The pre-patch for World of Warcraft’s next expansion has big changes

The next expansion for World of Warcraft is fast approaching, and while we won’t be able to begin The War Within until August, a new pre-patch is set to go live on July 23. While the pre-patch doesn’t contain much narrative content, or any of the new zones, it does include two big features: Warbands and Skyriding. Those changes, along with a host of smaller fixes, balance updates, and a new event, should shake up the MMO as we transition out of Dragonflight and into the future.

The patch’s first big change will be very noticeable as soon as players log in: a new character select screen. With Warbands, players will enjoy account-wide progression, allowing them to share renown, a bank, achievements, collections, and other goodies. Upon logging in for the pre-patch, you’ll see four of your characters hanging out around a campfire. There will be more scenes to choose in future, but for now, I’m pleased to see my various alts hanging out and having fun instead of sitting, unplayed and dusty, on a back shelf.

A Warband, as seen on the World of Warcraft log-in screen. Four characters, a human rogue in dark armor, a pirate admiral Draeneri warrior, a tauren druid, and a night elf monk, all stand around a cozy campfire.

One of Dragonflight’s most lauded features was Dragonriding, a new flight system that’s much more dynamic than the original technique of simply flying in a straight line. The system is getting an update in this patch and a new name: Skyriding. Skyriding will apply to all fling mounts and all them to do the same tricks as the drakes of the Dragon Isles. However, if you prefer the original style, now called Steady Flight, it’s possible to toggle between the two.

There’s also a pre-patch event to set up the story of The War Within. From July 30 through to August 26, players who have finished the Dragonflight questline will unlock a questline called “Visions of Azeroth.” Players will “confront the memories of Azeroth” in Dalaran, Dragonblight, Dustwallow Marsh, and Searing Gorge. Doing so will collect a new currency, Residual Memories, that allows them to buy new cosmetic items for their Warband collections.

The War Within is set to go live on August 26; players who have pre-ordered the Epic Edition of the expansion will have early access on August 22.