Prepare for WoW Forever beta and launch

LAUNCH PREPARATION

Prepare for launch after beta closure.

The beta closed October 23. Launch: November 4 at 3pm PST / 23:00 UTC.

Check your access
An active subscription or game time covers base Forever at launch. The former beta benefits have expired; do not buy a pack to reopen the closed test.
Review beta access paths ↗
Prepare your setup
You need Windows or Mac, internet access and the Battle.net desktop app. The old In Development beta selector is historical; check Battle.net’s current launch installation notices.
Check setup and missing access ↗
Plan your first character
Save a class shortlist and agree on a faction and ruleset with friends. Confirm the choices in the launch client when available; Blizzard Support says beta progress does not carry into launch.
Save your class shortlist ↗Read the grouping rules ↗

Blizzard closed the beta for good at 10:00 a.m. PDT on October 23, after the October 21 Stress Test. Check current dates ↗

Blizzard: Forever now live, November 4 ↗Blizzard beta closed, character creation Oct 27 ↗Blizzard October 1 beta update ↗Blizzard beta instructions ↗Blizzard beta support ↗Blizzard Deep Dive recap ↗Blizzard announcement ↗

Compare and save your class shortlist ↗

Compare play benefits

Check your access.

Choose an option to compare its listed benefits. This tool cannot check your Battle.net account.

Access optionCompare with

Base Forever access at launch while your subscription or game time is active.

Standard launch access: Active subscription or game time required
Skyborne + Zephras start: Not included
Early name reservations: Not included
Beta access: Beta closed October 23
Game time added: None
Warcraft III: Reforged + Forsaken Kingdom: Not included

Eligible friend codes provide Forever-only access from November 4–11 without an active subscription. They do not include Skyborne. Read the friend-code eligibility and restrictions.

Read the edition terms ↗

US listing checked October 8, 2026. Check current regional terms and prices on Battle.net. Selecting an option here does not buy anything.

Sources: Blizzard announcement ↗ · Battle.net terms ↗ · Blizzard invitation rules ↗

Your next steps

Prepare to play.

Loading your checklist…

Choose the Battle.net account I will useCheck the Battle.net login and specific WoW account for access and name reservations.Read guide ↗
Check which access benefits I needBase play, Skyborne, beta and early names are different benefits.Read guide ↗
Note the beta is closedBeta ran from September 17 until Blizzard closed it on October 23 at 10:00 a.m. PDT.Read guide ↗
Agree on a faction and character shortlistSkyborne faction is chosen at creation; Horde has Shaman, Alliance has Mage.Read guide ↗
Prepare a two-part name and two alternative pairsThe full pair is unique per region. Eligible reservations run October 27–November 3.Read guide ↗
Save the global launch time and other datesLaunch: November 4 at 3pm PST / 23:00 UTC. New raids: December 9.Read guide ↗
Make sure launch game time is coveredLaunch is scheduled for November 4; eligible included time starts then.Read guide ↗
Read the current build notes before playingClass changes and new content can invalidate older Classic advice.Read guide ↗

No account needed. Your checklist and access choice stay in this browser and sync between its open tabs. They do not sync between devices.

Save the dates

Launch in your time zone.

November 4, 2026 at 11:00 PM UTC

Confirmed global time: November 4, 2026 at 11:00 PM UTC. Your calendar uses your local time zone.

Beta testingSep 17 – Oct 23
Friend codes by emailFrom October 20
Name reservationsOct 27 – Nov 3
LaunchNovember 4 · 3pm PST
Raids unlockDecember 9

Download calendar ↓

Launch uses the confirmed global time. Other entries use the announced dates without an assumed opening hour. This is a snapshot, not a live calendar. If dates change, replace the old import; some calendar apps create duplicates.

