Ready or not, the Iron Horde is coming for World of Warcraft players.
Blizzard are releasing Patch 6.0.2: The Iron Tide on Tuesday, October 14.
The pre-expansion patch will bring a number of key changes such as updated character models for the original playable races, a new user interface for quest items and toys, and plenty of ability and class tweaks. Check out the full list of changes here.
Players with level 90 characters can also gain access to a revamped five-player version of Upper Blackrock Spire dungeon, and face down Orebender Gor'ashan, Kyrak, and Commander Tharbek.
The full dungeon will be open with the launch of Warlords of Draenor, and will be a five-boss, level 100 only dungeon.
Story wise, the patch shapes up the start of the invasion of Draenor:
“The Dark Portal in the Blasted Lands has turned blood red. Hundreds of strange-looking orcs are violently pouring into Azeroth, killing everything that stands in their path. Nethergarde and Okril'lon have already fallen, and while the Horde and the Alliance moved as quickly as they could to get reinforcements to their people, they are too late. The Iron Horde invasion has begun.”
Players will be able to travel to the Blasted Lands to “reckon with the barbarous infiltration,” take on the high ranking Iron Horde general Gar’mak Bladetwist, and report your findings in the Blasted Lands to King Wrynn or Warchief Vol'jin.
The lands of Draenor will only be available when the expansion is released.
Warlords of Draenor will be released on November 13, and will be the fifth WoW expansion in the franchise.
The first expansion was The Burning Crusade (2007), followed by the Wrath of the Lich King (2008), Cataclysm (2010), and most recently, Mists of Pandaria (2012).
