As World of Warcraft's recent expansion Shadowlands reaches its final stages, fans are wondering what might come next for the long-running and much-loved franchise. Released in 2004, Blizzard's popular MMORPG has had eight major expansions since its launch, adding new playable races, regions, and modes, as well as expanding the established lore of World of Warcraft. As an online game, expansions are the lifeblood of titles like World of Warcraft and keep players coming back for more as the base game is updated, and its horizons broadened both literally and figuratively.