WoW Forever Launch: Release Time, Rulesets, Name Reservation
WoW Forever launches Nov 4: release time in every time zone, editions, name reservation (Oct 27–Nov 3), all rulesets including RP-PvP, and what's next.
In this guide 15 sections
World of Warcraft: Forever launches worldwide on November 4, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. PST, and Early Name Reservation is open now, through November 3. This WoW Forever launch guide gives the release time in eight time zones, the full launch timeline, what each edition includes, how the realmless rulesets work (including the Roleplay-PvP ruleset Blizzard added on October 22), how to reserve a two-part name, and what arrives after launch. Every date comes from Blizzard's announcements, starting with the pre-purchase post; the time conversions are ours.
Quick summary
- WoW: Forever launches globally on November 4, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. PST. That's 23:00 UTC by our conversion. Access comes with a WoW subscription or Game Time (Blizzard).
- You get up to three characters in Early Name Reservation, October 27 through November 3 (PST). It's included with any upgrade edition, and names go first-come, first-served.
- There are no realms. You pick a ruleset: Normal, PvP, Roleplaying or Roleplay-PvP at launch, with Hardcore coming "sometime after launch." You can't group across rulesets.
- Names have two parts, and the full combination must be unique in your region. A taken first name can still work with a different second name.
- The first raids open December 9: Barrow Deeps, Hyjal Summit and Onyxia's Lair.
WoW Forever release time in your time zone
Blizzard gives one global time: November 4, 2026, 3:00 p.m. PST (UTC−8). US daylight saving time ends November 1, so PST is correct for that date. These conversions are ours.
| Zone | Local launch time |
|---|---|
| US Pacific (PST) | Wed Nov 4, 3:00 p.m. |
| US Eastern (EST) | Wed Nov 4, 6:00 p.m. |
| UTC / London (GMT) | Wed Nov 4, 11:00 p.m. |
| Central Europe (CET) | Thu Nov 5, 12:00 a.m. |
| Israel (IST) | Thu Nov 5, 1:00 a.m. |
| Korea (KST) | Thu Nov 5, 8:00 a.m. |
| Sydney (AEDT) | Thu Nov 5, 10:00 a.m. |
| São Paulo (BRT) | Wed Nov 4, 8:00 p.m. |
WoW Forever launch timeline
| Date (PST) | What happens | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 17 | Beta starts (Skyborne Epic Pack, Warcraft Forever Collection) | Blizzard |
| Oct 20 | Invite-A-Friend Launch Codes start arriving by email | Blizzard |
| Oct 21 | Beta ends | Blizzard |
| Oct 22 | Roleplay-PvP ruleset confirmed for launch and for name reservation | Blizzard |
| Oct 27–Nov 3 | Early Name Reservation, up to 3 characters | Blizzard |
| Nov 4, 3:00 p.m. | Global launch; Epic and Collection Game Time starts | Blizzard |
| Nov 4–11 | Invitees play with no subscription | Blizzard |
| Dec 9 | Barrow Deeps (10-player), Hyjal Summit (20-player), Onyxia's Lair | Blizzard |
| After launch | Hardcore ruleset | Blizzard |
| Jan 11, 2027 | Last day to buy the Warcraft Forever Collection | Blizzard |
What's in WoW Forever on day one
Blizzard's What's Next recap lists what's in the level 1–60 journey at launch.
| Content | Detail (Blizzard) |
|---|---|
| New and reworked zones | Mount Hyjal (Darkwhisper Gorge), Shen'dralas between Mulgore and Desolace, the Riverglades (150+ quests, mid-30s to mid-40s), and Zephras Isle (Skyborne start, levels 1–12) |
| New dungeons | Nine, including Hall of Thanes, Ruins of Lordaeron, City of Dalaran, Blackmaw Hold, the Drowned City, Krol'dok Stronghold, Alcaz Prison and the Shaper's Terrace |
| PvP | Darkspear Islands 15v15 battleground |
| Systems | Legacy, Camping, opt-in Transmog, HD/SD models, gamepad support |
| Not in the game | Flying mounts, level scaling |
Our read: with raids gated until December 9, the first five weeks are about leveling, professions and the new dungeons. That makes ruleset and name choices more important than raid preparation on launch night. Our leveling guide covers those five weeks, and the class tier list helps if you haven't picked a class yet.
