WoW Forever's 54 maps reveal how much Azeroth has changed since Classic
Compared to Classic, the game opens old parts of Azeroth and adds new routes across the map.
WoW Forever changes Azeroth way more than the new zones suggest. You might have thought that, compared to Classic, we would just get a couple of new zones, and the old ones would remain the same.
However, YouTuber 720 Zone went over all 54 WoW Forever maps and compared them to Classic, and it turns out there are a lot of different things that changed.
WoW Forever also expands the world through previously unused terrain. So you have things such as new paths that opened, new settlements and dungeon areas, and more. Blizzard took advantage of spaces that were either unfinished or just inaccessible in Classic.
Obviously, we will not go over all 54 zones here, but if you are curious about a specific map, check out 720 Zone's video:
New Paths Connect Previously Isolated Areas
So WoW Forever has:
40 standard zones
4 new zones
6 cities
4 PvP maps
Many maps remain unchanged, but a few big adjustments had to be made in order to accommodate the new areas or link to a new zone through a new path.
We noted down a few examples:
Stormwind now has a port providing a new connection to Kalimdor
Southshore has gained a dock
New routes also connect existing zones to Riverglades
Mulgore has received a significant redesign to add Skywatch Plateau, a new area for the Skyborne
Eastern Plaguelands has been expanded to include New Avalon behind Tyr's Hand
Most paths were just inaccessible in Classic, but now have a reason to be used.
Familiar Zones Hide Some Interesting Changes
Not every change involves the new zones, though.
For example, Dalaran no longer has the magical shield that was surrounding it, so you see the entire city on the map. The city is also much larger than the amount of space the shield used to take.
Thousand Needles, for example, has gained a new route towards Dustwallow Marsh, but you do not see the change on the map, at least for now.
Some changes raise questions about future content. A cave marker in Winterspring was removed, and it could be connected to a new entrance for Barrow Deeps, one of WoW Forever's upcoming raids.
Sometimes it also just affects map labels, markers, or coloring, so it is often a minor update.
Either way, this means that you will have plenty of new things to discover on the map itself, even when you are walking through old and familiar zones.
For more information about WoW Forever, check out our latest news!