Picking the best World of Warcraft expansion of all time is no easy feat. Almost every expansion has its memorable moments, both in terms of overall lore and content. (Even Shadowlands.)
Here, we’ve ranked every World of Warcraft expansion from worst to best, considering everything from raid design to world-building.
Shadowlands
Is anyone really surprised to see our worst pick? While the expansion from beyond the veil did have a few interesting ideas and some memorable raid designs, it’s got a reputation for being one of the worst World of Warcraft expansions in history.
With popular complaints being a lack of fulfilling content, unnecessary time-gating, and jumbled-up lore, Shadowlands is remembered with disdain by many members of the community. It was rough for new players, but it was equally trying for experienced fans, especially those with alts.
Despite this negativity, there are still some positives to note. The raids and dungeons had interesting themes, with some striking boss fights that tested even the most seasoned players. The lore was confusing, certainly, but it had its moments.
If you’re hoping to get the Loremaster achievement and haven’t tackled the Shadowlands content yet, our thoughts are with you. It’s worth installing some collector’s add-ons if you’re doing this, as the expansion has plenty of overworld treasures, battle pets, and rare mounts to pick up.
Battle for Azeroth
While Battle for Azeroth did have some fun elements to it, it’s largely forgettable. It certainly didn’t raise as many eyebrows as Shadowlands, but it’s not a shining example of the game at its peak.
In terms of world design, BFA was nice to explore, if a little confusing in places. (Looking at you, Darzar’alor.) The expansion’s aesthetic was strong, with very different experiences on offer for the Horde and the Alliance.
However, the story was negative, mainly due to Sylvanas and the burning of Teldrassil. The expansion’s narrative felt jarring and comparatively out of place, which was disappointing, as some intriguing stories were tucked away in smaller questlines across the map.
BFA was also fairly grind-heavy. Two of the most infamous tasks from this era were gaining Azerite power along with unlocking allied races. It wasn’t the most accessible expansion in history, with many struggling to keep their alts geared, but it also didn’t feel overly rewarding at a high level, either.
Warlords of Draenor
Warlords of Draenor is still widely slammed as one of the worst expansions—although it is starting to get the rose-tinted glasses treatment from some players online—thanks to its overall lore, content pacing, and heavy focus on garrisons.
Garrisons were a big sticking point for many players in the WoD era, with the community feeling that they took the MMO out of the MMORPG. The mission table and personalized home base were somewhat novel, but they made the world feel a little dead.
Content pacing was also an issue. The expansion would’ve benefited immensely from more consistent support and waves of content to dig into.
That being said, there’s one key positive about WoD. Leveling through Draenor was incredibly fun, with interesting quests, well-designed zones, and decent gearing. It was decently alt-friendly and had strong offerings for the PvP community, too.
It’s not the worst World of Warcraft expansion by a mile, but it is worthy of most of the critiques that it gets from the fanbase.
Cataclysm
Much like The Burning Crusade, there is a dedicated section of the World of Warcraft fanbase that will live and die by Cataclysm.
Although it did feature some legendary villains, Cataclysm felt disjointed. Leveling wasn’t an overly smooth experience, and some players felt let down by the story and quest design, too.
There were some solid dungeons and raids on offer, but only if you were willing to sink the time in. The difficulty curve in Cataclysm was significant, especially when contrasted against previous expansions.
If you’re a fan of tricky PvE content and played during Cataclysm, chances are that you had a blast with it. There are some iconic moments undoubtedly, but out of the older expansions, it’s not the best one by a mile.
Mists of Pandaria
Mists of Pandaria caused plenty of arguments in the World of Warcraft community (mainly over Pandarens) but it’s a solid expansion that’s still enjoyable to level through to this day.
With a vibrant story and beautiful new continent, leveling through Mists of Pandaria was fun for both single-character players and those with legions of alts.
Gearing was fine enough, and the variety of content on offer meant that there was usually something exciting to get into. Emphasis on usually, though.
Content pacing wasn’t fantastic in MoP, with plenty of slow periods that were a sore point for high-level players. Daily quests also got far too much attention with this expansion, with many players dubbing the game “World of Chorecraft” out of protest.
Despite the stop-start pacing, Mists of Pandaria was a blast to play through. Some players felt it deviated too far from what a “proper” World of Warcraft expansion should feel like, which is fair enough, but it improved upon Cataclysm significantly.
The Burning Crusade
For some players, seeing The Burning Crusade lower in the list than Dragonflight and—spoiler—Wrath will be irritating. Out of all the expansions, TBC has some of the most dedicated fans and supporters to this day, despite its quirks.
