The next expansion for World of Warcraft is releasing later this year and will take players to a place where no mortals have set foot before, the Shadowlands. It consists of four distinct realms, each governing the souls that cross over, guiding them on their journies after death. To prepare players for their own journeys into these mysterious lands, Blizzard is releasing a series of animated shorts that feature stories from the afterlife. The first focuses on Uther the Lightbringer after he was betrayed by Arthas.
Opening Night Live, the event that kicks off Gamescom 2020, is loaded with world premiere trailers and glimpses into upcoming games. One of the titles featured is World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, where audiences watched the first of the four planned animated shorts in a series called "Afterlives" that tell stories set around the expansion. This one picks up right after Uther is killed by Arthas, when he is brought to Bastion, the land of angelic figures who guide those that follow the light and are deemed noble. But he doesn't take to well to his new situation, still consumed with a desire to doll out justice against his killer.
In the short, audiences will see Uther training to ascend, becoming one of the guardians himself. Players will get a very good feel for the realm of Bastion and the guardians that inhabit it, as well as an understanding of their strict customs and beliefs. Since players will have to choose one of the four Covenants, these shorts will help aid them in their decision. Each Covenant comes with its own story, rewards, and abilities, so picking the right one was once an important, albeit somewhat stressful, choice to make. However, the Shadowlands beta added Covenant switching to make things less permanent.
Those not participating in the beta will have to wait patiently for the next chapter in World of Warcraft to commence. They won't be waiting for long, however, as Blizzard officially announced the release date during the Gamescom event, setting it for October 27, 2020. Before it releases, a pre-patch for Shadowlands will drop, which will include new story content that will lead up to the actual expansion. It will also come with Scourge events and a level squish that will shrink max level players down to level 50 once more.
While they wait for the new content, there are some things to do before Shadowlands releases. Leveling characters up is a good first step if they aren't already. It would also be wise to find sturdy equipment and useful items to aid in the journey to the afterlife. There is also a good amount of research to be done on what's coming, especially in terms of Covenants. Information on what each Covenant can offer is readily available, so players should be ready to make that choice.
World of Warcraft is available now on PC, with the Shadowlands expansion launching on October 27, 2020.