WoW Forever: the 4 November launch and what Blizzard revealed

Blizzard revealed World of Warcraft: Forever at BlizzCon on 12 September and says it launches worldwide at 15:00 Pacific time on 4 November 2026. In Europe that is 23:00 UK time on 4 November, which is midnight on 5 November in Central Europe. Blizzard says access will be included with a WoW subscription or game time; the optional upgrade editions add, among other things, the new Skyborne race and its starting zone. The beta that opened on 17 September runs until 21 October, which Blizzard calls the last full day of testing.

Blizzard calls Forever a new permanent home alongside modern WoW and Classic, and says it is not a mode, a season or a new version of Classic. It is set after the events of Warcraft III Reforged: Forsaken Kingdom and before Molten Core, in the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor, and characters level up to 60. Blizzard promises more than 1,000 new quests on the way from level 1 to 60 and names 4 regions: Mount Hyjal, in the aftermath of Archimonde's defeat; Shen'dralas, between Mulgore and Desolace; the Riverglades, with more than 150 new quests across much of the level range from the mid-30s to the mid-40s; and Zephras Isle, a starting zone for levels 1 to 12 and home of the new Skyborne race. Horde Skyborne can be Shamans, Alliance Skyborne can be Mages, and both can be Warriors, Hunters, Rogues and Druids.

Blizzard lists 9 new dungeons. On 15 September Blizzard community manager Kaivax corrected one detail from BlizzCon: Krol'dok Stronghold had been listed in various places with the wrong level range. He then posted the full list: The Hall of Thanes 13–18, Ruins of Lordaeron 15–20, Excavation Site: Wetlands 24–29, City of Dalaran 28–33, The Drowned City 35–40, Krol'dok Stronghold 40–45, Alcaz Prison 48–53, Blackmaw Hold 55–60 and Shaper's Terrace 58–60. Blizzard has named 2 raids: the Barrow Deeps, planned as a maximum-level raid for 10 players, and Hyjal Summit, with raid encounters for 20 players. Blizzard also mentions new tier sets of raid armour and a legendary reward it has not yet shown in full, and says new raids unlock on 9 December. For PvP, Blizzard is adding the Darkspear Islands, a 15 vs 15 battleground off the coast of Kalimdor.

Blizzard says there will be no flying mounts and no level scaling anywhere in the world, so zones do not adjust to a character's level. It is adding Legacy progression for players who enjoy levelling and playing several characters, known as alts, and Camping, where players build campfires in the open world that others can stop at, add to through their professions and share buffs from. After the new raids on 9 December, Blizzard's roadmap lists more raids, dungeons, PvP updates, world content, more quests from level 1 to 60, Hardcore and a revamped iconic raid it has not named. Hardcore is one of the rulesets that players choose between instead of realms, and Blizzard has since said it will arrive some time after launch.