World of Warcraft: Forever launches on November 4, 2026 at 3 p.m. Pacific Time, which is midnight on the night of November 4 to 5 in France. This third branch of WoW, which the community called "Classic+", is included in the subscription or game time, with no mandatory purchase apart from the new race. Here is what Blizzard has confirmed: beta, editions, level 1 to 60 content, the roadmap through 2027, and the Vanilla private server alternatives.
Key takeaways
- Launch takes place on November 4, 2026 at 3 p.m. (Pacific Time), which is midnight in France. Access is included in the WoW subscription or game time.
- The beta runs until October 21, and early name reservation runs from October 27 to November 3.
- Forever offers level 60, more than 1,000 new quests and 9 new dungeons, with no flying mounts. The new raids open on December 9.
- Three optional editions exist, from €29.99 to €79.99 according to the press. The new race, the Skyborne, is only playable with one of these packs.
Release date and time in France
Blizzard announces a worldwide launch on November 4, 2026 at 3 p.m. Pacific Time. On Blizzard's French site, the date is listed as November 5, at midnight (Paris time). For French players, Forever therefore opens on the night of November 4 to 5. Several sites give other dates (November 8 or 9): they contradict Blizzard and should be disregarded.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| September 17, 2026 | Beta opens |
| October 20, 2026 | Recruit-A-Friend launch codes sent by email |
| October 21, 2026 | Beta ends |
| October 27 to November 3, 2026 | Early name reservation (three characters maximum) |
| November 4, 2026, 3 p.m. (Pacific), midnight in France | Worldwide launch |
| November 5 to 12, 2026 (France) | Launch week: invited friends play without a subscription |
| December 9, 2026 | New raids open |
| January 11, 2027 | Warcraft Forever Collection goes off sale |
What World of Warcraft: Forever contains
Blizzard presents Forever as a new permanent universe, neither a mode, nor a season, nor a new version of Classic. The story is set after Warcraft III Reforged: Forsaken Kingdom and before Molten Core. You travel across the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor from level 1 to level 60, with brand-new content:
- Quests and zones: more than 1,000 new quests, with Mount Hyjal, Shen'dralas (between Mulgore and Desolace) and the Riverglades (more than 150 quests, between levels 35 and 45).
- New race: the Skyborne, who start on Zephras Isle (levels 1 to 12) and join the Horde or the Alliance. On the Horde side, they can play shaman, on the Alliance side mage. Both factions can also play warrior, hunter, rogue and druid. This race requires at least the Heroic Pack (see below).
- Dungeons: nine new dungeons: the Hall of Thanes (beneath Ironforge), the Ruins of Lordaeron, a dig site above Whelgar's Excavation (the Wetlands Excavation Site), Dalaran, Blackmaw Hold, the Drowned City, Krol'dok Stronghold, Alcaz Island Prison and Shaper's Terrace.
- PvP: a 15-versus-15 battleground on the Darkspear Islands, off the coast of Kalimdor.
- Systems: the Legacy system for those who play several characters, campsites (campfires to share with other players), optional transmog, HD or SD character models and official controller support.
Blizzard keeps Classic's principles: no flying mounts and no level scaling. Forever also drops the choice of a realm. Blizzard replaces it with rule sets: Normal, PvP and RP at launch, then Hardcore mode after release. Each rule set remains a separate space, and the Horde and the Alliance still can't group together.
Editions and prices
Forever is included in the WoW subscription or game time. Blizzard also sells three editions on the Battle.net shop. The prices below are those reported by the specialized press (Xboxygen, Mobalytics): the shop remains the official source.
| Edition | Price reported by the press | What it adds | Recruit-A-Friend codes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skyborne Heroic Pack | €29.99 | Access to the Skyborne race and their starting quests, early name reservation, ground mount, cosmetic items and decoration items | 1 |
| Skyborne Epic Pack | €59.99 | Everything in the Heroic Pack, plus beta access, 30 days of game time, pets, tabards and extra cosmetics | 3 |
| Warcraft Forever Collection | €79.99 | Everything in the Epic Pack, plus Warcraft III: Reforged, the Forsaken Kingdom campaign and decoration items (available until January 11, 2027) | 3 |
A physical Collector's Edition is also sold, while supplies last, on the Blizzard Gear Store.
