WOW Forever Release - WOW Forever Date

The WoW Forever release is three days away. Blizzard has set the WoW Forever release date for Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. PST - one global launch, which is already Thursday, November 5, in Europe, Asia and Australia. This is our launch guide for the final week: the WoW Forever launch date and time in every region, a live countdown in your own time zone, how to pre-download the game, what you need to play, what you'll find when you log in, and the dates that come after launch.

WoW Forever release in

WoW Forever release: Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. PST (23:00 UTC) - Thursday, November 5, in Europe, Asia and Australia.

WoW Forever release date: November 4, 2026, 3:00 p.m. PST, with the launch time in Europe, Korea and Australia and the first raids on December 9 — WoW Forever goes live worldwide on November 4 at 3:00 p.m. PST.

WoW Forever release date: the short version

Release date: Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. PST (23:00 UTC). Blizzard calls it “launching worldwide November 4 at 3:00 pm PST”.
Europe: Thursday, November 5, at 00:00 CET - 11:00 p.m. on November 4 in the UK.
Asia and Australia: November 5 - 7:00 a.m. in Taiwan, 8:00 a.m. in Korea and 10:00 a.m. in Sydney.
To play: a World of Warcraft subscription or Game Time. The upgrade packs are optional.
Pre-download: you can install WoW Forever now in the Battle.net app.
Launch week: Invite-A-Friend codes let friends play free from November 4 to 11.
First raids: December 9 - Barrow Deeps, Hyjal Summit and Onyxia's Lair.

WoW Forever release time in every region

There's one moment for the whole world: 23:00 UTC on November 4. Blizzard's launch announcement lists it for its regions as 3:00 p.m. PST in the Americas, 8:00 p.m. in Brazil, 11:00 p.m. in the UK, midnight CET in Europe, 7:00 a.m. on November 5 in Taiwan, 8:00 a.m. in Korea and 10:00 a.m. AEDT in Australia and New Zealand. Here's the WoW Forever launch time in more cities:

Los Angeles, Vancouver (PST): Wednesday, November 4, 3:00 p.m.
Denver (MST): Wednesday, November 4, 4:00 p.m.
Chicago, Mexico City (CST): Wednesday, November 4, 5:00 p.m.
New York, Toronto (EST): Wednesday, November 4, 6:00 p.m.
São Paulo, Buenos Aires: Wednesday, November 4, 8:00 p.m.
London, Dublin, Lisbon (GMT): Wednesday, November 4, 11:00 p.m.
Berlin, Paris, Madrid, Rome (CET): Thursday, November 5, midnight (12:00 a.m.)
Athens, Helsinki, Kyiv, Cairo: Thursday, November 5, 1:00 a.m.
Istanbul, Moscow, Riyadh: Thursday, November 5, 2:00 a.m.
Dubai: Thursday, November 5, 3:00 a.m.
Delhi, Mumbai (IST): Thursday, November 5, 4:30 a.m.
Bangkok, Jakarta: Thursday, November 5, 6:00 a.m.
Singapore, Taipei, Manila, Perth: Thursday, November 5, 7:00 a.m.
Seoul, Tokyo: Thursday, November 5, 8:00 a.m.
Brisbane: Thursday, November 5, 9:00 a.m.
Sydney, Melbourne (AEDT): Thursday, November 5, 10:00 a.m.
Auckland (NZDT): Thursday, November 5, noon

These are the clock times on launch day. Europe left summer time on October 25 and the US leaves it today, November 1, so the northern times above are already winter times, while Australia and New Zealand are on summer time. The countdown at the top of this page shows the exact time in your own time zone.

Tip: there's no head start. Owning an upgrade pack let you reserve names and create characters early, but everyone logs in to play at the same moment - so if you're in Europe or Asia, this is a midnight or early-morning launch.

Is WoW Forever out yet?

Not yet. The beta closed on October 23, the free stress test was on October 21, and early name reservation for upgrade pack owners ran from October 27 to November 3. Those characters are kept for launch - they're the ones you'll play - but nobody can quest until the servers open on November 4. For the background on those dates, see our beta end and name reservation articles.

