WoW Forever

What is WoW Forever?

World of Warcraft: Forever is Blizzard’s new, permanent version of World of Warcraft that sits alongside modern WoW and WoW Classic. It returns players to the original continents, Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor, with a level 60 cap. The story is set after the events of Warcraft III Reforged: Forsaken Kingdom and before Molten Core.

Blizzard is explicit that this new classic line “is not a mode, a season, or a new version of Classic.” It is meant to be an evergreen game that keeps growing, guided by four design pillars: approachable and familiar, the world as the main character, the journey before the destination, and protecting the social experience.

How is it different from WoW Classic?

Classic recreates the 2004–2006 game as faithfully as possible. Forever starts from the same “classic principles” but adds new content: new and reimagined zones such as Mount Hyjal, Shen’dralas, the Riverglades and Zephras Isle, more than a thousand new quests across levels 1–60, nine new dungeons, the raids Hyjal Summit and the Barrow Deeps, a 15v15 battleground, and the new Skyborne race. Blizzard says there will be no flying mounts and no level scaling. See our full WoW Forever vs Classic comparison.

Does it cost extra?

Blizzard says access is included with a World of Warcraft Subscription or Game Time. Optional upgrade editions (Skyborne Heroic Pack, Skyborne Epic Pack, Warcraft Forever Collection) add cosmetics, the Skyborne race, beta access and more. Prices for each edition: TODO: verify — edition prices per region on the Battle.net Shop. Details on the price page.

How do you play?

Install the Battle.net app, make sure your account has an active subscription or Game Time, and select WoW Forever from the game version dropdown on the World of Warcraft tab. Step-by-step instructions are on the download page.

When does it launch?

November 4, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. PST, globally. That is 23:00 UTC, 6:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 p.m. in the UK and midnight in central Europe. See the release date page for every time zone.

Who is WoW Forever for?

Blizzard pitches Forever at three groups, and it helps to know which one you are before launch night.

• Returning Classic players. If you liked the slow leveling, dungeon groups and world PvP of original WoW but have run through the same content many times, Forever offers new zones, quests and dungeons inside the same ruleset. No flying, no level scaling, and a level 60 cap all carry over.
• Modern WoW players. One subscription covers the game, so it is an easy second home. Expect a slower pace: leveling matters as much as endgame, and Blizzard says it is “being thoughtful about convenience.”
• New players. Official gamepad support, HD and SD character models, and visual presets are meant to make the old world more approachable. The class quiz on our classes page is a good starting point.

What is new in WoW Forever at launch

Blizzard has announced the following content for the evergreen classic version. Exact availability on day one is not always stated, so treat the raid timing as Blizzard describes it.

Area	Announced content
Zones	Mount Hyjal, Shen’dralas, Riverglades, Zephras Isle (Skyborne start, 1–12)
Quests	1,000+ new quests across levels 1–60
Dungeons	Nine new, including Hall of Thanes, Ruins of Lordaeron, City of Dalaran
Raids	Hyjal Summit (20-player), Barrow Deeps (10-player); new raids unlock Dec 9
PvP	Darkspear Islands, 15 vs 15 battleground
Race	Skyborne, playable by Horde and Alliance
Systems	Legacy progression, Camping, opt-in Transmog, HD/SD models, gamepad support

TODO: verify — which dungeons and zones are open on launch day versus added later.

WoW Forever launch checklist

Work through this list in the final weeks so launch night goes smoothly.

1. Check your subscription or Game Time is active on November 4. The Epic Pack and Collection add 30 days starting that day.
2. Install the Battle.net app and pre-install the client as soon as Blizzard allows it. TODO: verify — pre-install date
3. Reserve names between October 27 and November 3 (PST) if you own any upgrade; up to three characters.
4. Send Invite-A-Friend codes to friends; codes arrive by email from October 20.
5. Pick a class and faction with your group so you start in the same zone.
6. Secure your account with an authenticator before the busy launch week.
7. Bookmark the patch notes and news log for any last-minute changes.

WoW Forever key dates

• Sept 17, 2026 — Beta opens for Epic Pack and Collection owners (beta guide).
• Oct 20 — Invite-A-Friend codes start arriving.
• Oct 21 — Beta ends.
• Oct 27 – Nov 3 — Early Name Reservation.
• Nov 4, 3:00 p.m. PST — Global launch.
• Dec 9 — New raids unlock.
• Jan 11, 2027 — Last day for the Warcraft Forever Collection.

All dates are Pacific time as published by Blizzard.