World of Warcraft Adding Recolors of Rare Mounts, But There\'s a Catch

Summary

• Two exclusive Chinese World of Warcraft mounts, the Blazing Royal Fire Hawk and the Golden Ashes of Al'ar, reimagine rare drops from the original game.
• Available through special promotions in WoW China starting January 15th, these mounts offer unique visual enhancements.
• The Blazing Royal Fire Hawk features auspicious clouds, while the Golden Ashes of Al'ar pays tribute to Kael'thas Sunstrider.

World of Warcraft China is introducing two new mounts: the Blazing Royal Fire Hawk and the Golden Ashes of Al'ar. These stunning mounts, unavailable in other regions, are reimagined versions of the incredibly rare Pureblood Fire Hawk and Ashes of Al'ar. Their arrival follows the successful return of World of Warcraft, Diablo IV, and Overwatch 2 to China after a partnership renewal between NetEase and Blizzard. This return was celebrated with events like the unveiling of a Lightforged Gorehowl statue and the introduction of the teleporting Xiao Liu pet.

Now, WoW China players can look forward to acquiring these coveted mounts. The Blazing Royal Fire Hawk and Golden Ashes of Al'ar are visually enhanced versions of their original counterparts. Both firebird mounts will be available through separate promotions starting January 15th and will reportedly be usable in both modern and Classic WoW.

New Chinese World of Warcraft Promotional Mounts

• Blazing Royal Fire Hawk
• Golden Ashes of Al'ar

The Blazing Royal Fire Hawk closely resembles the Pureblood Fire Hawk (a rare drop from Ragnaros in WoW: Cataclysm's Firelands raid), but features auspicious clouds ("xiangyun") within its wings while flying. These clouds, symbolic of peace, immortality, and good fortune, hold deep cultural significance in China. The Golden Ashes of Al'ar, a gilded version of the original Ashes of Al'ar (dropped by Kael'thas Sunstrider in The Burning Crusade's The Eye raid), boasts a stylish black saddle and evocative flavor text referencing Kael'thas' iconic line: "The golden Al'ar, beloved pet of Kael'thas Sunstrider, proves that death is merely a setback."

The Blazing Royal Fire Hawk is obtainable through an event called the Treasure Workshop, details of which remain scarce. The Golden Ashes of Al'ar, however, is acquired from Landro's Loot Box, costing ¥200 (approximately $27). Each box contains one of eight items, including other prestigious prizes such as the X-51 Nether Rocket X-TREME and the Swift Spectral Tiger (an extremely rare mount from World of Warcraft's discontinued TCG). Players can team up to purchase loot boxes, earning bonus crates upon reaching certain spending milestones.

While there's currently no indication of an international release for these mounts, unlike the Xiao Liu pet, the possibility remains open. For now, players outside China can only admire these magnificent mounts from afar.