The road to the WoW Forever release

Blizzard announced WoW Forever at BlizzCon 2026, and the last two months have moved quickly. Here's how we got to launch day:

September 17: the beta opens for upgrade pack buyers who had beta access, running to level 30.
October 1 to 18: class and racial tuning through the beta, and The Forever Open, the $100,000 level 30 duel tournament, won by a Warlock (our report).
October 21: the free stress test, open to anyone with a WoW account (stress test guide).
October 23: the beta closes for good, two days later than first planned.
October 26: Blizzard changes several racials, the day before name reservation (every change).
October 27 to November 3: early name reservation and character creation for upgrade pack owners.
November 4: the WoW Forever release.

Every beta and stress test character was deleted, so everyone starts fresh at launch - apart from the characters made during name reservation, which are kept but are still level 1.

Which platforms WoW Forever releases on

WoW Forever releases on PC (Windows) and Mac through the Battle.net app. It isn't coming to PlayStation, Xbox or Switch at launch - our console article covers what Blizzard has said about a console version and controller support. It also isn't officially supported on Steam Deck, but it runs through Proton; our Steam Deck guide explains the setup.

What you need to play WoW Forever

WoW Forever isn't sold on its own and it isn't free to play. Blizzard's pre-purchase page says access comes with a World of Warcraft subscription or Game Time - the same one that covers today's WoW and Classic. If you already subscribe, you don't need to buy anything else.

Subscription or Game Time: required to play from November 4.
Skyborne Heroic Pack ($29.99): the Skyborne race and their Zephras Isle starting zone, cosmetics and one Invite-A-Friend code.
Skyborne Epic Pack ($59.99): everything in Heroic, plus 30 days of Game Time from November 4, more cosmetics and two more Invite-A-Friend codes.
Warcraft Forever Collection ($79.99): everything in Epic, plus Warcraft III: Reforged with the Forsaken Kingdom campaign.

Prices are US prices; the Battle.net Shop shows yours. Our price and editions guide compares them in full, including the $150 Collector's Edition. The only edition that changes what you can play is any pack with the Skyborne: without one, you can't make a Skyborne character.

WoW Forever, Classic and modern WoW

WoW Forever doesn't replace either of the games you may already play. In its weekly news post before launch, Blizzard describes Forever as a permanent home for its community alongside modern WoW and Classic (WoW Weekly), and it has its own starter guide for new players and a separate one for returning players. The same subscription or Game Time covers all three, and you switch between them with the Game Version menu in the Battle.net app.

That also means Forever has its own characters, gold and progress. Nothing carries over from Classic or modern WoW, and the Legacy System, which rewards you for levelling alts and maxing professions, only counts what you do in Forever.

How to pre-download WoW Forever

You don't have to wait for launch day to download. Blizzard's own prepare-to-launch checklist, published with the name reservation announcement on October 20, tells players to install WoW Forever ahead of time, and the client is available now, as wowforevergame.wiki confirms. The steps:

Update your graphics drivers.
Open the Battle.net app and let it finish updating.
Select World of Warcraft in your game list.
In the Game Version menu above the Play button, choose World of Warcraft: Forever - not the beta.
Select Install. When it's done, you'll choose a Ruleset the first time you press Play.

Blizzard hasn't published a download size for WoW Forever; players on its forums report roughly 12 GB, according to the same wiki. Plan for more than that: the system requirements ask for an SSD with 128 GB free, and launch-day patches can add to the download.

Check your PC now: some graphics cards that run today's WoW won't start Forever at all. Our system requirements guide lists the minimum (a GeForce GTX 10 or Radeon RX 5000 series card, 8 GB of RAM and an SSD) and the cards that are cut off.

Your first login: presets, models and Rulesets

The first time you log in, WoW Forever asks you a few questions that Classic never did. Here's what Blizzard's launch announcement says about each:

Experience Preset: you choose Classic or Enhanced. Blizzard's advice: “If you are not sure which to choose, start with Enhanced.” You can change your settings later under Game Menu, then Options.
Character models: every new character can use High Definition or Standard Definition models. It only changes how your character looks.
Rulesets: Normal, PvP, Roleplay and Roleplay PvP. Blizzard describes each one as “a broad player ecosystem rather than a single traditional realm”. Hardcore comes later.
Names: there are no realms, so every character has two names, and the full combination is unique across your region.

