Blizzard Announces World of Warcraft: Forever, a Permanent Classic-Era WoW Launching November 4

Posted on by

Blizzard has announced World of Warcraft: Forever, a new permanent Classic-era version of WoW launching globally on November 4, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. PST. It was revealed during the BlizzCon 2026 opening ceremony on September 12 and is being positioned as a third main way to play World of Warcraft, alongside Modern WoW and Classic.

Forever is set after Warcraft III Reforged: Forsaken Kingdom and before Molten Core, with players returning to Azeroth’s original continents and leveling to 60. Unlike WoW’s temporary seasonal Classic realms, Blizzard is pitching this as a long-term home with ongoing updates, new questlines, and expanded versions of familiar zones.

At launch, Forever includes three new zones, more than 1,000 new quests, nine new dungeons, two raids, and the new Skyborne race. Blizzard named areas like Mount Hyjal, Zephras Isle, Riverglades, and Shen’Dralas during the reveal, with Hyjal Summit and Barrow Deeps listed among the new raid content. The Skyborne can join either Alliance or Horde, opening up additional race and class combinations.

Access will be included with an active World of Warcraft subscription or Game Time. A beta is scheduled to run from September 17 through October 21, 2026.

Blizzard is also selling optional digital upgrades through the Battle.net Shop. The Skyborne Heroic Pack includes Skyborne race access, the Zephras Isle starting experience, early name reservation, a mount, cosmetics, housing decor, and one Invite-A-Friend launch code. The Epic Pack adds beta access, 30 days of Game Time starting November 4, more cosmetics and pets, and three friend codes total. A limited-time Warcraft Forever Collection bundles the Epic Pack with Warcraft III: Reforged, the Forsaken Kingdom campaign, and modern WoW housing figurines, and will be available through January 11, 2027.

Early name reservation for upgrade buyers runs October 27 through November 3. Invite-A-Friend codes will start going out by email on October 20 and let friends play Forever during launch week, from November 4 through November 11, without a subscription or Game Time for that window.

World of Warcraft: Forever | New Horizons | Cinematic Trailer

Further reading: Official World of Warcraft BlizzCon news