Our take: the subscription is enough to play Forever, with one exception: the Skyborne race, reserved for the packs. The Heroic Pack is therefore the minimum if you want to play one, and it also includes early name reservation. The Epic Pack is only worthwhile for the beta, which ends on October 21.
Beta and name reservation
The beta opened on September 17 and ends on October 21, 2026 (Pacific Time). The illustrated roadmap says the 22nd, but Blizzard's text says the 21st. It is guaranteed with the Epic Pack or the Warcraft Forever Collection, and signing up on the official site also gives a chance at access, with no guarantee. Recruit-A-Friend codes don't open the beta. According to the BlizzCon roadmap, the beta caps at level 30.
Early name reservation runs from October 27 to November 3, for three characters maximum, first come, first served. Blizzard doesn't guarantee you'll get the name you want. It is included with any edition purchase.
System requirements
Forever is announced for Windows and macOS according to the specialized press and the Warcraft wiki, through Battle.net. Our research turned up no console version. Blizzard has published a graphics card requirement: the GPU must be based on at least one of these architectures, or a more recent one.
- AMD Graphics Core Next 1 (2012);
- NVIDIA Maxwell (2014);
- Intel Skylake (2015).
If your card is older, you must replace it before playing. The full requirements are listed on the Battle.net shop.
After launch
The new raids open on December 9, 2026. Blizzard cites Hyjal Summit (20 players) and the Barrow Deeps (10 players). The BlizzCon roadmap, relayed by Blizzard Watch, adds Onyxia's Lair, for 40 players.
Hardcore mode arrives after release: Blizzard gives no exact date, and the roadmap places it in winter. According to Icy Veins' reading of the roadmap, spring 2027 brings two raids, two dungeons, new quests and a legendary quest, and summer 2027 a reworked flagship raid, a new raid and two more dungeons. Blizzard specifies that dates and content may still change.
Our advice:
- Check the prices and content of the editions on the Battle.net shop before buying: the prices quoted here come from the press.
- If you want to play a Skyborne, plan for at least the Heroic Pack: the subscription alone doesn't give access to this race.
- Watch your inbox from October 20 if you bought an edition: the Recruit-A-Friend codes are sent there.
- Check your graphics card now: an architecture older than those Blizzard requires prevents you from playing Forever.
- Note the name reservation from October 27 to November 3, and plan to play on the night of November 4 to 5 if you want to launch the game as soon as it opens.
Prefer a private server? Browse the ranking of World of Warcraft servers, or list yours to introduce it to a new community of players.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does WoW Forever come out in France?
The worldwide launch takes place on November 4, 2026 at 3 p.m. Pacific Time. For France, Blizzard gives November 5, 2026 at midnight, Paris time, that is, on the night of November 4 to 5.
Do you have to buy WoW Forever?
No, access is included in the World of Warcraft subscription or game time. The three editions are optional, unless you want to play the Skyborne race: it requires at least the Heroic Pack.
How much do the WoW Forever editions cost?
According to Xboxygen and Mobalytics, the Skyborne Heroic Pack costs €29.99, the Epic Pack €59.99 and the Warcraft Forever Collection €79.99. The Battle.net shop remains the official source to confirm these prices.
Can you still play the WoW Forever beta?
Yes, until October 21, 2026. Access is guaranteed with the Epic Pack or the Warcraft Forever Collection, and signing up on the official site gives a chance at getting a code. The Heroic Pack and Recruit-A-Friend codes don't open the beta.
Does WoW Forever replace WoW Classic?
No. Blizzard presents Forever as a third permanent branch, alongside modern WoW and WoW Classic, which both continue to exist.
Is WoW Forever coming out on console?
According to the specialized press and the Warcraft wiki, Forever is announced for Windows and macOS through Battle.net. Our research turned up no announcement of a console version.
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