New ‘World of Warcraft’ Timewalking Feature Previewed By Blizzard

World of Warcraft‘s next major update, patch 6.2, just went live on the public test realm this week. Aside from adding a new raid, a new dungeon difficulty, a new zone, and much more, a brand new feature is being tested. Timewalking is a system completely fresh to World of Warcraft. Its implementation is important enough to warrant a special preview by Blizzard Entertainment to explain the upcoming feature.

On the official World of Warcraft website, Timewalking is described as a way to experience older dungeons with a new heroic difficulty. Basically, players will be able to queue for a Timewalking dungeon via the dungeon finder tool. The dungeon will require a lower level than the player has currently reached and the Timewalking aspect means that the player will be scaled down to the appropriate level for the dungeon.

Players will retain their gear and abilities while scaled down. However, their strength will be on par with the dungeon. Horde and Alliance will not be constantly running old dungeons, though. Currently, Blizzard Entertainment intends on Timewalking to be two parts of seven new weekend events. World of Warcraft players will only be able to queue up for a Timewalking dungeon during a Timewalking weekend that lasts from noon on a Friday until noon on the following Monday.

“Timewalking will be available to characters who are level 71 and higher for Burning Crusade content, and level 81 and up for Wrath of the Lich King dungeons. It will open up only during certain three-day-long weekend holidays.”

As Blizzard Watch pointed out, Timewalking dungeons will be limited to those selected by Blizzard. Not all dungeons will be available as Timewalking dungeons, even during a Timewalking weekend. World of Warcraft dungeons from the Cataclysm and Mists of Pandaria expansions, for example, are not currently included in the Timewalking preview.

Luckily, players that enter Timewalking dungeons in World of Warcraft will be aptly rewarded. Some gear that was originally found in the dungeon will drop updated versions in a Timewalking dungeon. The piece of gear will simply have an item level appropriate to the character’s level when it drops. This will make older content viable at max level during a Timewalking weekend, since the loot dropped in the dungeon will be for the actual level of the player. More rewards are likely, but the whole system is still in the testing phase for now. Blizzard Entertainment did touch on one possible reward, though.

“We will also be testing additional rewards, such as a level 100 quest that rewards one Seal of Tempered Fate per weekend, so keep an eye on the in-game calendar.”

Timewalking is just one new feature coming to the World of Warcraft with patch 6.2. The Inquisitr reported on a number of other additions to be added to the game with 6.2. Players can expect to travel to the Tanaan Jungle, build a new shipyard in their garrison, defeat bosses in the Hellfire Citadel, and much more when the patch launches. There is no release date yet.

Are you happy with the planned implementation of Timewalking in World of Warcraft?

[Images via Battle.net]