Where does Mount Hyjal fit in the story?

Archimonde was defeated at Mount Hyjal at the end of Warcraft III. Forever's Hyjal is set in the aftermath of that fight, the Battle for Mount Hyjal. Blizzard is spotlighting Darkwhisper Gorge and the new factions that emerged once the battle was over.

That lines up with Forever's overall timeline. The game takes place after Warcraft III Reforged: Forsaken Kingdom and before Molten Core, in what Blizzard calls Azeroth's early Year 1, before Kazzak reopened the Dark Portal. Forever runs in its own time bubble, so it can add new stories without breaking core lore.

What we know about Mount Hyjal

Mount Hyjal: what's officially confirmed
TopicStatus
Story Aftermath of the Battle for Mount Hyjal
Key location Darkwhisper Gorge
Factions New factions emerge; no names or reputation rewards yet
Level range Not announced
Raid Hyjal Summit, 20 players, December 9, 2026
Flying No flying mounts in Forever
Preview Its own zone card and video on the Forever game page
In-game shot of giant tree roots and a structure over water under purple light
Giant tree roots under purple light, shared next to the Hyjal and Shen'dralas section of the What's Next recap · Image: Blizzard Entertainment
Source / rights
Image / usage information: (c) Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. Official World of Warcraft: Forever media from Blizzard announcement pages (downloaded 16 Sep 2026); shown with source link, no ownership asserted. · Image source ↗

What level is Mount Hyjal?

Blizzard hasn't said yet. The new dungeon level ranges are out on the forums, Riverglades got a mid-30s to mid-40s range and Zephras Isle is 1–12, but there's no number for Hyjal. The level cap is 60.

When does Hyjal Summit open?

The roadmap has raids unlocking on December 9, 2026, five weeks after launch. Three go live that day: Barrow Deeps for 10 players, Hyjal Summit for 20 and Onyxia's Lair for 40. Barrow Deeps is described as a max-level raid; Hyjal Summit's bosses and entry requirements haven't been shared.

New tier sets arrive with the new raids, along with a legendary reward that Blizzard will reveal in full later. Which raid it comes from isn't known.

FAQ

Can you fly to Mount Hyjal?
No. There are no flying mounts in Forever, and Blizzard counts that as one of the game's design pillars. How you actually get into Hyjal hasn't been detailed.
Is Hyjal Summit the same raid as in The Burning Crusade?
Nothing official says so. Blizzard lists Hyjal Summit among Forever's new raids and doesn't mention the Caverns of Time version at all. With no boss list or raid story out, don't assume it's a copy.
Will Mount Hyjal have reputations to grind?
Blizzard says new factions emerge there but hasn't named them or shown their rewards. There's no published reputation list for Forever yet.
Can you play Mount Hyjal in the beta?
The beta runs September 17 to October 21, 2026 and goes up to level 30 according to the roadmap. Blizzard hasn't listed which zones are open, so whether Hyjal is in the beta is unknown.

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