World of Warcraft : Legion World of Warcraft : Legion is the 6th " World of Warcraft " expansion after Warlords of Draenor announced to be released on August 30 , 2016 . It was officially announced on Thursday , August 6 , 2015 by Tom Chilton at Gamescom 2015 . It was expected to be released on or before August 30 , 2016 . Plot and setting . Doom comes for the Alliance and the Horde as a great burning shadow falls over Azeroth . In this dire new chapter of the Warcraft saga , the demonic Burning Legion has returned , seeking to call forth their fallen leader — the dark titan Sargeras , Ravager of Worlds . As destruction rains across Azeroth , its heroes must seek salvation among the ruins of the Broken Isles , doomed center of ancient night elf civilization and birthplace of myths dating back to the world ’ s creation . In the face of hopeless odds , they must learn to master mighty Artifact s — legendary weapons that hold the potential to bring down the corrupted armies of the Legion — and strike an infernal pact with the dread Demon Hunter s of the Illidari . . . accursed followers of the infamous Illidan the Betrayer . The expansion is set after the events of " Warlords of Draenor " and returns to the prime universe where heroes brace to defend Azeroth from a third invasion of the Burning Legion . To prevent a successful attempt to bring Sargeras back into Azeroth , heroes must retrace the steps of Maiev Shadowsong to the Broken Isles as she chased Illidan to the Tomb of Sargeras in hopes of finding some forgotten tools in their new fight , including the Pillars of Creation . They also need to find the new portal in the mysterious island chain that was opened by Gul ' dan ( a powerful orc warlock ) , who came from the alternate - timeline universe of Draenor . Players must be careful , as Gul ' dan may know more about the region than potentially anyone who was still alive . At the end of Warlords of Draenor , the combined Alliance - Horde forces believe they have stopped Gul ' dan from completing the full return of the Burning Legion in the alternate timeline . Khadgar fortells that Gul ' dan was not destroyed during the assault on , and was sent to Azeroth in the original timeline , and has found a way to bring the original Burning Legion to attack Azeroth once again and ultimately summon Sargeras , the Legion ' s creator . Due to its remote location , the Burning Legion had waited patiently to invade Azeroth the third time in the original timeline , and has managed to grow larger and stronger than any in the history of Azeroth . The events leading up to this expansion see the combined forces of both the Horde and Alliance attempt to push back the demons at their foothold on the broken shore . The Battle on the Broken Shore turns out to be a complete disaster , with both factions suffering significant casualties and causing some of the most respected leaders of each faction to be slain in battle . Despite their losses , the people of Azeroth are able to regroup and begin a campaign to purge the legion invaders from the Broken Isles and Azeroth as a whole . Available for pre - purchase after BlizzCon 2015 . Available for pre - order after BlizzCon 2015 ( not sure when pre - purchase will be available ) .