‘Warcraft 3: Reforged’ release date: Blizzard’s upcoming remaster joins professional esports series with ‘StarCraft 2’ and ‘Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’

Blizzard has yet to release the full version of “Warcraft 3: Reforged,” but it is already shaping up as one of the sought-after video games of the new year. Proving that is a recent deal that Blizzard closed with renowned esports organizers ESL and DreamHack.

‘Warcraft 3: Reforged’ lands a spot in a prestigious professional esports tournament

“Warcraft 3: Reforged” is the highly anticipated remastered title of one of the classic real-time strategy video games from the early 2000s, “Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos.” Aside from the main story campaign, it will also include a remaster of the original expansion “The Frozen Throne.”

Blizzard signed a three-year deal with the professional esports companies that allowed remastered title and “StarCraft 2” to join the lineup of the ESL Pro Tour along with “Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.” “Warcraft 3: Reforged” will not be launched until later this month, but it will go live in time for the first events of the tournament.

ESL Pro Tour will be the first professional esports tournament to feature “Warcraft 3: Reforged.” Challengers Events are already set through springtime starting in Anaheim, California, on Feb. 21-23, followed by another competition in Jonkoping, Sweden, on May 22-24.

‘Warcraft 3: Reforged’ new release date set in late January

Blizzard first announced “Warcraft 3: Reforged” at the 2018 BlizzCon and was initially slated to be fully released within 2019. However, the developer announced in the middle of last December that they would have to delay the game’s launch.

On the bright side, the wait will not be that long, and Blizzard already gave fans a specific release date. “Warcraft 3: Reforged” is now set to arrive on Jan. 28.

‘Warcraft 3: Reforged’: What to expect from the remastered title

When Blizzard first unveiled “Warcraft 3: Reforged,” the company hinted at applying some alterations in the story campaign to feature more of characters like Jaina and Sylvanas. Blizzard also suggested their intention to incorporate the overall plot developments of the “World of Warcraft” lore after the release of the original “Warcraft 3.”

However, the developer confirmed last fall that the game would no longer be retconned to pave the way for the said changes. As a result, fans can now expect “Warcraft 3: Reforged” to feature a remaster of familiar campaign missions from “Reign of Chaos” and “The Frozen Throne.”