World of Warcraft Afterlives animated series premieres Aug. 27

Get to know the Shadowlands Covenants.

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What you need to know

Blizzard Entertainment regularly uses gorgeous animated shorts to promote upcoming games and content, and it’s kicking off the countdown to thefall releaseofWorld of Warcraft: Shadowlandson Aug. 27 as part ofGamescom Opening Night Live.

Starting at 11 a.m. PT, the two hour virtual event hosted by Geoff Keighley of the Game Awards will provide updates on some of the biggest upcoming titles. It will also include the world premiere of Afterlives, a series of four animated shorts based on theCovenantsof Shadowlands. The four factions rule the realm of the dead and players will interact with all of them and eventually choose one to side with when they reach max level.

The Afterlives animations employ the same gorgeous style most recently used for the Warbringers animations ahead of and after the release ofWorld of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth. Expect a glimpse of some of the key characters and plot points you’ll encounter early in the new game. You can watch the event and join the hyped up discussion here:

Get back in the game

The story of Battle for Azeroth is now complete and you can try to experience as much of it as possible before Shadowlands releases. Having extra gold will also make it easier to get into the expansion.

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