WoW Classic WotLK Pre Patch COUNTDOWN: Release Date, Time, Patch Notes, Zombie Invasion & Latest News

World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Classic is nearly here and now, players will be able to get a taste of it with its pre patch!

The battle with the Burning Crusade has culminated and Illidan and Kil'jaeden have been thwarted. This means that Azeroth's heroes can set their eyes on what's next, Arthas, and his undead army in Northrend.

With the WoW Classic WotLK Pre Patch, players will be able to play World of Warcraft's first new class, the Death Knight, begin collecting Achievements, learn the new Inscription profession, and much more.

Here's everything you need to know about it as we count down to its release time.

LATEST NEWS: No Delays Expected for WoW Classic WotLK Pre Patch

Blizzard is hard at work prepping the WoW Classic WotLK Pre Patch, our first taste of all the new content coming in Wrath of the Lich King Classic.

Now just hours out from the patches' expected release time, Blizzard has yet to comment on any technical issues, leading us to believe the patch won't face any significant delays. Around WoW Classic WotLK, the other weekly resets for Blizzard were also completed without hassle, including retail WoW, and WoW Classic (eternal).

While early WoW Classic launches were met with a myriad of technical problems, the last few have been almost seamless, and all signs point to this pattern keeping up with Wrath of the Lich King's pre patch.

WoW Classic WotLK Pre Patch Release Date & Time

World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Classic's pre patch will go live on Tuesday, August 30, 2022 - and we're just a couple hours out!

Players can expect the update to be in-game following the weekly reset maintenance which is scheduled to start at 10 am EST to end at 6 pm EST. The length of this server downtime is a rough estimate based on previous releases, meaning that servers could go live before or after the time allotted by Blizzard.

To make sure you don't miss out on all of the new features coming with the WotLK Classic pre patch, follow along with our countdown below!

Don't Miss: Discover Razer's Ultimate Gaming Laptops Now

WoW Classic WotLK Pre Patch Patch Notes Highlights

The official patch notes for the WoW Classic WotLK pre patch have yet to be released, however, here's a highlight of what's to expect from the new update next week.

• New Class
  • Death Knight
• New Profession
  • Inscription
• New Talents
• New Spells and Abilities
• Stat Changes
  • Items (spell power, healing, and more)
• Experience Changes
  • Outland XP squish
  • Joyous Journeys XP buff to run until WotLK Classic launch
• New Systems
  • Achievements
  • Battleground Changes (queue systems and rewards)
  • PVP Gear (Arena Season 4 Gear available for Honor at a discount with no rating requirements)
• Pre Patch Event
  • Zombie Infestation and Scourge Invasion

READ MORE: WoW Classic WotLK: 7 things to look forward to in the next expansion

WoW Classic WotLK Pre Patch Zombie Invasion Event

The Zombie Invasion (Scourge Invasion) event in Wrath of the Lich King is one of the more famous events in WoW's history. It's a worldwide zombie invasion where players can become zombies infecting NCPs and players, who must band together to fight off zombies from taking over major cities and beyond.

Credit: Blizzard Entertainment

During the Zombie Invasion, there will be tons of content for players to interact with. This includes new quests, new vendors, new items, a new boss in Karazhan, and several new bosses in select Azeroth dungeons.

The event works in tiers, beginning with Phase 1, Trouble in Booty Bay, and going all the way to Phase 5, the Darkest Hour.

It's a fun little event that players will hold players over until the official release of WotLK, and a unique one that players won't want to miss!

Here's more information on the event from Blizzard themselves.

READ MORE: WoW Classic WotLK Raids: Naxxramas, Ulduar, Icecrown Citadel & More

WoW Classic WotLK Pre Patch Schedule & Dates

With the Wrath of the Lich King expansion releasing on September 26, here's a brief timeline on what to expect over the coming weeks in the WoW Classic WotLK pre patch.

• August 30
  • Pre-patch Begins: Wrath of the Lich King Pre-patch Launches and Fresh Start Realms go live during regional maintenance.
• September 6–13
  • Zombie Plague Event: A mysterious affliction begins to make its way through the capital cities. Players must be vigilant to avoid falling victim to its deadly effects.
• September 13
  • Scourge Invasion Event: In several locations throughout Azeroth, players must coordinate a defensive stand against the attacking Necropolis and defeat Scourge forces to gain powerful rewards.
• September 20–October 6
  • Brewfest Begins: Do you love eating delicious fair food, drinking bountiful beverages, and riding rams around barrels of apples? Partake in activities and timed events to earn Brewfest souvenirs and achievements during this brewtiful holiday event.
• September 26
  • Wrath of the Lich King Classic Launches: At 3:00 p.m. PDT, Wrath of the Lich King Classic will launch, and players are welcome to log in.