WoW Forever editions: which to buy
The base game is included with a subscription or Game Time. The upgrades add the following (Blizzard). We don't list real-money prices; check the Battle.net Shop.
| Feature | Base (sub or Game Time) | Skyborne Heroic Pack | Skyborne Epic Pack | Warcraft Forever Collection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WoW: Forever access | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Skyborne race and Zephras Isle | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Early Name Reservation | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cerulean Prideclaw mount (riding skill sold separately) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cosmetics (Skyseer's Garb, Rucksack, Windwell toy) and housing decor | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Beta access | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| 30 days Game Time from Nov 4 | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Extra cosmetics, tabards, pets | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Invite-A-Friend Launch Codes | — | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Warcraft III: Reforged and Forsaken Kingdom campaign | No | No | No | Yes |
The key choice is Skyborne. Forever itself is free with a subscription, but the new race needs at least the Heroic Pack. See our Skyborne race guide before you decide.
Use your Invite-A-Friend codes
Blizzard's rules for the codes:
- Delivered by email starting October 20, 2026, PST.
- Invitees redeem through Battle.net and can play with no subscription from November 4 through November 11.
- The codes don't include beta access, gift purchases are excluded, and "other restrictions apply."
Our tip: send codes to friends who'll actually be online launch week, because the window closes after 7 days.
WoW Forever rulesets: Normal, PvP, RP, RP-PvP and Hardcore
| Ruleset | Open-world PvP | Both factions? | Groups with | Launch? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | When you choose to engage | Yes | Normal only | Yes |
| PvP | Contested zones are dangerous | One faction only | PvP only | Yes |
| Roleplaying | Normal-style | Yes | RP only | Yes |
| Roleplay-PvP | PvP with a roleplaying community | Not stated yet | RP-PvP only | Yes (added October 22) |
| Hardcore | Death has lasting consequences | Yes | Hardcore only (fully closed) | After launch |
Blizzard's ruleset article gained a note on October 22: "The Roleplay-PvP Ruleset is now arriving with the launch of WoW: Forever on November 4," and Blizzard plans to offer it in Early Name Reservation from October 27. Blizzard's New Player's Starter Guide (October 28) lists Normal, PvP, Roleplay and Roleplay-PvP as the launch rulesets and recommends Normal for new players. Neither post says whether Roleplay-PvP shares the PvP ruleset's one-faction lock, so check the character screen before you commit a name there.
Ruleset facts (Blizzard):
- No cross-ruleset grouping for dungeons or raids, and factions still can't group together.
- Battlegrounds can mix rulesets, except Hardcore.
- You can't hop between rulesets. To change, you make a new character there.
- Collections and Legacy Points are account-wide across rulesets. Hardcore progress can flow outward, but nothing flows into Hardcore.
- A Hardcore character that dies can transfer to another ruleset, including PvP. Our Hardcore guide covers the release window and every confirmed rule.
- PvP faction balance may temporarily limit new characters for a faction, as in Season of Discovery. Once you make an Alliance character on PvP, you can't make Horde there, and vice versa.
Which should you pick? (our view)
| You want... | Pick |
|---|---|
| To level and raid with friends on both factions | Normal |
| World PvP and the Darkspear Islands 15v15 battleground with your guild | PvP (agree on a faction first) |
| Story-first play and RP guilds | Roleplaying |
| Roleplay with open-world conflict | Roleplay-PvP |
| A one-life challenge | Normal at launch, then Hardcore when it opens |
| Legacy Points across every character | Any; they're account-wide (Hardcore flows outward only) |
Set your language preference before you log in
Blizzard says you'll meet players who share your language preference. To set it: Esc → Options → System → Languages and Social → Preferred Online Language. The setting is account-wide and has a 24-hour cooldown (Blizzard). Set it before name reservation so your first characters land with the right community.
WoW Forever name reservation: two-part names
Blizzard's naming rules:
- Every character has a first name and a second name, and the full combination must be unique within your region.
- The system checks both parts together, so splitting a restricted word across the two won't get it through.
