Patch

A patch or build is an update to the game files. Expansions (Patch X) are the most massive type of content patches, adding entire new continents, new playable races or classes, multiple zones, dozens of instances and other game features. Major patches (Patch X.Y) can include new instances, zones and features. Minor patches (Patch X.Y.Z) can also add new game features, instances and scenarios, but tend to focus on updates such as balance changes. Hotfixes are small, instant changes to the game, which are done server-side and require no download or server takedown (majority of the time).

As of 31 January 2005, patches consist of "content patches" (x.y.x), a "minor patch" (x.x.y), hotfixes, or a localization patch.

Starting with Legion, medium-sized patches were introduced as "x.x.5" which may feature some new content such as events or questchains, with patch 7.1.0 being an example of these patches and continuing with the ".5" going forward. Dragonflight extended the medium-sized patches by doing "x.x.7" patches as well such as patch 10.0.7 with more planned.

On Warcraft Wiki, the first patch (unless otherwise noted) of an expansion is called the systems patch but still classify as a content patch above.

• Public client builds
• Known issues
• Localization patch

Patch