when is wotlk classic release

World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King is the second expansion set for the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) World of Warcraft, following The Burning Crusade. It was announced on August 3, 2007, at BlizzCon 2007, and released on November 13, 2008.

With the new expansion, players were able to level up to 80, an increase from the previous level cap of 70. The major new addition in Wrath of the Lich King is the continent of Northrend, which serves as the main setting of the expansion, and is home to the eponymous Lich King: the final boss of the expansion. Several new game mechanics were introduced, such as the new death system, which allows players to resurrection their fallen comrades as ghosts in the world to help them complete quests; and the introduction of the Inscription profession, which provides players with new ways to customize their spells and abilities.

Critical reception to Wrath of the Lich King was extremely positive. Reviewers praised the newcontent—particularly the new continent of Northrend—and the new game mechanics. The game won several awards, including Game of the Year, Best Expansion, and Best MMO Expansion from various publications.

With the success of Wrath of the Lich King, World of Warcraft had reached a subscriber base of over 11 million players.