- You can hide your second name in the world with Esc → Options → Nameplates → "My Secondary Name". It still shows in chat.
- Reservation is first-come, first-served, and names can't be guaranteed.
Name reservation tactics (open until November 3):
- Pick your ruleset first, because characters are made inside one.
- Try your main name with a family second name, then two backups. Blizzard's own example uses one shared second name across a family (Asha, Thalen and Mira Brightvale).
- For a PvP character, settle your faction before you log in, because the faction lock applies.
- Use all three slots: a main, a Skyborne (needs an upgrade) and an alt for a profession or camping role.
WoW Forever launch checklist
| Task | When | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Install or update the client | Before Nov 4 | Avoid download queues |
| Check your PC and settings | Before Nov 4 | Forever needs an SSD and a 2012-or-newer GPU; see our graphics settings guide |
| Send Invite-A-Friend codes | Oct 20 onward | 7-day window |
| Reserve names | Oct 27–Nov 3 | Up to 3 characters |
| Plan talent builds | Before leveling | Respecs cost gold at launch; see our dual spec and respec guide |
| Plan Legacy points | Before 60 | 16 spendable at launch; see our Legacy guide |
| Pick professions | Before leveling | Camping objects start at skill 20 |
Blizzard's design notes from the What's Next panel: no flying mounts, no level scaling, and more than a thousand new quests across levels 1–60.
What comes after the WoW Forever launch
| When | What | Source |
|---|---|---|
| December 9, 2026 | Barrow Deeps (10-player), Hyjal Summit (20-player) and Onyxia's Lair | Blizzard |
| Winter 2026–27 | Hardcore ruleset; no date announced | Blizzard ("sometime after launch"); official roadmap via The Forever Era |
| Spring 2027 | First major content update | Official roadmap via The Forever Era |
| Later | More raids and dungeons, PvP updates, world content and "a revamped iconic raid" | Blizzard What's Next recap |
Blizzard's recap says Forever "is not a mode, a season, or a new version of Classic": the plan is to keep adding to a level 60 game rather than move on to The Burning Crusade. Our raids guide covers the December 9 raids.
If you're making alts or coming back
- Classic veterans: there's no realm to pick. Your old realm friends need the same ruleset and faction to group with you.
- Alt players: Legacy Points and collections are account-wide, so alts share progress (Blizzard).
- Hardcore fans: level a Normal main at launch. Hardcore keeps its progress closed, so starting fresh there loses nothing you've earned elsewhere.
Example: three friends reserve names on October 27. Two want world PvP and one wants to roleplay, so they compromise on Roleplay-PvP and agree on Horde before logging in. Each reserves a main with a shared second name, and one uses a spare slot for a Skyborne alt. On November 4 they're in at 3:00 p.m. PST with names, ruleset and faction already settled.
Zones, dungeons, classes and systems for Forever are all linked from the WoW Forever hub.
Want a hand with this?
If you would rather not grind this part yourself, WoW Forever powerleveling services are listed on FullBoosts. Read the publisher's rules before you buy any service from anyone, FullBoosts included — a marketplace listing isn't publisher permission.
FAQ
What time does WoW Forever launch? November 4, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. PST (Blizzard). That's 6:00 p.m. EST and 11:00 p.m. UTC by our conversion.
Is WoW Forever free with a subscription? Yes. Access is included with a WoW subscription or Game Time. Upgrades add the Skyborne race, name reservation and cosmetics.
When is WoW Forever name reservation? October 27 through November 3, 2026, PST, for upgrade buyers, with up to three characters.
Does WoW Forever have realms? No. It's realmless. You choose Normal, PvP, Roleplaying or Roleplay-PvP, with Hardcore after launch.
Can I play both factions on the PvP ruleset? No. On PvP you can create characters for only one faction. Normal, Roleplaying and Hardcore allow both, and Blizzard hasn't said which rule Roleplay-PvP follows.
When do WoW Forever raids open? December 9, 2026: Barrow Deeps, Hyjal Summit and Onyxia's Lair. Hardcore follows later in the winter.
Related guides
More from WoW Forever
Explore services and find the right option for your next goal.
