A recent leak by dataminers has brought to light intriguing evidence suggesting the arrival of a new playable race, the Harronir, in the next expansion of World of Warcraft. With the 2024 release of World of Warcraft: The War Within approaching, this leak could potentially unveil a previously undisclosed addition to the game.
World of Warcraft: The War Within is poised to kick off the grand Worldsoul Saga, a monumental tale spanning a trilogy of expansions. The public alpha testing phase for The War Within commenced on April 18, offering selected players a glimpse into the enigmatic Isle of Dorn. This island serves as the first of four new zones to be featured in the upcoming WoW expansion, with more areas becoming accessible as testing progresses. The public alpha release allowed dataminers access to previously secured files, unveiling a plethora of new details about Blizzard's iconic MMORPG.
Wowhead's dataminers stumbled upon surprising files related to a yet-to-be-announced race. Despite not making an appearance in any of the demos or trailers for The War Within, which have already showcased many upcoming features of World of Warcraft, the game's files contain a range of customization options for a mysterious race known as the Harronir. Adorned with body fur and peculiar shoulder quills, the tusked Harronir exhibit traits reminiscent of Trolls and Night Elves. While the playability of this race is uncertain, the extensive customization options hint at the possibility of them becoming an Allied Race. Moreover, files have been found for unique Harronir armor and weapons.
What New Playable Races are Coming to World of Warcraft?
Although it remains unconfirmed whether the Harronir will be playable, The War Within will introduce at least one new race to the game. Blizzcon 2023 disclosed that the Earthen will be the 25th playable race in World of Warcraft. These stone-like beings will stand apart from the existing Dwarves and Dark Iron Dwarves, possessing their distinct talents and racial abilities. Similar to the Pandaren and Dracthyr, the most recent playable races introduced in Dragonflight, the Earthen will be accessible to both Horde and Alliance players.
Besides new races, The War Within will bring a plethora of fresh features to World of Warcraft. Warbands will enhance the collaborative experience among characters on the same account, while the novel Hero Talent Tree will offer unique progression paths for each class. Noteworthy additions include dynamic flying, eight new dungeons, and AI-supported Delves. Though the current alpha testing phase is closed, eager players can now enlist for The War Within's beta testing to explore all the expansion has in store before its anticipated launch later in 2024.