Blizzard has announced on Twitter that World of Warcraft: Shadowlands won’t make its release date of October 27. It is still planned to release sometime later this year, but Blizzard does not have a new release date to announce yet.
According to the update statement from WoW executive producer, John Hight, the delay allows time for additional polish, balancing issues and to work on some interlocking pieces, particularly the endgame. He mentions Shadowlands has been a challenge to work on due to it being “one of the most intricate expansions” in WoW history and working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic has hindered development as well.
The Shadowlands Pre-patch which lays the groundwork for the upcoming expansion will be rolled out to players on October 13. The patch will include revamped character levelling, the new player experience on Exile’s Reach and a wide variety of new character customization options.