In 2025, Cataclysm Classic currently stands in its last phase: Dragon Soul. This raid has been active for over two months, and although Blizzard has not yet added Looking for Raid (LFR), the feature is still expected to arrive. Cataclysm remains the most active mode from a raiding standpoint, with around 110,000 to 120,000 weekly active raiders. Keep reading to learn more about World Of Warcraft in 2025 

However, this number will likely drop as players await Mists of Pandaria Classic, which is in beta. Blizzard’s official site lists the pre-patch for Mists of Pandaria Classic as launching on or before July 31, 2025, with the full expansion arriving by August 31, 2025. Given this timeline, now may not be the ideal time to start in Cataclysm, unless you aim to level quickly before Mists launches.

The Mists expansion holds a better reputation than Cataclysm among players. Still, with Remix: Mists of Pandaria already offering a modernized version of the expansion, Blizzard may face lower interest in the Classic version. If the remix satisfied enough players, it could impact the upcoming expansion’s traction.

Expect Monk to be available during the pre-patch, based on previous patterns. Joyous Journeys will also likely return soon to boost leveling. Long term, the classic roadmap may reach Legion, but no confirmations exist beyond Mists at this stage.

Season of Discovery Phase 8 Introduces New Raid (World Of Warcraft 2025) 

Season of Discovery, which began in November 2023, continues strong with its Phase 8 update. This phase introduces the Scarlet Enclave raid—a challenging new instance that adapts in difficulty depending on your raid size. Blizzard has already nerfed the raid and added a scaling player buff to ease progression.

Unlike traditional vanilla content, Season of Discovery brings major class reworks, fast leveling, and simplified rune acquisition (now costing just one copper in starter zones). The focus leans heavily on endgame customization and experimentation. Despite declining numbers since launch, the server maintains around 70,000 weekly active raiders—healthy for Classic standards.

Blizzard has avoided confirming an end date. Initially, the developers described Phase 8 as the final phase, but they later edited the announcement to remove the word “culminates.” That change signals an open future. Given the smaller team behind this project, Blizzard has more flexibility to shift focus or add new content as needed.

Anniversary Realms March Toward Burning Crusade

Anniversary Realms launched in late 2024 with quality-of-life upgrades like a basic LFG tool, dual spec for 50 gold at level 40, and a no-decay PvP system. Currently in Phase 4, these realms feature Blackwing Lair, Zul’Gurub, Molten Core, and world bosses. AQ and Naxxramas will round out the vanilla cycle in the months ahead.

As announced on Blizzard’s 2024 roadmap, these realms will progress to The Burning Crusade between winter 2025 and spring 2026. Expect TBC to launch around December or January. Player counts remain high, with over 90,000 weekly active players. Both factions enjoy solid raid activity.

When vanilla ends, characters will likely gain options to transfer to Era or move into TBC. Blizzard has not confirmed whether character copies will be free or paid.

Era Realms and Hardcore Modes Remain Niche but Stable

Classic Era servers continue to exist in a permanent vanilla state. These realms have not changed since the original TBC transition in 2021 and will not progress further. Interest in Era dipped with Anniversary Realm releases but is now rising again. For pure vanilla gameplay without future expansions, Era provides a museum-like experience.

Hardcore realms exist under both the Classic Era and Anniversary categories. These one-life worlds tend to surge in popularity during community events. Even during quiet periods, hardcore realms maintain active leveling zones thanks to their high stakes and loyal player base.