Blizzard announced today that "World of Warcraft: Shadowlands" will not be released in time for October 27. The expansion is expected to be released by the end of 2020, but a new release date has not yet been announced. [According to a statement from WoW Executive Producer John Hight, the delay is to allow time for "further refinement," balancing, and endgame work, as well as because Shadowlands is "one of the most complex expansions" in WoW history and the COVID-19 pandemic has forced developers to telecommute.

Hight also announced that a pre-patch for Shadowlands, which sets the stage for the expansion release, will be available to players on October 13. The patch will include "a revamped character level," a new starting zone, Exile's Reach, and "a number of new character customization options."

There will also be a pre-launch defense against the undead Scourge, but this will not happen until closer to the new Shadowlands release date.