Roadmap
WoW Forever Roadmap: Beta, Launch, Raids & Beyond
WoW Forever roadmap: beta closed October 23, name reservation from October 27, November 4 launch and December 9 raids, with future updates kept separate.
The WoW Forever beta is closed. Name reservation starts October 27, the game launches globally November 4, and its two new raids unlock December 9. Blizzard has also committed to continued raids, dungeons, PvP updates, world content, quests, Hardcore, a revamped iconic raid, and major evergreen updates after launch.
Blizzard confirmed the beta closure on October 23. The October 20 extension set its final cutoff at 10 a.m. PDT / 17:00 UTC. See the confirmed end and next steps; the October 21 stress test had its own window.
The September 13 Deep Dive clarified several launch systems that were previously only broad promises, including Legacy progression, Camping, realmless rulesets, optional Transmog, class/talent structure, and itemization changes.
WoW Forever roadmap at a glance
| Date | Milestone | Status |
|---|---|---|
| September 13, 2026 | Forever Deep Dive publishes detailed system rules | Published |
| September 17–October 23, 2026; shutdown 10 a.m. PDT / 17:00 UTC | WoW Forever beta | Closed |
| October 27–November 3, 2026, PST | Early Name Reservation for upgrade owners | Upcoming |
| November 4, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. PST | Global launch | Upcoming |
| November 4–11, 2026, PST | Invite-A-Friend Launch Code access window | Upcoming |
| December 9, 2026 | Barrow Deeps and Hyjal Summit unlock | Upcoming |
September 13: the Deep Dive fills in the systems
Blizzard's Deep Dive adds concrete launch-era details:
- Legacy Points are shared across alts with per-character spending;
- the first Legacy Trees are Professions, Adventure, and Resourcefulness;
- Camping adds profession-built campsite objects and more than 600 new profession recipes across the wider profession update;
- Forever uses realmless Normal, PvP, Roleplaying, and later Hardcore ruleset ecosystems;
- Transmog can be disabled by players who want a more Classic visual experience;
- six new race/class combinations are officially named;
- talent trees keep the familiar structure and add a 16-point milestone;
- itemization is being reworked across dungeons, quests, world drops, and rare creatures.
These details reduce what beta needs to discover from scratch, but exact tuning still needs verification.
September 17 to October 23: completed beta
The beta opened with a level 20 cap and reached level 30 in the October 1 update, as recorded in the beta guide. The opening-week content list is historical, not the current cap or full dungeon roster; see the dungeon overview for the October 1/8 availability updates.
During the test, ordinary access came through the Skyborne Epic Pack, Warcraft Forever Collection or selected invitations. The October 21 Server Slam had separate free regional windows. Both tests are now closed; old access rights do not reopen them.
Our priority is repeat-search information: class and talent data, race/class combinations, zone routes, dungeon maps, quest locations, and system mechanics.
See WoW Forever Beta for access and install details, or Beta Known Issues for current bugs and announced fixes.
October 27: Early Name Reservation
Players with any optional Forever upgrade purchase can use Early Name Reservation from October 27 through November 3. Blizzard says up to three characters can be created and customized, with names reserved first-come, first-served.
November 4: global launch
Forever launches globally on November 4 at 3:00 p.m. PST and is included with a World of Warcraft Subscription or Game Time.
The launch foundation includes the new 1–60 journey, more than 1,000 new quests, new regions, nine dungeons, Skyborne, class changes, Legacy, Camping, revised professions and itemization, and the new realmless ruleset structure.
Blizzard has also published updated GPU requirements for launch. Players using hardware older than AMD Graphics Core Next 1, NVIDIA Maxwell, or Intel Skylake should check compatibility before November 4.
See Release Date & Launch Access for launch-specific details.
December 9: new raids unlock
Blizzard plans to unlock Barrow Deeps, a max-level 10-player challenge, and Hyjal Summit, a 20-player raid, on December 9.
See WoW Forever Raids for raid details.
Future updates without release dates
Blizzard has confirmed the following directions but has not assigned exact release dates:
| Future content | What is confirmed |
|---|---|
| Hardcore | A later, isolated ruleset; not part of the initial launch rulesets |
| More raids and dungeons | Additional group content after the December 9 raid opening |
| PvP updates | Ongoing PvP development, including content beyond the beta battleground |
| World and quest content | More content across the level 1–60 journey |
| Revamped iconic raid | Confirmed, but Blizzard has not named it or dated it |
| Major evergreen updates | Continued expansion of Forever's version of Azeroth |
Blizzard also says the Legacy System is designed to grow with new challenges, perks, spending options, higher caps, and potentially new trees.
Is there a 2027 WoW Forever roadmap?
Not yet. Blizzard has described what comes after launch, but it has not published a dated 2027 calendar. This page will not invent spring or summer 2027 windows for Hardcore, later raids and dungeons, or the revamped iconic raid.
Roadmap note: exact dates above come from Blizzard's current official material. Longer-term features are listed without invented dates.