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

Summary

• The Blazing Royal Fire Hawk and Golden Ashes of Al’ar are exclusive Chinese WoW mounts, reimagined from the rare Pureblood Fire Hawk and Ashes of Al’ar.
• These mounts will be available through special promotions in WoW China starting January 15.
• The Blazing Royal Fire Hawk features auspicious clouds, while the Golden Ashes of Al’ar honors Kael’thas Sunstrider.

World of Warcraft enthusiasts in China have something exciting to look forward to: the introduction of the Blazing Royal Fire Hawk and the Golden Ashes of Al’ar mounts. These exclusive rewards are part of two unique promotions kicking off on January 15. While these stunning mounts are currently only available in China, they are reimagined versions of the highly sought-after Pureblood Fire Hawk and Ashes of Al’ar, both of which are rare drops from raid bosses in the game.

Following the reestablishment of the partnership between NetEase and Blizzard last year, World of Warcraft, along with other popular titles like Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2, made a triumphant return to the Chinese gaming scene. The celebration of this return included the creation of a Lightforged Gorehowl statue and the introduction of the Xiao Liu pet, which boasts a teleportation feature.

Now, WoW China is gearing up for yet another exciting promotion, introducing new versions of these coveted mounts. The Blazing Royal Fire Hawk and the Golden Ashes of Al’ar are not just recolored versions but come with unique elements. The Blazing Royal Fire Hawk, while resembling the Pureblood Fire Hawk from the Firelands raid in WoW: Cataclysm, features xiangyun or "auspicious clouds" within its wings—a symbol of peace, immortality, and good fortune deeply rooted in Chinese culture for over 3000 years. On the other hand, the Golden Ashes of Al’ar is a gilded take on the phoenix mount from The Burning Crusade's The Eye raid, complete with a stylish black saddle and flavor text that echoes Kael’thas Sunstrider’s iconic line: "The golden Al'ar, beloved pet of Kael'thas Sunstrider, proves that death is merely a setback."

New Chinese World of Warcraft Promotion Mounts

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

The Blazing Royal Fire Hawk can be obtained through an event called the Treasure Workshop, though the specifics of this event are still under wraps. Meanwhile, the Golden Ashes of Al’ar is available through Landro’s Loot Box, which costs ¥200 (approximately $27). Each box contains one of eight items, with other high-value rewards like the X-51 Nether Rocket X-TREME and the Swift Spectral Tiger—a rare mount from the discontinued World of Warcraft Trading Card Game. Players can also form teams to purchase these loot boxes, earning additional crates when they reach certain spending thresholds.

Although the Xiao Liu pet has seen an international release, there's no current indication that the Blazing Royal Fire Hawk or Golden Ashes of Al’ar will be available globally. Until then, players outside of China can only admire these breathtaking mounts from a distance.