WoW Forever Release Date and Beta

World of Warcraft: Forever launches worldwide on November 4, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. PST, and the beta ran from September 17 to October 23. Every date Blizzard has announced, from the beta to the 2027 updates, on one page.

Compiled from Blizzard's announcements, roadmap, store page and support articles; Blizzard notes that content and timing can change. Last reviewed: September 19, 2026.

WoW Forever launch

Wednesday, November 4, 2026 · 3:00 PM PST

Your time: Wed, Nov 4, 3:00 PM PST

–Days

–Hours

–Minutes

–Seconds

Beta · Sep 17 – Oct 23
Name reservation · Oct 27
First raids · Dec 9

WoW Forever launch time around the world

One global launch: in Europe, Asia and Australia it is already November 5.

Los Angeles3:00 PMWed, Nov 4 · PST
Denver4:00 PMWed, Nov 4 · MST
Chicago5:00 PMWed, Nov 4 · CST
New York6:00 PMWed, Nov 4 · EST
São Paulo8:00 PMWed, Nov 4 · GMT-3
London11:00 PMWed, Nov 4 · GMT
Paris · Berlin12:00 AMThu, Nov 5 · GMT+1
Moscow2:00 AMThu, Nov 5 · GMT+3
Singapore7:00 AMThu, Nov 5 · GMT+8
Seoul · Tokyo8:00 AMThu, Nov 5 · GMT+9
Sydney10:00 AMThu, Nov 5 · GMT+11

WoW Forever beta: dates and access

Beta dates: Sep 17 – Oct 23; extended; closes 10:00 a.m. PDT on the last day
Level cap: 20 → 30; starts at 20, then 30 for the rest of beta
Game Time: Not needed; beta access still required
Guaranteed access: Epic Pack; or the Collection or Collector’s Edition

What the current build holds, what to test and the known issues are on the WoW Forever beta page.

Three ways into the beta

Guaranteed

Skyborne Epic Pack or Warcraft Forever Collection

Access is added to your account automatically. No code to redeem.

Guaranteed

Collector's Edition

A beta code arrives by email; redeem it on the account you play on.

A chance

Website opt-in

Free, but not guaranteed. Blizzard’s beta announcement lists opting in as a way to get a chance at access.

Blizzard also invites testers itself: its September 18 WoW Weekly says that over the course of the test it will invite community veterans, press, fansites, friends and family to try what’s ahead and share their feedback. Testing has started, so accounts with access see the beta in the Battle.net app. Step-by-step help: Blizzard Support on beta access.

What each edition includes

WoW Forever editions compared (US prices)
Edition	Price	Beta	Skyborne race	Name reservation	30 days Game Time	Invite-A-Friend codes
Skyborne Heroic Pack	$29.99	–	✓	✓	–	1
Skyborne Epic Pack	$59.99	✓	✓	✓	✓	3
Warcraft Forever Collection	$79.99	✓	✓	✓	✓	Included
Collector's Edition	Gear Store	✓	✓	✓	✓	Included

The Collection adds Warcraft III: Reforged and its Forsaken Kingdom campaign; the Collector’s Edition is a physical box with a Collection code.

WoW Forever timeline: every announced date

Sep 17, 2026
Live Q&A
The Forever segment was scheduled for 10:30 a.m. PDT, after the Midnight segment at 10:00 a.m. PDT, on the official Warcraft Twitch and YouTube channels. Blizzard’s news post for the Q&A now has the recording. The beta opened later the same day.
Sep 17 – Oct 23, 2026
Beta
Open now. Starts at level 20, then 30 for the rest of the test. Progress does not carry to launch.
Oct 8, 2026
PAX Aus keynote and a new dungeon deep dive
Holly Longdale opens PAX Aus at 6:00 p.m. PDT, with Clay Stone showing one of Forever’s new dungeons in depth. Live on the Warcraft and PAX Twitch channels; the beta is playable at the show.
Oct 21, 2026
Server Slam: the beta open to anyone for a few hours
Blizzard moved the Stress Test from October 19 to October 21. The beta goes offline and WoW: Forever opens on the regional hardware it will run on at launch: at 19:00 CEST in Europe, 2:00 p.m. PDT in the Americas and Oceania, and 5:00 a.m. (Taipei) and 6:00 a.m. (Korea) on October 22. Any WoW account can join, no subscription needed. It ends at 03:00 CEST in Europe and 6:00 p.m. PDT in the Americas (9:00 a.m. in Taipei, 10:00 a.m. in Korea); then every Stress Test character and name is deleted and the beta reopens until it closes for good on October 23.
Oct 20, 2026
Invite-A-Friend codes go out by email
Oct 27 – Nov 3, 2026
Early name reservation and character creation
Up to 3 characters, with any upgrade.
Nov 4, 2026
Launch
3:00 PM PST, worldwide.
Nov 4 – 11, 2026
Invite-A-Friend week
Invited friends play without a subscription.
Dec 9, 2026
First raids unlock
Barrow Deeps (10), Hyjal Summit (20) and Onyxia’s Lair (40).
Jan 11, 2027
Warcraft Forever Collection leaves the store
Winter
Hardcore launches
Spring 2027
Major update
Two raids, two dungeons, new quests and area, a legendary questline, PvP season refresh.
Summer 2027
Major update
A revamped iconic raid, a new raid, two dungeons, more world content, PvP, professions and Legacy updates.

