If you're asking "is the WoW Forever beta over?" - it is, or will be within hours. After a two-day extension, Blizzard closes the WoW: Forever beta for good today, Friday, October 23, at 10 a.m. PDT. Here's the exact beta end time in every region, why it was extended, and the three dates that come next: name reservation, launch and the free Invite-A-Friend week.
The short version
- WoW Forever beta end time: Friday, October 23, 10 a.m. PDT (1 p.m. EDT, 6 p.m. BST, 7 p.m. CEST).
- Beta extended: it was due to end on October 21, the day of the stress test. Blizzard added two more days.
- Name reservation: opens October 27 (1 p.m. PDT in North America, 18:00 CET in Europe) and runs to November 3.
- Launch: November 4, 3 p.m. PST.
- Friend codes: Invite-A-Friend codes let a friend play free during launch week, November 4 to 11.
When does the WoW Forever beta end?
The beta closes on Friday, October 23, at 10 a.m. PDT, TechRadar reports - that's 1 p.m. EDT and 6 p.m. BST. In Central Europe it's 7 p.m. CEST; MeinMMO quoted Blizzard's forum that the beta will "definitively close on October 23 at 19:00 CEST."
After that, the beta servers go offline and don't come back. Blizzard hasn't announced another beta, an open beta or a second stress test before launch - the October 21 stress test was the one free look for everyone.
Why the beta was extended
The beta originally ran from September 17 to October 21, according to Blizzard's pre-purchase page. Blizzard extended it to October 23 alongside the regional schedule for the stress test, as reported on October 21. Blizzard didn't give a reason; the extra two days simply gave beta players more time after the stress test, which had taken the beta offline for several hours.
What's next: name reservation time
Early name reservation is the next date for anyone who bought an upgrade pack (Skyborne Heroic Pack, Skyborne Epic Pack or the Warcraft Forever Collection). Warcraft Tavern lists the start times by region:
- North America: Tuesday, October 27, 1 p.m. PDT
- Europe: Tuesday, October 27, 18:00 CET
- Korea: Wednesday, October 28, 07:00 KST
- Taiwan: Wednesday, October 28, 07:00 CST
You can create up to three characters in total, across all Rulesets. Make two on a PvP realm, and you have one left for Normal or Role-Play. In Blizzard's words, quoted by TechRadar: "This restriction only applies to Early Name Reservation." Each character has a first and a last name, and other players can share one of them, but not both. Blizzard's own warning on its pre-purchase page is short: "Desired names cannot be guaranteed."
WoW Forever release date and time
WoW: Forever launches on November 4, 2026, at 3 p.m. PST, per Blizzard. That's already November 5 in Europe and Asia. Our launch time guide has the time for every region.
Friend codes and Invite-A-Friend
Upgrade packs come with Invite-A-Friend Launch Codes - one with the Heroic Pack, three with the Epic Pack and the Collection. Blizzard started emailing them on October 20. A code lets a friend play during launch week, November 4 to 11, without a subscription or Game Time. It doesn't work for the beta or the stress test.
Sources
- Blizzard has extended the beta and is opening WoW name reservations ahead of the game's November launch (TechRadar, October 22, 2026)
- Early Name Reservation Details Announced for WoW Forever (Warcraft Tavern, October 20, 2026)
- WoW: Forever Beta Extended to October 23 as Regional Stress Tests Begin (urgametips, October 21, 2026)
- WoW Forever Stress Test on October 21 live ticker (MeinMMO, October 21, 2026)
- Pre-Purchase World of Warcraft: Forever Upgrades (Blizzard)