This Week in World of Warcraft for January 22, 2024 - Still No 10.2.6 News

Key Takeaways

• Season of Discovery Phase 2 went live February 8, 2024, raising the level cap from 25 to 40 and opening the retuned Gnomeregan raid.
• Phase 2 handed out roughly 31 extra talent points and a fresh wave of Rune Engraving discoveries for every class.
• Arena World Championship sign-ups closed January 26 and Mythic Dungeon International Dragonflight Season 3 sign-ups closed January 29, both through Raider.IO.
• The Call of the Scarab micro-holiday ran January 21 to 23, marking the historic opening of Ahn'Qiraj with war-effort turn-ins.
• The Grim Campfire toy was a Twitch watch-to-earn drop, claimable by watching four hours of any Dragonflight stream between January 23 and January 30.
• Patch 10.2.6 was still unannounced this week; it was later revealed as Plunderstorm and released March 19, 2024.

Here is how the week of January 22, 2024 played out across retail and Classic.

Season of Discovery Phase 2 Went Live February 8

Season of Discovery moved into Phase 2 on February 8, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. PST (21:00 GMT). The update lifted the level ceiling from 25 to 40 and granted around 31 additional talent points, giving every class room to rebuild its tree for the higher bracket. The headline addition was a reworked Gnomeregan raid, retuned as a 10-player encounter, alongside a new batch of Rune Engraving discoveries and abilities to hunt down across Azeroth.

For a week-by-week digest like this one, Phase 2 was the biggest single drop on the calendar, and it reset the Classic leveling race for thousands of players who had been parked at 25 since Phase 1.

Last Call to Sign Up for the AWC and MDI

Two of the year's biggest esports ladders were closing registration this week. The Mythic Dungeon International's Dragonflight Season 3 took sign-ups through Raider.IO until January 29, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. PST, while the Arena World Championship registered teams on the same platform until January 26, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. PST. Both were open to any roster willing to grind the qualifiers, and they framed the competitive calendar for the rest of the Dragonflight year.

Players who would rather climb with a head start can see PvP arena rating pushes from WowCarry's team instead of chasing the ladder solo.

News and Events That Week

A steady run of holiday-adjacent events and weekly bonuses filled out the rest of the schedule. Here is what landed, day by day.

January 21

• Call of the Scarab - This annual event ran January 21 to 23, commemorating the opening of the Gates of Ahn'Qiraj with war-effort item turn-ins and faction-themed rewards rather than a combat brawl.

January 23

• Grim Campfire Toy Twitch Drop - Watching any Dragonflight stream on Twitch for four hours between January 23 and January 30, with a linked Battle.net account, earned the Grim Campfire toy.
• PvP Brawl: Southshore vs. Tarren Mill - The nostalgia-soaked Hillsbrad slugfest rotated back in for the week, throwing the Horde and Alliance at each other in open-field warfare.
• World Quest Bonus Event - The weekly bonus boosted World Quest reputation gains by 50% across the Dragon Isles, a strong window for closing out Renown grinds.

January 26

• Blues News - Blizzard's regular developer round-up arrived midweek, collecting the latest blue-post updates and clarifications in one place.

With the week's calendar covered, here are the questions players asked most about late-January 2024 in World of Warcraft.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Season of Discovery Phase 2 go live?

Phase 2 launched February 8, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. PST (21:00 GMT). It raised the level cap to 40 and opened the retuned Gnomeregan raid as the phase's flagship piece of content.

What was the level cap in Season of Discovery Phase 2?

Phase 2 lifted the cap from 25 to 40 and granted roughly 31 extra talent points, along with a new round of Rune Engraving discoveries that unlocked fresh abilities for every class.

How did you sign up for the AWC and MDI in 2024?

Both ladders took registration through Raider.IO. Arena World Championship sign-ups closed January 26 and Mythic Dungeon International Dragonflight Season 3 sign-ups closed January 29, 2024.

How did you get the Grim Campfire Toy?

The toy was a Twitch watch-to-earn drop. Watching four hours of any Dragonflight stream between January 23 and January 30, 2024 with a linked Battle.net account unlocked it automatically.

What was the Call of the Scarab event?

Call of the Scarab is an annual micro-holiday from January 21 to 23 that marks the historic opening of the Gates of Ahn'Qiraj. It centers on war-effort turn-ins and faction-themed rewards, not a combat event.

Was Patch 10.2.6 announced yet in January 2024?

No. As of January 22, 2024 Patch 10.2.6 was still unannounced, which is why this digest leads with "still no 10.2.6 news." It was later revealed as Plunderstorm and released March 19, 2024.

Guardians of the Dream stayed the content to beat this week. Players chasing the season's loot can book a current raid clear with WowCarry's team. Last reviewed 2026-06-22 against Patch 10.2.5 Seeds of Renewal. Maintained by WowCarry's WoW team.