Three new zones or four?

The BlizzCon opening recap says three new zones, and the Forever game page shows three zone cards: Zephras Isle, Riverglades and Mount Hyjal. The What's Next and Found Photos recaps also describe Shen'dralas, which makes four named areas. It isn't clear yet whether Shen'dralas counts as a full zone.

New areas in WoW Forever
AreaWhereLevelsHighlights
Mount Hyjal Kalimdor Not announced Aftermath of Archimonde's defeat, Darkwhisper Gorge, new factions
Shen'dralas Between Mulgore and Desolace, via the Valley of Bones Not announced Shen'dralar, Eldre'Thalas, Dire Maul, centaur tribes
Riverglades Eastern Kingdoms, bordering Burning Steppes, Redridge, Swamp of Sorrows and Badlands Mid-30s to mid-40s Powderfuse Port, roughly the size of Stranglethorn Vale
Zephras Isle Skyborne starting island 1–12 Needs the Skyborne Heroic Pack or higher
In-game shot of a stone watchtower by a lake with mountains behind it
A stone watchtower by a lake, shared in the new zones section of Blizzard's 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 ↗

Mount Hyjal

Mount Hyjal picks up right after the Battle for Mount Hyjal, where Archimonde fell. Blizzard highlights Darkwhisper Gorge and the new factions rising in the aftermath. The 20-player Hyjal Summit raid unlocks on December 9, 2026. Blizzard hasn't said yet what level the zone is for.

Shen'dralas

Shen'dralas fills the gap between Mulgore and Desolace. You reach it south of Desolace, through the Valley of Bones. Its story ties into the Shen'dralar, Eldre'Thalas and Dire Maul, plus the local centaur tribes.

Riverglades

Riverglades opens up a part of the Eastern Kingdoms you could never reach before, wedged between Burning Steppes, Redridge, Swamp of Sorrows and the Badlands. Blizzard puts it at roughly the size of Stranglethorn Vale. The port is Powderfuse Port, and the locals include Powderfuse goblins, the Twilight's Hammer, the Brotherhood of the Horse, gnolls and ogres.

The quest count depends on which recap you read. What's Next says 150+ quests covering much of the mid-30s to mid-40s, while Found Photos says nearly 200 quests across Horde and Alliance.

Zephras Isle

Zephras Isle is where Skyborne characters start, from level 1 to 12. It blends the Classic look with Skywall-inspired architecture. The island is falling apart: its elemental patrons are gone and the pylons are failing. The factions you'll meet are the Windshapers, the High Order and the Al'Aketh.

Playing Skyborne, and starting on Zephras Isle, requires the Skyborne Heroic Pack or higher.

What's new in the old zones

  • New NPCs, quests, profession hooks and recipes in starting zones like Valley of Trials and Shadowglen.
  • New quests in the Wetlands.
  • Extra quests and rewards tied to the centaur factions in Desolace.

New boat routes

  • Stormwind Harbor to Auberdine
  • Menethil to Southshore to Auberdine
  • Tanaris to Riverglades on a Steamwheedle Cartel route

The Tanaris line gives players on the Kalimdor side a way to sail straight into Riverglades.

Sailing ship docked at a pier, new ship routes
A sailing ship at a dock, from the travel section of Blizzard's Found Photos 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 ↗

FAQ

Is Outland or Northrend in WoW Forever?
Nothing official points that way. Forever is set in Azeroth's early Year 1, before Kazzak reopened the Dark Portal. The level cap is 60 and everything Blizzard has shown sits on the original continents.
What level are the new zones?
Only two have ranges so far: Zephras Isle is 1–12 and Riverglades covers much of the mid-30s to mid-40s. Mount Hyjal and Shen'dralas have no published levels, although the nine new dungeons do.
Do the old zones look different?
Yes. Blizzard has shown rendering updates like flowing rivers in Elwynn Forest, mist over Darkshore's waters and moonlight in Ashenvale. You can also switch between modern and Classic visual presets.
How many new quests are in WoW Forever?
Blizzard says more than 1,000. Some live in the new zones, others in older zones like the Wetlands and Desolace. The post-launch plan also promises more quests in the 1–60 range.

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