GAME NEWS / WORLD OF WARCRAFT

World of Warcraft: Forever — Release Date, Beta & What We Know

Blizzard announced World of Warcraft: Forever at BlizzCon 2026: a permanent Classic-style version alongside modern WoW and Classic. This page covers the launch date, beta, new race and new content.

What is World of Warcraft: Forever?

World of Warcraft: Forever is Blizzard's new game announced on September 13, 2026 at BlizzCon. It is a permanent parallel world alongside modern WoW and WoW Classic — not a mode or a season: Blizzard's official recap says "this is not a mode, a season, or a new version of Classic". Set after the events of Warcraft III Reforged: Forsaken Kingdom and before Molten Core, you return to the original continents, adventure to level 60, and keep progressing through new stories.

When does World of Warcraft: Forever launch?

The game launches globally on November 4, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. PDT. Access is included with your World of Warcraft subscription or Game Time. Beta began September 17, 2026, and new raids unlock on December 9.

What's new in WoW Forever?

• New zones — restoring Mount Hyjal, the hidden history of Shen'dralas, the Riverglades frontier and the Zephras Isle starting zone.
• New playable race: Skyborne — choose Horde (Shaman) or Alliance (Mage); Warrior, Hunter, Rogue and Druid are also available with new forms.
• More than 1,000 new quests — new and reimagined stories woven through the entire level 1–60 journey.
• 9 new dungeons — including the Hall of Thanes, the Ruins of Lordaeron and the City of Dalaran.
• Raids and PvP — Hyjal Summit (20 players), Barrow Deeps (10 players) and the Darkspear Islands 15 vs 15 Battleground.

What is the philosophy of WoW Forever?

Blizzard describes four pillars: approachable and familiar, the world as the main character, the journey before the destination, and protecting the social experience. That means no flying mounts, no level scaling, and rewards that come from playing the game: leveling, dungeons, exploration and cooperation.

How much does WoW Forever cost?

Access is included with your World of Warcraft subscription or Game Time. Separately, optional upgrade editions are available for pre-purchase on the Battle.net Shop: Skyborne Heroic Pack, Skyborne Epic Pack (with beta access) and the limited-time Warcraft Forever Collection.

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Sources: Blizzard News and World of Warcraft: Forever What's Next Panel Recap, checked October 11, 2026.