Pick your Ruleset with your friends before launch night. Each Ruleset is its own player community, so if you want to quest and trade together, make your characters on the same one.

What's in WoW Forever at release

WoW Forever is the original world rebuilt as its own game, set, in Blizzard's words, “after the events of Warcraft III Reforged: Forsaken Kingdom” and “before Molten Core”. At release you get the full levelling journey to 60. According to Blizzard's launch announcement, that includes:

More than 1,000 new quests on the way from 1 to 60.
New and reimagined zones: Mount Hyjal, Shen'dralas, the Riverglades (with more than 150 quests) and Zephras Isle, the Skyborne starting zone for levels 1 to 12.
The Skyborne race: Horde-aligned Windshapers can be Shamans, and Alliance-aligned High-Order Skyborne can be Mages.
New race and class combinations: Orc Mages, Troll Warlocks, Undead Paladins, Human Hunters, Gnome Priests and Dwarf Shamans.
Nine new five-player dungeons for levels 13 to 60.
A new battleground: Battle for the Darkspear Islands, 15 against 15.
Camping: up to three profession-crafted Camp Features at a campsite, one from each player. Sitting or crafting there for at least a minute gives you its benefits.
The Legacy System: account-wide Legacy Challenges, Perks and Rewards. Blizzard says “All character advantages can be unlocked on a single character”.

Raids aren't open at release - the level cap is 60, and the first raids come five weeks later. That leaves launch month for levelling, the new dungeons and getting your pre-raid gear.

Where you start: every starting zone at release

Every race starts in its own zone, as in Classic, apart from the Skyborne, who get a brand-new one:

Human: Northshire, in Elwynn Forest.
Dwarf and Gnome: Coldridge Valley, in Dun Morogh.
Night Elf: Shadowglen, in Teldrassil.
Orc and Troll: the Valley of Trials, in Durotar.
Tauren: Camp Narache, in Mulgore.
Undead: Deathknell, in Tirisfal Glades.
Skyborne: Zephras Isle, for levels 1 to 12, on both sides.

Our WoW Forever leveling guide takes every race except the Skyborne from level 1 to 30, quest by quest, with coordinates - it's built from the quests in the game's own files.

More to do from day one

Dungeons. The nine new dungeons start at level 13 - from Halls of the Thane beneath Ironforge to Blackfang Citadel behind Azshara's sealed gate (all nine). There's no automatic Dungeon Finder: you form groups with the LFG tool and travel to the entrance (how grouping works).

Camping. Every profession builds a camp feature - a tent for Rested XP, a banner for Spirit, a sharpening wheel for Strength - and everyone sitting nearby gets an hour-long buff (camping guide).

PvP. Honor buys gear, Rank Points climb the original 14 ranks with a weekly cap, and the new Battle for the Darkspear Islands is a 15 against 15 battleground for levels 30 to 60 (PvP system, Darkspear Islands).

Launch week: Invite-A-Friend, queues and layering

Invite-A-Friend. Every upgrade pack came with Invite-A-Friend Launch Codes - one with the Heroic Pack, three with the Epic Pack and the Collection - which Blizzard started emailing on October 20. A friend who redeems one can play from November 4 to 11 with no subscription or Game Time. It's the easiest way to bring someone along for launch week.

Queues and layering. WoW Forever has no realms, so a busy launch is handled with layers - copies of the world that split up crowds. Layering was one of the most criticised parts of the beta. As MMOHuts reported on October 25, Blizzard said it would fix players being separated from people they'd met after boat and zeppelin loading screens, and large groups being moved to different layers when entering or leaving capital cities, while keeping some layering permanently and tuning it through launch and after. Associate production director Clay Stone said the team wants to keep a “small-realm-feel”.

Tip: launch nights are busy for every MMO. Install early, have your character ready, and log in a little before the servers open. If you're playing with friends, group up as soon as you're all in.

