Timeline

This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials. It should not be taken as representing official lore.

This article provides an unofficial timeline of recorded important events in the Warcraft universe compiled from official timelines and all sources published by Blizzard. Blizzard has used two standards when establishing dates in various official timelines, both based on the opening of the Dark Portal.

Numbering is based on the opening of the Dark Portal, as this is the method used by the latest sources. Some sources have the opening of the Dark Portal as about 25 years before the start of World of Warcraft, and other dates state that it was about 30 years before the start of World of Warcraft. This timeline is based on the 30 year standard.

All dates are considered to be spans of time from one to the next since many events are only given vague ordering and estimated dates. Warcraft products are displayed in italics.

It should not be considered as an official timeline, but should be as accurate as, and more complete than, whatever Blizzard has provided.

Beginning of Azeroth

-147,000

• Shadows & Light begins»
• More Magic and Mayhem begins»
• The Titans and the Shaping of the Universe
• Sargeras and the Betrayal (Minus Eredar related events)
• The Old Gods and the Ordering of Azeroth begins»

-65,000

• The Old Gods and the Ordering of Azeroth ends«

-64,001

• Charge of the Dragonflights
• The Waking World and the Well of Eternity

-24,969

• Rise of the Horde (Past) begins»

Age of the elves

-10,250

• The Well of Eternity (Past) begins»
• The War of the Ancients begins»

-10,000

• Start of the War of the Ancients

-9,999

• The Well of Eternity (Past) ends«
• The War of the Ancients ends«
• The Demon Soul (Past)
• The Sundering (Past) begins»
• The Sundering of the World
•  [Mount Hyjal and Illidan's Gift] begins»

-9,998

•  [Mount Hyjal and Illidan's Gift] ends«
• The World Tree and the Emerald Dream
• The Sundering (Past) ends«

-7,300

•  [Exile of the High Elves] begins»
• The Sentinels and the Long Vigil
• The Founding of Quel'Thalas begins»

-6,800

•  [Exile of the High Elves] ends«

-4,000

• The Founding of Quel'Thalas ends«

Age of the mortals

-2,800

•  [Arathor and the Troll Wars]

-2,700

• The Guardians of Tirisfal

-2,500

• The Ironforge Dwarves awaken in Uldaman
• Khaz Modan is founded

-1,200

• The Seven Kingdoms

-1,000

• War of the Shifting Sands

-818

• Cycle of Hatred (Past) begins»
• The Last Guardian (Past) begins»
•  [Aegwynn and the Dragon Hunt]

-370

• Last gnome royalty

-230

• War of the Three Hammers

-170

• Dwarves meet gnomes
• Gnomeregan is built

Rise of the Horde

-100

• Kil'jaeden and the Shadow Pact begins»

-46

• Rise of the Horde begins»

-45

• The Last Guardian

-40

• Kil'jaeden and the Shadow Pact ends«

-19

• Rise of the Horde ends«
• Rise of the Horde (Past) ends«

First War

0 (Year 592 by the King's Calendar)

• The Dark Portal and the Fall of Stormwind begins»

1

• The Dark Portal and the Fall of Stormwind ends«
• Warcraft: Orcs & Humans begins»
• The Last Guardian (Past) ends«
• The Last Guardian

4

• Warcraft: Orcs & Humans ends«

5

• Cycle of Hatred (Past) ends«
• Arthas: Rise of the Lich King begins»
• The Alliance of Lordaeron

Second War

6

• Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness
• Tides of Darkness
• World of Warcraft: Ashbringer (Past)

7

• Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal
• Beyond the Dark Portal
• The Last Guardian (Future)
• The Invasion of Draenor
• The Birth of the Lich King
• Icecrown and the Frozen Throne

8

• Day of the Dragon
• The Battle of Grim Batol
• Lethargy of the Orcs

18

• Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans
• Lord of the Clans
• The New Horde
• War of the Spider
• Kel'Thuzad and the Forming of the Scourge

20

• Of Blood and Honor
• The Alliance Splinters

Third War and the Scourge

25

• Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos
• The Scourge of Lordaeron
• World of Warcraft: Ashbringer
•  [Sunwell - The Fall of Quel'Thalas]
• Archimonde's Return and the Flight to Kalimdor
• The Battle of Mount Hyjal
• The Betrayer Ascendant begins»
• Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne begins»

26

• Warcraft: The Roleplaying GameTemplate:Cite Template:Cite
• Rise of the Blood Elves
• Civil War in the Plaguelands
•  [The Lich King Triumphant]
• The Betrayer Ascendant ends«
• Old Hatreds - The Colonization of Kalimdor begins»
• Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne ends«
• Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne (Bonus) begins»

28

• Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne (Bonus) ends«
• Old Hatreds - The Colonization of Kalimdor ends«

29

• Cycle of Hatred
• Manual of Monsters
• Alliance & Horde Compendium
• Magic & Mayhem
• The Well of Eternity
• The Demon Soul
• The Sundering
• Lands of Conflict begins»
• Dragon Hunt
• Shadows of Ice
• Lands of Conflict ends»
• Ghostlands

World of hostilities

30

• World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game
• Lands of Mystery
• More Magic and Mayhem ends«
• World of Warcraft begins»
  • Battles break out in Warsong Gulch and Alterac Valley
  • Assault on Blackwing Lair
  • Zul'Gurub
  • Dragons of Nightmare
  • The Gates of Ahn'Qiraj are reopened.
  • Naxxramas appears over Stratholme
• Alliance Player's Guide
• Horde Player's Guide
• Monster Guide
• Dark Factions

31

• Shadows & Light ends«
• Rise of the Horde ends
• World of Warcraft (Wildstorm comic)
• The Dark Portal Opens
• World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade begins»
  • The Shattered Sun Offensive begins
  • Blood elves under Kael'thas capture Tempest Keep. The Exodar escapes, ending up on Azeroth. With the power of the Keep's naaru, the Blood Knights gain new powers.
  • Black Temple
  • Fury of the Sunwell
• The Dragons of Outland

32

• Night of the Dragon
• Nexus War
• War against the Lich King starts
  • Zombie Infestation
  • The Scourge begin regular attacks on Stormwind City and Orgrimmar
  • World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King begins»
  • Arthas: Rise of the Lich King ends«
  • Battle of Angrathar the Wrathgate
  • Battle for the Undercity
  • Broken Front
  • The Argent Tournament
  • Fall of the Lich King

Post-apocalyptic Azeroth

33

• The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm
• World of Warcraft: Cataclysm begins»