Question 1

When does WoW Forever launch?

Accepted Answer

Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. PST. It goes live at the same moment worldwide: 11:00 p.m. GMT in the UK, then on Thursday, November 5, at midnight CET in Europe and 10:00 a.m. AEDT in Australia and New Zealand.

Question 2

Is WoW Forever free to play?

Accepted Answer

No. You need a WoW subscription or Game Time. If a friend who bought an upgrade sends you an Invite-A-Friend Launch Code, you can play from November 4 to 11 without a subscription, as long as you're eligible.

Question 3

How much does WoW Forever cost?

Accepted Answer

Playing only takes a WoW subscription or Game Time. The upgrades are optional: the Skyborne Heroic Pack, the Skyborne Epic Pack and the Warcraft Forever Collection. Prices depend on your region and currency, so check the Battle.net Shop for yours.

Question 4

Can I play WoW Forever with my current WoW subscription?

Accepted Answer

Yes. One subscription covers modern WoW, WoW: Forever and the Classic progression realms.

Question 5

How is WoW Forever different from Classic and modern WoW?

Accepted Answer

Blizzard calls it “not a mode, a season, or a new version of Classic.” It's early Azeroth with a level 60 cap, plus the new Skyborne race, four new zones, more than 1,000 new quests, nine dungeons, three raids, the Legacy System and Camping. There are no flying mounts and no level scaling.

Question 6

How do I choose a server in WoW Forever?

Accepted Answer

There's no realm list. You choose a ruleset instead: Normal, PvP, Roleplay or Roleplay PvP. Hardcore arrives after launch.

Question 7

How do I play with friends in WoW Forever?

Accepted Answer

Pick the same ruleset and the same faction. Only then can you group, share a guild, and run dungeons and raids together. Battlegrounds can mix players from other rulesets (except Hardcore).

Question 8

How do I unlock the Skyborne race?

Accepted Answer

You need the Skyborne Heroic Pack or a higher digital upgrade. Horde Skyborne are Windshaper Skyborne, Alliance Skyborne are High Order Skyborne, and both start on Zephras Isle.

Question 9

What classes and races can I play?

Accepted Answer

There are nine classes: Warrior, Paladin, Hunter, Rogue, Priest, Shaman, Mage, Warlock and Druid. New race-class combinations are Gnome Priest, Human Hunter, Dwarf Shaman, Orc Mage, Troll Warlock and Undead Paladin.

Question 10

What are the WoW Forever system requirements?

Accepted Answer

Minimum on Windows: Windows 10 64-bit, a 4-core 3.0 GHz CPU, a DirectX 12-capable 4 GB graphics card (GeForce GTX 10 series class) and 8 GB of RAM. You also need 128 GB of free SSD space. Mac is supported too.

Question 11

When do raids open in WoW Forever?

Accepted Answer

On December 9, Barrow Deeps (10 players), Hyjal Summit (20 players) and Onyxia's Lair (40 players) open together. The unlock time hasn't been announced yet.

Question 12

When is Hardcore coming to WoW Forever?

Accepted Answer

Sometime after launch. No date has been announced yet.

Question 13

How do character names work?

Accepted Answer

Every character has a main name and a secondary name. The full combination has to be unique within your region, and you can hide the secondary name above your head in the options.

Question 14

Can I play WoW Forever with a controller?

Accepted Answer

Yes, as a beta feature. XInput-compatible controllers work; turn it on under Esc → Options → Gameplay → Gamepad. You'll still need a keyboard for chat.

Question 15

How do I install WoW Forever?

Accepted Answer

In the Battle.net desktop app, select World of Warcraft, choose World of Warcraft: Forever in the Game Version menu above the Play button, then click Install.

Frequently asked questions