World of Warcraft Is Getting Its First Official Pride Event This June

World of Warcraft is adding its first official in-game Pride event, and it is directly inspired by a community-run initiative that has been raising money for LGBTQ+ charity for over a decade.

The event is called the "Darkspear Dash" and is set to arrive as part of patch 12.0.5.

According to datamining reports by Wowhead, it will run from June 27 to June 29, timed to coincide with Pride Month.

Players will gather at the Echo Isles, the starting zone for Troll characters, and then parade their way across Azeroth to Silvermoon City, where the festivities will wrap up with an "extravagant pool party."

Image credit: Blizzard

The Darkspear Dash is based on the Running of the Trolls, a fan-organized event that has been held every June on the US Feathermoon server since 2016. It is run by WarcraftCares, a community group that organizes the march to raise funds for The Trevor Project, a nonprofit focused on suicide prevention and mental health support for LGBTQ+ youth. The event has been a staple of the WoW community for years, and back in 2018 alone, it raised over $4,000 for the cause.

As per the datamined assets shared by Wowhead, players who participate in the Darkspear Dash will be able to earn a tabard and a rainbow-themed toy. Trading Post activities related to the event are also reportedly in the works. Blizzard has not made an official announcement yet, so some details may still change before the event goes live.

One logistical wrinkle worth noting is the location. Silvermoon City recently received a full visual overhaul as part of the Midnight expansion. The new version of the city is only accessible to players who own the expansion. This could potentially lock out some players from the full experience, and Blizzard will likely address this before the event officially launches.

World of Warcraft has been around for over two decades, and this is the first time it is holding an official Pride event. At the same time, this is happening in a broader gaming landscape where some titles have been stepping back from similar celebrations. Old School RuneScape, for instance, cancelled its own Pride event, with its CEO citing that it had "now become controversial."

Blizzard moving in the opposite direction, and choosing to formalize a community event with real charitable roots, is a meaningful step.

The Darkspear Dash is expected to go live on June 27, assuming the datamined details hold up once Blizzard makes its official announcement. More information will likely surface as the date draws closer.