three new raids for level 60 characters when the next major WoW Forever update arrives on December 9, 2026.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in eSports
Blizzard has scheduled the first WoW Forever raids to open on December 9, 2026, with Barrow Deeps, Hyjal Summit and Onyxia's Lair unlocking for level 60 characters. The raids are planned to reset weekly.
Why it matters
The raids add a new endgame layer to WoW Forever and set out the group sizes and reset cadence players will organize around. The update also follows Blizzard's stated plan of roughly one substantial update every four months.
The roadmap is an official Blizzard publication, with raid group sizes of 10 players for Barrow Deeps, 20 for Hyjal Summit and 40 for Onyxia's Lair. Exact dates for the 2027 updates have not been confirmed and remain subject to change.
The players
Blizzard Entertainment
Blizzard Entertainment is the game studio that develops and operates World of Warcraft and its WoW Forever progression servers.
The details
Barrow Deeps, Hyjal Summit and Onyxia's Lair unlock for level 60 characters on December 9, 2026, and the raids are planned to reset each week. Hardcore mode arrives in winter 2026 as a separate ruleset, and characters who die there can move to other modes with progress carrying over.
Timeline
- November 4, 2026: Global launch with level 60, new zones and subscriptions.
- December 9, 2026: First raids open.
- Winter 2026: Hardcore mode launches.
- Spring 2027: Two raids, two dungeons, a new area and a legendary questline arrive.
- Summer 2027: Revamped classic raid and a new raid are planned.
Season Trajectory
The WoW Forever raids revive the 10-, 20- and 40-player group sizes that defined earlier World of Warcraft raid tiers. The roadmap's cadence of roughly one substantial update every four months sets the pace for the content players will chase through 2027.
Players planning around the December 9 raids should note the 10-, 20- and 40-player group sizes and the weekly reset schedule. The next scheduled content milestone, Hardcore mode in winter 2026, is a separate ruleset that carries over progress only in limited ways.
The takeaway
The December 9 raids and the Hardcore ruleset give players a concrete schedule to plan around through winter 2026. Blizzard's stated four-month update cadence suggests further content is expected through 2027.
What happens next
Hardcore mode launches in winter 2026, and the spring 2027 update adds two raids, two dungeons and a legendary questline.
Further reading
For more on competitive gaming and game-release schedules, see eSports.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Game Rant.
