World of Warcraft's playable foxes and cyborg gnomes are arriving in January

(Image credit: Blizzard)

World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth's next update sees the old god N'Zoth getting out of jail, which is presumably a bad thing. The big ol' tentacle monster hasn't served its time, so the heroes of Azeroth will need to fight it in a new raid, Ny'alotha, the Waking City. And you'll be able to play as a fox. 

The vulpera look like foxes, but also a lot like very furry goblins. They've joined the Horde, while the robotic mechagnomes have teamed up with the Alliance. Allied races come with prerequisites, so if you've not played for ages and just want to roll a mechagnome or vulpera, you'll need to complete their storylines and get exalted reputation with the corresponding factions first. Here's how to unlock the vulpera.

In the Vale of Eternal Blossoms, meanwhile, you'll need to fight N'Zoth's corruption and experience new Horrific Visions, where you'll see more of what N'Zoth is planning for the world. It probably won't be great. 

Visions of N'Zoth goes live on January 14 in the US and January 15 in Europe, but you'll need to wait a bit longer for the raid. The Sleeping City will wake up properly on January 22, on Normal and Heroic, with Mythic becoming available a week later, when you'll also be able to start using the raid finder. 

Following the launch of the update, Battle for Azeroth Season 4 will kick off, too, with more PvP and a new seasonal affix for Mythic Keystone dungeons. 

Thinking of getting another alt on the go? I'm a Horde boy, even though they're a mess, but I'm really tempted to have an affair with the Alliance and roll a mechagnome. 

Fraser Brown
Online Editor

Fraser is the UK online editor and has actually met The Internet in person. With over a decade of experience, he's been around the block a few times, serving as a freelancer, news editor and prolific reviewer. Strategy games have been a 30-year-long obsession, from tiny RTSs to sprawling political sims, and he never turns down the chance to rave about Total War or Crusader Kings. He's also been known to set up shop in the latest MMO and likes to wind down with an endlessly deep, systemic RPG. These days, when he's not editing, he can usually be found writing features that are 1,000 words too long or talking about his dog.