Launch night, step by step

An hour before: open the Battle.net app, select World of Warcraft: Forever and let any last update finish. A day-one patch is common for any big launch, and you don't want to be downloading it at the start time.
At 23:00 UTC: press Play, choose your Ruleset and either log in with the character you reserved or make a new one.
First minutes: choose your Experience Preset (Enhanced if you're unsure), set up your keybinds and check your addons have updated for the live client.
First hour: follow your starting zone's quests - our leveling guide lists them in order, with the coordinates of every quest giver and target.
If the servers are busy: wait it out rather than restarting the client over and over; a queue or a crowded starting zone is normal on a launch night.

After the release: the WoW Forever roadmap

WoW Forever roadmap after release: launch November 4, Invite-A-Friend week to November 11, first raids December 9, Collection sale ends January 11, 2027, spring and summer 2027 updates — The dates after the WoW Forever release.

November 4 to 11: Invite-A-Friend launch week.
December 9, 2026: the first raids open - Barrow Deeps for 10 players, Hyjal Summit for 20 and Onyxia's Lair for 40. Our raid schedule article has the details.
Hardcore: Blizzard says it “will become available sometime after launch”. PC Games Hardware reports winter 2026/27, with no exact date.
January 11, 2027: the Warcraft Forever Collection's sale ends.
Spring 2027: two new raids, two new dungeons, new quests and a zone, a Legendary questline and a PvP season refresh, according to Blizzard's roadmap as listed by Blizzard Watch.
Summer 2027: a revamped iconic raid, a new raid, more world content, two new dungeons, a PvP season refresh, and Professions and Legacy updates.

Blizzard has only given seasons for 2027, not dates. Blizzard Watch notes that the 2026 dates are firm, while the spring and summer updates could land anywhere in those seasons.

How to get ready for the WoW Forever release

Three days is enough to have everything ready before the servers open. Here's our checklist, with the guides we've written for each step:

Install the game and check your graphics card, as above.
Choose your class: our WoW Forever classes guide covers all nine and the best class for each role, and the tier list ranks every spec.
Choose your race: our races and classes guide lists every combination, and we've simulated the best race for each class after the October 26 racial changes.
Plan your talents in our talent calculator, and read your class's leveling guide - for example the Hunter or Mage leveling guide.
Know your route: our 1-30 leveling guide has every quest for every race, Horde and Alliance.
Plan your Legacy points: our Legacy talents calculator has the best 16-point builds for levelling.
Pick your professions: our professions guide explains the new profession bonuses.
Install your addons: see our addons guide - and our own Forever Upgrades addon.

Our take: a single worldwide launch at 3:00 p.m. on the US West Coast is the fair way to do it - nobody gets a head start - but it puts Europe at midnight and most of Asia before breakfast. If that's you, pre-download tonight, have your Ruleset and class decided, and treat the first evening as a sprint: the starting zones are never as busy again as in the first few hours.

WoW Forever release date FAQ

When is the WoW Forever release date? Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. PST - November 5 in Europe, Asia and Australia.
What time does WoW Forever launch in the UK? 11:00 p.m. GMT on November 4.
What time does WoW Forever launch in Europe? Midnight CET, the start of November 5.
What time does WoW Forever launch in Australia? 10:00 a.m. AEDT on November 5.
Does every region launch at the same time? Yes - one global launch at 23:00 UTC.
Is there early access? No. Upgrade pack owners could reserve names and create characters early, but play starts for everyone at the same time.
Can I pre-download WoW Forever? Yes, through the Battle.net app now.
Is WoW Forever free? No. You need a World of Warcraft subscription or Game Time; friends with an Invite-A-Friend code can play free from November 4 to 11.
Do beta characters carry over? No. Beta and stress test characters were deleted; only characters made during early name reservation carry into launch.
When do raids open? December 9, 2026.
Is WoW Forever on PS5 or Xbox? Not at launch. It releases on PC and Mac.
Is there a Dungeon Finder? No automatic one - you group with the LFG tool and travel to the dungeon.
Where do Skyborne start? On Zephras Isle, a new starting zone for levels 1 to 12.
When does Hardcore come out? Sometime after launch; Blizzard hasn't given a date.