What Blizzard has described
Players choose a ruleset instead of a traditional realm: Normal, PvP, Roleplaying, or Hardcore after launch.
- Players can group, run dungeons, and raid with others in the same ruleset; cross-ruleset grouping is not supported.
- Horde and Alliance remain separate for grouping.
- Hardcore is a separate ecosystem; a character that dies can transfer to another ruleset, including PvP.
- Collections and Legacy Points are account-wide across rulesets, with Hardcore as the exception described in the recap.
Still unpublished
- The recaps do not publish a launch realm list, rollout plan, or every transfer rule.
This reference records the checked panel recaps as of 2026-09-16. It is not a complete rules manual or a substitute for later patch notes.
Related systems
- Transmog and Visual Settings — Transmog is opt-in, and players can choose modern or Classic visual presets plus HD or SD character models.
- Itemization — Classic’s gearing foundation remains, while stats, dungeon drops, quest rewards, trinkets, and new item effects are being revised.