WoW Forever launches November 4 at 3 p.m. PST / 11 p.m. GMT

Your adventure begins on Wednesday, November 4

Empty bags, a fresh character and every talent point still ahead of you: WoW Forever launches on November 4, 2026 at 3 p.m. PST / 11 p.m. GMT. That is Wednesday afternoon on the US West Coast and late Wednesday evening in the UK. If you have seen November 5 in a European announcement, it refers to the same launch: midnight CET.

An active WoW subscription or game time is enough for the regular game. The optional packs are worth looking at if you want to play a Skyborne character. Here is what each one includes, along with the choices to settle before your first login.

WoW Forever launch times: November 4 and 5

Your client language does not change the launch time. Your time zone determines the date and hour on your clock. Agree on a specific time with your group, especially if your friends are playing from different countries.

What you need to play, and what you can skip

WoW Forever is included with an active World of Warcraft subscription or WoW game time. You do not need to buy separate access to Forever. If you already subscribe, check that you have selected the right WoW account in Battle.net.

Skyborne are the exception: this new race requires a paid pack. If you want to play another available race, you can start without the upgrade. There is no need to buy the most expensive pack just to make sure you can log in. Choose according to whether you want the race, the included game time or the extras.

Want to play Skyborne? The Heroic Pack is enough

If the floating island of Zephras and its elves appeal to you, the Skyborne Heroic Pack is the minimum upgrade you need. The Epic Pack and Warcraft Forever Collection also unlock the race. A subscription alone does not.

Your Skyborne character begins on Zephras Isle, a starting zone for levels 1–12. You choose Alliance or Horde when creating the character. That also affects your class options: Horde Skyborne can be Shamans, while Alliance Skyborne can be Mages. Talk it over with your friends first. Choosing the new race does not remove faction restrictions on grouping.

Heroic, Epic or Collection: which pack suits you?

Playing Skyborne does not mean you need Epic. The higher tier makes more sense if you also want its game time and extra collectibles. The Collection adds Warcraft III and the Forsaken Kingdom campaign for players who want to explore that part of the story too.

Agree on your faction and ruleset before you start

In Forever, you choose a ruleset instead of a traditional individual realm. Normal, PvP, Roleplay and Roleplay PvP are available at launch. Hardcore is coming later. To form parties, join guilds, run dungeons and raid together, you need to choose the same faction and ruleset.

Normal is a straightforward starting point if you mainly want to quest and run dungeons together. I would choose PvP only if you want the extra risk: encounters with the other faction can interrupt your evening’s questing. Roleplay suits players who also want to follow its naming and behaviour rules.

Install ahead of launch, then choose how the game looks

Open Battle.net, select World of Warcraft and choose World of Warcraft: Forever in the game-version menu. If you have several WoW accounts, check that you have selected the active one you intend to use, then download the game and its updates. Your group can spend launch time playing instead of waiting for a large download.

On your first login, you choose between Classic and Enhanced. Classic uses a presentation closer to the original game; Enhanced turns on features such as updated models and extra interface guidance. If you are new, I would start with Enhanced and adjust anything that gets in your way. You can change the individual settings later. Both presets give you the same game content.

• Check that your subscription or game time is on the correct WoW account.
• Install Forever and download its updates.
• Agree on a region, faction and ruleset with your friends.
• Take a moment to set up your key bindings and action bars after logging in.

A new journey through Azeroth to level 60

Forever is a permanent branch of WoW alongside modern WoW and Classic. You travel through Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms on your way to level 60. Additions include zones and quests, new race-and-class combinations, dungeons, campsites and the account-wide Legacy System. Revised talents and abilities also mean familiar classes will not always play the way old Classic guides describe.

For your first evening, the main question is still simple: which class do you actually want to play? Pick a style of combat you will enjoy while questing. You can also think about who might tank, heal or deal damage in your future group. Our talent calculator and class guides can help you decide.

Next up: bags, professions and your first few levels

You do not need a perfect character plan for your first evening. Some room in your bags, money for abilities and a profession you can use as you travel will already make the start easier. A bank alt can help keep things organised later, but setting one up should not keep you away from playing your main.

Our beginner’s guide walks through those choices: useful profession pairings, early bags, a bank alt, Fishing and Cooking, and food that grants an XP bonus. It also covers the Cozy Sleeping Bag, with a separate quest guide and maps for Alliance and Horde. Jump straight to whichever topic you need.