Raids unlocking December 9

WoW Forever raid schedule (official roadmap)
RaidSizeWhenKnown so far
Barrow Deeps 10 December 9, 2026 New raid, max level
Hyjal Summit 20 December 9, 2026 New raid
Onyxia's Lair 40 December 9, 2026 On the roadmap; the Classic raid
Two new raids 10 and 20 Spring 2027 Names not announced
Revamped iconic raid + new raid Not announced Summer 2027 Which raid isn't known

The BlizzCon opening recap says two new raids, and the roadmap puts Onyxia's Lair on the same day. What's Next covers Barrow Deeps and Hyjal Summit as the new raids; Onyxia's Lair, the Classic 40-player raid, only shows up on the roadmap.

Barrow Deeps

A 10-player raid built for max level. Bosses, location and entry requirements haven't been shared.

Hyjal Summit

A 20-player raid. Mount Hyjal also arrives as a new zone set after Archimonde's defeat, but the raid's own story and bosses are still under wraps.

Onyxia's Lair

Listed on the roadmap at 40 players. None of the panel recaps go into it, so what's different in Forever is unknown.

Ruins and a stone arch under a pink sky from the new raids
Ruins and a stone arch under a pink sky, from the raid 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 ↗

Raid loot: tier sets and a legendary

Blizzard says the new raids bring new tier sets and a legendary reward that will be revealed in full later. Set bonuses are also being improved as part of the wider itemization changes.

For transmog, raid epic appearances only go to the player who gets the item. Dungeon BoP greens and blues work differently: every eligible looter collects the look.

When is Molten Core coming?

Molten Core isn't on the roadmap by name. Forever's story is set before Molten Core, and the “revamped iconic raid” planned for summer 2027 hasn't been named either. Nothing official says it's Molten Core.

Raids planned for 2027

  • Spring major update: two new raids, one for 10 players and one for 20, plus a new legendary questline.
  • Summer major update: a revamped iconic raid and a brand-new raid.

FAQ

Are WoW Forever raids 40-man?
Not all of them. The December 9 lineup has one 10-player, one 20-player and one 40-player raid, and the two spring 2027 raids are 10 and 20 players. Raid sizes are mixed.
Do you need to be level 60 to raid?
Barrow Deeps is described as a max-level raid. Entry levels or attunements for Hyjal Summit and Onyxia's Lair haven't been shared. The level cap is 60.
Will raids be testable in the beta?
The beta runs September 17 to October 21, 2026 and caps at level 30 per the roadmap. Blizzard hasn't mentioned raid testing.
What time do raids unlock on December 9?
Only the date is official so far. For reference, the game itself launches November 4, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. PST (23:00 UTC).

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