Realm Layering Update

Over the five weeks since we launched WoW Classic, we’ve continuously monitored realm populations and utilized layering when necessary to handle launch populations. As we’ve said before, we will have all realms on a single layer before introducing world bosses, and a great deal of progress has been made toward that goal.

First and foremost, players have leveled up and spread out around the world. This allowed us to accommodate more players per layer, which means fewer layers required per realm. The last time a server in this region had more than three layers was the first week of September, and almost all realms reached two layers shortly after that. This includes high population realms such as Faerlina, which has had only two layers for three weeks now.

Along the way, some select realms reached their end-state of a single layer, and we locked that in. With a change we made earlier this week, the following WoW Classic realms are now permanently set to one layer:

• Anathema
• Arcanite Reaper
• Ashkandi
• Azuresong
• Deviate Delight
• Earthfury
• Felstriker
• Heartseeker
• Netherwind
• Old Blanchy
• Remulos
• Smolderweb
• Windseeker

Be on the lookout for another change that we will make in the coming days: soon, realms that are operating with more than one layer will indicate that on the realm selection screen. Those realms will say “Layered” in the realm list. Thereafter, you’ll only see the Full/High/Medium/Low markers for realms that are permanently set to one layer.

We plan to move more realms to a single layer over time, and we will continue to offer free character moves to balance populations and manage login queues. In order to avoid queues in the future, we encourage you to use that service as soon as possible.

Thank you very much!