The World of Warcraft: Forever roadmap for 2026 and 2027, from beta through the summer update — Blizzard's 2026–2027 roadmap, from the What's Next panel recap. Content and timing can change. Image: Blizzard Entertainment.

Do you need to buy WoW Forever?

Base game

Included with WoW

A subscription or Game Time covers Forever from launch, with 1,000+ new quests promised on the store page.

No paid skip

No Token or boosts planned

Associate Production Director Clay Stone said Blizzard has no plans for a WoW Token or a paid level boost. That is “no plans”, not a forever promise.

Optional

Upgrades

Add the Skyborne race, beta access, name reservation and cosmetics; Epic and Collection add 30 days of Game Time.

Good to know

Digital now, Collector's Edition later

Redeem the Collector’s Edition code by Dec 31, 2027 and the digital purchase comes back as Battle.net Balance.

An optional extra beside the game: two paid addons with a leveling route inside the game, compared in Zygor vs RestedXP for WoW Forever (the comparison contains affiliate links).

WoW Forever release date FAQ

When does WoW Forever come out?

November 4, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. PST, worldwide. In Europe, Asia and Australia that is November 5.

What time does WoW Forever launch in Europe?

Wed, Nov 4, 11:00 PM GMT in the UK and Thu, Nov 5, 12:00 AM GMT+1 in Central Europe.

What time does WoW Forever launch in Asia and Australia?

Thu, Nov 5, 7:00 AM GMT+8 in Singapore, Thu, Nov 5, 8:00 AM GMT+9 in Seoul and Tokyo, and Thu, Nov 5, 10:00 AM GMT+11 in Sydney.

Is the WoW Forever beta live?

Yes. Blizzard's post says the beta begins September 17 and is available through October 21, and that you get in by opting in for a chance or by owning a bundle that includes beta access.

When does the WoW Forever beta start and end?

It opened September 17 and closes on October 23, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. PDT: Blizzard extended it on October 20, after the October 21 stress test. The roadmap graphic had shown October 22.

How do I get into the WoW Forever beta?

Buy the Skyborne Epic Pack, the Warcraft Forever Collection or the Collector's Edition for guaranteed access, or opt in on the World of Warcraft website for a chance. Blizzard's beta announcement lists both. Blizzard's September 18 WoW Weekly adds that over the course of the test, it will also invite community veterans, press, fansites, friends and family.

Is the WoW Forever beta free?

It doesn't need Game Time, but you still need beta access from one of those editions or through the opt-in.

What level can you reach in the WoW Forever beta?

It starts at level 20, then the cap rises to 30 and stays there for the rest of the beta, according to a BlizzCon interview with Clay Stone and Nora Mills. The roadmap graphic only showed the 30 cap.

When is the WoW Forever stress test?

October 21, 2026 (Blizzard moved it from October 19): 19:00 CEST in Europe and 2:00 p.m. PDT in the Americas and Oceania, which is 5:00 a.m. in Taipei and 6:00 a.m. in Korea on October 22. Blizzard first takes the beta offline, then opens WoW: Forever on the regional servers it will use at launch.

Is the WoW Forever stress test free?

Yes. Any player with a WoW account can join, and no active subscription is needed, according to Blizzard’s announcement.

How long is the WoW Forever stress test, and do characters carry over?

Four hours in the Americas, 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. PDT, and eight in Europe, 19:00 to 03:00 CEST (5:00 to 9:00 a.m. in Taipei, 6:00 to 10:00 a.m. in Korea), by Blizzard’s schedule. When it ends, every character is deleted, names included, and the beta reopens. Nothing carries over to launch.

How do I download the WoW Forever beta?

Testing has started, so accounts with access see it in the Battle.net app.

Does beta progress carry over to launch?

No. In that same interview, Blizzard said everyone starts at level 1 on launch.

Are there known issues in the WoW Forever beta?

Yes. Blizzard posted a list on the day the beta opened: barber chairs throw a Lua error, character friends are disabled in the beta and the minimap can sit partly off the screen, among others. Some items are marked as fixed in the next build, others as still being worked on.

Can EU players join the WoW Forever beta?

Yes, but the beta is hosted in the US: Blizzard says its beta and test environments always are. After EU testers reported lag and disconnects in the first days, Blizzard said it had improved routing to the beta for Europe; problems that remain can come from internet providers or firewall software on the player’s side.

When was the WoW Forever Live Q&A?

Thursday, September 17, 2026. The Forever segment was scheduled for 10:30 a.m. PDT, after the Midnight segment at 10:00 a.m. PDT, on the official Warcraft Twitch and YouTube channels. Developers from the modern WoW and Forever teams answered questions gathered from players; the recording is now on Blizzard’s news post for the Q&A, and the beta opened later the same day.

Will WoW Forever have a Token or character boosts?

Clay Stone said Blizzard has no plans for a WoW Token or a paid boost. That is “no plans”, not a permanent promise.

Can I reserve my character name before launch?

Yes, with any upgrade: October 27 to November 3, up to 3 characters, first come, first served.

When do the first WoW Forever raids open?

December 9: the Barrow Deeps (10 players), Hyjal Summit (20) and Onyxia's Lair (40).

When does WoW Forever Hardcore come out?

In the winter after launch, on Blizzard's roadmap. No exact date yet.

Do I need to buy WoW Forever?

No. It comes with a WoW subscription or Game Time; the upgrades are optional.

Still unconfirmed

The exact date the beta cap rises from 20 to 30
When players who opted in get access
The unlock time on December 9
Prices outside the US
The date Hardcore launches

Sources

How we choose and check sources