Release
WoW Forever Release Date, Launch Time & Access
WoW Forever launches November 4, 2026 at 3 p.m. PST. Follow the live countdown, worldwide launch times, subscription access and pre-launch preparation.
Syncing with your device clock…
World of Warcraft: Forever launches globally on November 4, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. PST. Blizzard says access is included with an active World of Warcraft Subscription or Game Time, so Forever is not presented as a separate base game that every subscriber must buy again.
The beta is now closed. Before launch, check name reservation from October 27 and the release-client checklist. Reservation is not early access to leveling.
When is the WoW Forever release date?
The live countdown above targets 2026-11-04 23:00 UTC, the same global instant as 3 p.m. PST. It reads your device clock each second. When the scheduled time arrives, it directs you to current Blizzard notices rather than claiming to monitor server availability.
The confirmed WoW Forever release date is Wednesday, November 4, 2026. Blizzard's global reference time is 3:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.
| Detail | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Launch date | November 4, 2026 |
| Global reference time | 3:00 p.m. PST |
| Access | Included with WoW Subscription or Game Time |
| Beta | September 17–October 23, 2026; shutdown 10 a.m. PDT / 17:00 UTC |
| Early Name Reservation | October 27–November 3, 2026, PST |
| New raids unlock | December 9, 2026 |
Blizzard has described Forever as a permanent new home alongside modern and Classic WoW, not as a temporary season. The launch version begins a level 1–60 journey through original Azeroth and adds new regions, quests, dungeons, raids, systems, and the Skyborne race.
WoW Forever launch time by region
These conversions use Blizzard's published 3:00 p.m. PST global launch time:
| Region | Local launch time |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles | November 4 at 3:00 p.m. PST |
| New York | November 4 at 6:00 p.m. EST |
| São Paulo | November 4 at 8:00 p.m. BRT |
| London | November 4 at 11:00 p.m. GMT |
| Berlin, Paris, Madrid | November 5 at 12:00 a.m. CET |
| Sydney | November 5 at 10:00 a.m. AEDT |
Regional Blizzard pages may display the local calendar date, which is why European pages list November 5 while the global announcement uses November 4.
What should you do before launch?
- Keep an active WoW Subscription or Game Time available for November 4.
- Check the client, pre-download and disk-space guidance before installing, and agree on region, ruleset, faction and language with friends before creating characters.
- Do not buy an optional upgrade solely to unlock the base experience; subscribers already receive access.
- Expect to start at level 1 because beta character progression will not carry into launch.
- If you bought an upgrade, check your Early Name Reservation, Skyborne, Zephras Isle, and Invite-A-Friend benefits.
- Check the new GPU requirement if your graphics hardware is older than AMD Graphics Core Next 1, NVIDIA Maxwell, or Intel Skylake.
See WoW Forever Beta for the completed test window and GPU requirements for Blizzard's supported architecture examples.
Do you need to buy an edition to play Forever?
No separate upgrade is required just to access World of Warcraft: Forever if you already have the required subscription or game time. Optional upgrade packs add benefits such as the Skyborne race, Zephras Isle starting experience, Early Name Reservation, cosmetics, beta access, game time, and other extras depending on the edition.
See Editions & Pricing for the complete benefit breakdown.
Launch-week Invite-A-Friend access
Qualifying upgrade purchases include Invite-A-Friend Launch Codes. Blizzard says eligible invitees can redeem a code to access Forever without a subscription or game time from November 4 through November 11, 2026.
Codes begin arriving by email on October 20, 2026, PST. The Heroic Pack includes one code, while the Epic Pack and Warcraft Forever Collection include three total codes.
What launches after November 4?
The first major scheduled unlock already confirmed is the new raid content on December 9. Blizzard has also promised continued raids, dungeons, PvP updates, world content, additional level 1–60 quests, Hardcore, a revamped iconic raid, and major evergreen updates after launch.
For the longer timeline, use the WoW Forever Roadmap.
Timing note: Blizzard's current purchase page and What's Next recap list the global launch as 3:00 p.m. PST. The regional times above are conversions of that reference time, not separate regional launch windows. This page will be updated if Blizzard announces maintenance or a different schedule.
Plan names and invitations separately
For the account-specific steps and limitations, use Invite-A-Friend codes and Early Name Reservation. Neither benefit creates an earlier gameplay launch time.