In terms of story and setting, TBC was magical. Each zone in Outland had its own unique aesthetic and set of dangers, and the theming for the PvE content was equally memorable, especially when it came to raids like The Black Temple. It’s arguably one of the most creative expansions in history.
Raiding did feel somewhat clunky in TBC and there were balancing issues aplenty in all forms of content, with some repetitive gameplay mechanics thrown in for good measure. Getting into top-tier content also required jumping through a lot of hoops.
Despite this, many players still look back on raids, dungeons, and PvP content from this era with a lot of fondness. It’s hard to overly criticize The Burning Crusade. While it wasn’t the smoothest expansion in history, it’s also very memorable and clearly had an impact on a large portion of the player base.
Dragonflight
After Shadowlands, many players were feeling burnt out or frustrated with World of Warcraft. Luckily, Dragonflight was a breath of fresh air for the franchise. It still proved to be divisive for some, but on the whole, it was a step in the right direction.
Dragonflight offered a good mix of content for players to get stuck into. The pacing was solid and the lore was relatively interesting, with a decent base of PvP and PvE content to explore.
The Dragon Isles had plenty of variety to them, with hidden treasures, fun quests, and memorable NPCs that made exploring feel rewarding. It was also incredibly alt-friendly.
Some issues did persist throughout the expansion—namely repetitive events, farming, and a few somewhat unimaginative design choices—but for the most part, Dragonflight was solid. Not perfect by any means, but a positive expansion that set the groundwork for The War Within nicely.
Classic
It’s not technically an expansion, but the list wouldn’t feel complete without singing the praises of the release that started it all.
World of Warcraft came out in 2004 and it’s hard to deny how utterly influential it’s been ever since, inspiring countless other games in the genre.
20 years later, the storylines from the original World of Warcraft zones and raids are still intriguing. Placing the player in the shoes of a regular adventurer instead of a realm-hopping, seemingly-immortal hero, vanilla WoW was vast and rewarding to explore.
It has its flaws—as much as some players might not want to admit it—but on the whole, the original World of Warcraft is still one of the best MMORPG experiences. It’s clunky and a little dated, but if you’re willing to forgive that and commit to grinding, it’s magical.
The War Within
It’s possible that we’ll bump this expansion up the list as The War Within continues. It’s only in its first season at the time of writing, but so far, TWW is a shining example of World of Warcraft at its best.
With a vibrant new continent, top-tier content, and interesting lore, this expansion has been well received by the community and it’s easy to see why. Khaz Algar feels alive.
The world is infinitely rewarding to explore, with content that suits players of all styles and preferences. If you want something gritty and challenging, there’s a lively PvP scene and plenty of high-level PvE content to sink your teeth into.
If you prefer a more laid back experience, Delves, world quests, and even pet battles are a lot of fun in The War Within. The storylines are engaging, the roster of characters is interesting, and to top it all off, the music is exquisite. It’s only in season one, but it’s a hell of an opener.
Legion
Legion is arguably the most consistent expansion in WoW history.
The pacing was on point and it offered plenty of fulfilling content for both PvP players and PvE players to get stuck into. There was a decent level of challenge to be had at the top level of content, but it wasn’t an inaccessible expansion, either.
Each new zone felt soulful, with plenty of interesting quests, treasures, and collectors items to pick up. Suramar in particular stands out as one of the most intricately crafted zones in World of Warcraft to this day.
In terms of quality-of-life and overall improvements, Legion couldn’t have been timed better. Following up the trio of Cataclysm, Mists of Pandaria, and Warlords of Draenor, Legion found the perfect opportunity to smooth out gearing, progression, and class-specific content.
Wrath of the Lich King
Not featuring Wrath of the Lich King up top in this list would be a crime.
Was it flawed in places? Absolutely. Did it also introduce some of the most iconic storylines, raids, and overworld experiences into the game? Without a doubt.
Lore-wise, Wrath was incredibly strong. Northrend felt like a vast, vibrant continent, but it still felt cohesive. Even the narrative within dungeons and raids was stellar, which isn’t the case for some expansions in this list.
Content-wise, there was plenty to get into, whether you were a casual player or a diehard raider. Gearing and leveling felt smooth for the most part, a few quirks aside, and the community was at one of its strongest points, too.
If you’ve just started playing World of Warcraft, head to Northrend with your next character. You can experience some of the most atmospheric zones in the game.
