What was The Burning Crusade's NA and EU release date?

What was The Burning Crusade’s NA and EU release date? The Burning Crusade released in North America and Europe on January 16, 2007. It launched at local midnight across those regions, making the date one of the most important milestones in World of Warcraft’s expansion history.

The Burning Crusade was World of Warcraft’s first expansion. It opened the Dark Portal and sent players to Outland, the shattered remains of the orcish homeworld Draenor. The expansion raised the level cap from 60 to 70, added the Blood Elf and Draenei races, and introduced new zones, dungeons, raids, and flying mounts.

The date can cause confusion because the worldwide rollout was staggered. Australia and New Zealand received the game on January 17, while South Korea and several Asian markets received it later. The question specifically asks for North America and Europe, where January 16 is the shared release date.

The launch was a major commercial event. Nearly 2.4 million copies were sold during the first 24 hours, and first-month sales reached roughly 3.5 million. Later expansions used different dates, including Wrath of the Lich King in 2008 and Cataclysm in 2010, explaining the tempting alternatives.