Copy calendar or save it manually

Plain-text export

BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Kingy.wiki//WoW Forever dates//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:wow-forever-beta-2026@kingy.wiki
DTSTAMP:20261021T000000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261021T000000Z
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260917
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261024
SUMMARY:WoW Forever - Beta testing
DESCRIPTION:Blizzard closed the beta for good at 10:00 a.m. PDT on Friday\,
  October 23\, after the October 21 Stress Test\, as its October 20 notice 
 set out. That replaced the older October 21 and October 22 labels.\nAnnoun
 ced dates\; opening hours have not been verified. Source information revie
 wed 2026-10-21. This calendar is a snapshot\, not a live subscription.\nSo
 urces: https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/heads-up-wow-forever-stress
 -test-on-october-21/2387920 https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/thank-
 you-for-testing-the-wow-forever-beta/2390466/1 https://worldofwarcraft.bli
 zzard.com/en-us/news/24304160/the-world-of-warcraft-forever-beta-now-live 
 https://bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_entry_media/u5/U52GZGEAYVPB17
 89248906010.png
URL:https://kingy.wiki/games/world-of-warcraft-forever/guides/beta-access-c
 odes-installation
TRANSP:TRANSPARENT
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:wow-forever-invite-codes-2026@kingy.wiki
DTSTAMP:20261011T000000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261011T000000Z
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261020
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261021
SUMMARY:WoW Forever - Friend codes by email
DESCRIPTION:Invite-A-Friend codes start arriving in separate emails for eli
 gible digital purchases\; a friend can use one for Forever access November
  4–11. Sending hour unconfirmed.\nAnnounced dates\; opening hours have n
 ot been verified. Source information reviewed 2026-10-11. This calendar is
  a snapshot\, not a live subscription.\nSources: https://worldofwarcraft.b
 lizzard.com/en-us/news/24301508 https://us.support.blizzard.com/en/help/ar
 ticle/000385883
URL:https://kingy.wiki/games/world-of-warcraft-forever/guides/friend-invite
 s
TRANSP:TRANSPARENT
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:wow-forever-names-2026@kingy.wiki
DTSTAMP:20261021T000000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261021T000000Z
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261027
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261104
SUMMARY:WoW Forever - Name reservations
DESCRIPTION:Eligible packs\; up to three characters across all rulesets. Op
 ens October 27 at 1:00 p.m. PDT in North America and 18:00 CET in Europe\;
  first come\, first served.\nAnnounced dates\; opening hours have not been
  verified. Source information reviewed 2026-10-21. This calendar is a snap
 shot\, not a live subscription.\nSources: https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-u
 s/news/24303866 https://us.shop.battle.net/en-us/product/world-of-warcraft
 -forever
URL:https://kingy.wiki/games/world-of-warcraft-forever/guides/name-reservat
 ions
TRANSP:TRANSPARENT
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:wow-forever-launch-2026@kingy.wiki
DTSTAMP:20261031T000000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261031T000000Z
DTSTART:20261104T230000Z
SUMMARY:WoW Forever - Launch
DESCRIPTION:Global opening: 23:00 UTC. Active subscription\, game time or a
 n eligible launch-week friend code.\nConfirmed global launch time\; your c
 alendar converts it to your local time zone. Source information reviewed 2
 026-10-31. This calendar is a snapshot\, not a live subscription.\nSources
 : https://worldofwarcraft.blizzard.com/en-us/news/24315820/world-of-warcra
 ft-forever-goes-live-globally-november-4 https://worldofwarcraft.blizzard.
 com/en-us/news/24303862 https://worldofwarcraft.blizzard.com/en-us/news/24
 302093/carve-a-new-path-with-world-of-warcraft-forever https://us.shop.bat
 tle.net/en-us/product/world-of-warcraft-forever https://us.support.blizzar
 d.com/en/help/article/000385883
URL:https://kingy.wiki/games/world-of-warcraft-forever/guides/release-date
TRANSP:TRANSPARENT
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:wow-forever-raids-2026@kingy.wiki
DTSTAMP:20261021T000000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261021T000000Z
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261209
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261210
SUMMARY:WoW Forever - Raids unlock
DESCRIPTION:Barrow Deeps (10 players\, eight bosses)\, Hyjal Summit (20\, 1
 3 bosses)\, Onyxia’s Lair (40\, Drakefire Amulet needed). Exact opening 
 hour unconfirmed.\nAnnounced dates\; opening hours have not been verified.
  Source information reviewed 2026-10-21. This calendar is a snapshot\, not
  a live subscription.\nSources: https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/243
 03009 https://worldofwarcraft.blizzard.com/en-us/news/24303862 https://bne
 tcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_entry_media/u5/U52GZGEAYVPB1789248906010
 .png
URL:https://kingy.wiki/games/world-of-warcraft-forever/guides/dungeons-raid
 s
TRANSP:TRANSPARENT
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR

If a download does not start, copy this text into a file instead.

Sources: Blizzard announcement ↗ · Blizzard Entertainment / Kaivax ↗ · Blizzard Entertainment / Kaivax ↗ · Blizzard announcement ↗ · Blizzard announcement ↗ · Blizzard announcement ↗ · Blizzard panel recap ↗ · Blizzard announcement ↗ · Blizzard roadmap ↗ · Battle.net terms ↗ · Blizzard announcement ↗ · Blizzard invitation rules ↗

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Prepare to play Forever.

Prepare for launch after beta closure.

Check your access

Prepare your setup

Plan your first character

Check your access.

Prepare to play.

Launch in your time zone.

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