Blizzard surprised Warcraft 3 fans at BlizzCon by announcing Forsaken Kingdom, a brand-new expansion for one of its most beloved games. More than 23 years after The Frozen Throne, players finally have a new campaign to dive into—and it’s available right now.
The new campaign follows the Forsaken as they battle the remnants of the human kingdom of Lordaeron. Led by Sylvanas Windrunner, these undead broke free from the Scourge’s control. Sylvanas herself was once a high elf ranger-general before Arthas killed her and raised her as a banshee during his invasion of Quel’Thalas.
But the new campaign is only part of the announcement. Forsaken Kingdom also arrives alongside major changes to the base game, including updated graphics, a higher unit selection limit, and a brand-new Tavern hero.
Warcraft 3: Reforged’s visuals have long been a point of contention, particularly its redesigns of the original unit models. Blizzard is taking another shot at those models with a new HD visual option called Definitive Edition.
As a lifelong Warcraft 3 fan, I’ve already tried the new graphics, and I think these are the most faithful HD recreations of the classic units so far. For players who never warmed to Reforged’s art style, they could be a welcome reason to revisit the graphical settings.
One of the most practical changes is the new 24-unit selection limit, double the traditional cap of 12. Anyone who has tried to move a large army across the map knows how restrictive the old limit could feel. Being able to select twice as many units at once makes managing those armies much less cumbersome.
The update also introduces the Forsaken Paladin, a new Tavern hero described as a warrior who uses the Light offensively. Because Tavern heroes are available to all four races, this addition gives players across the game something new to experiment with, without breaking the class balance.
His Sacred Aura ability particularly caught my attention, as it grants magic resistance to nearby units. Depending on its strength and how it interacts with existing abilities, it could offer a useful answer to armies that rely heavily on magic damage. I’m especially interested in seeing how he fits into Orc strategies, since Orcs naturally lack magic immune units.
The best part? You don’t need to buy the campaign to get these changes. While the new campaign requires a purchase, the graphics, Tavern hero, and increased selection limit are free for Reforged owners. I’ve already accessed all three without buying Forsaken Kingdom.
A new campaign is a major moment for Warcraft 3, but these free additions give returning players a reason to reinstall even if they aren’t ready to buy the expansion. Whether Blizzard builds on this with further RTS content remains to be seen, but there’s finally something new for both campaign fans and multiplayer regulars to explore.
