WoW Forever Launch Guide: Release Date, Raids & Dungeons
WoW Forever launches worldwide on November 4, 2026. Here is the launch time, what is in the game on day one, when Phase 1 raids open and how to prepare.
World of Warcraft: Forever, the Classic+ version Blizzard developed as Project Camelot, launches worldwide on Tuesday, November 4, 2026 at 3 PM PT (23:00 UTC). It keeps a permanent level cap of 60 and grows sideways instead of up, with four new zones, nine new dungeons and a new playable race. Below is everything that is confirmed for launch day, what comes later, and how to plan your first weeks.
WoW Forever release date and launch time
Blizzard is launching WoW Forever as a single worldwide release rather than a rolling regional one. The servers open on November 4, 2026 at 6 PM ET / 3 PM PT / 23:00 UTC. In Europe that is midnight CET going into November 5.
WoW Forever key dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| September 17 - late October 2026 | Forever Beta (level cap 30). Beta characters are wiped. |
| October 21, 2026 | Open stress test, no subscription needed. All stress test characters, names and guilds were wiped afterward. |
| October 27 - November 3, 2026 | Early name reservation for Skyborne Heroic Pack, Epic Pack and Warcraft Forever Collection owners |
| November 4, 2026 | Launch with level cap 60, all zones and dungeons |
| December 9, 2026 | Phase 1 raids unlock |
| Winter 2026/2027 | Hardcore ruleset arrives after launch (winter on Blizzard's roadmap) |
| Spring 2027 | Spring update on Blizzard's roadmap: two new raids (10 and 20 players), two new dungeons, new quests and a new area |
What is in the game on day one
WoW Forever is not a straight copy of 2019 Classic. The 1-60 journey is the same length, but the world around it has grown.
- Level cap 60, and Blizzard says it stays at 60. New content is added at the same level instead of raising the cap.
- Four new zones: Mount Hyjal, Riverglades, Shen'dralas and Zephras Isle, the starting area of the new Skyborne race.
- Nine new five-player dungeons from level 13 to 60, listed in our WoW Forever dungeons guide.
- A new battleground (Darkspear Islands, 15 vs 15, off the coast of Kalimdor) and official gamepad support.
- Mega-realms: instead of a realm list, each region has one shared world per ruleset (Normal, PvP and Role-Playing at launch, Hardcore later). You cannot group across rulesets or factions.
Classic team developers said in a BlizzCon interview that there are no plans for a WoW Token or paid character boosts in WoW Forever, so every character has to be leveled in game.
New systems to know before you log in
Under the familiar 1-60 structure, Blizzard's BlizzCon Deep Dive confirmed several systems that change how your first weeks play out. They do not raise power beyond Classic-style tuning, but they change where your time and gold should go.
- Camping: the Cooking Fire becomes a Basic Campfire that creates a campsite with vendors, repairs and profession workspaces. Players who sit and become rested get one-hour buffs, and up to three crafted profession objects can be placed at a camp. Our WoW Forever professions guide explains which profession adds which object.
- Legacy system: Legacy Challenges, such as leveling a class or reaching a skill milestone, earn Legacy Points shared across your alts. At launch each character can spend up to 16 points in trees like Adventure (more rested experience), Professions (more gathered materials) and Resourcefulness (no reagents for class abilities).
- Mounts: as in The Burning Crusade, the mount cost is folded into riding training and you receive the mount when you learn riding.
- Opt-in transmog: outfits are set at a transmogrifier in certain cities. Choosing Classic Mode at first launch turns it off, but appearances are still collected.
- Talents and stats: trees keep their Classic shape with milestone talents at 11, 16, 21 and 31 points, and spell, melee and ranged hit and crit are each combined into one stat.
- New race/class combinations: Gnome Priest, Human Hunter, Dwarf Shaman, Orc Mage, Troll Warlock and Undead Paladin.
- No flying and no level scaling, both confirmed in the What's Next panel.
Phase 1 raids open December 9
Raids are not available at launch. About five weeks in, on December 9, 2026, the first raid tier unlocks with three instances of different sizes, which makes raiding easier to organize than the old 40-player-only Classic start.
Phase 1 raids
| Raid | Size | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Barrow Deeps | 10 players | New in WoW Forever |
| Hyjal Summit | 20 players | New in WoW Forever |
| Onyxia's Lair | 40 players | Returning, needs attunement |
We break down each raid and how to prepare in the WoW Forever Phase 1 raid guide.
Do you need to pay extra for WoW Forever?
No. WoW Forever is included with an active World of Warcraft subscription or Game Time, including all four launch zones, nine dungeons and the Phase 1 raids. The only paid extra is the Skyborne race, sold in packs starting at about $29.99 (Heroic Pack), with higher Epic Pack and Collector's Edition tiers.
Skyborne race and edition contents
The Skyborne start on Zephras Isle, a skybound zone for levels 1-12. You choose a faction at character creation: Horde Skyborne can be Shamans and Alliance Skyborne can be Mages, and both can play Warrior, Hunter, Rogue and Druid, with their own druid forms. Every other race, zone, dungeon and raid comes with your subscription or Game Time.
WoW Forever editions
| Edition | What it adds |
|---|---|
| Skyborne Heroic Pack | Skyborne race and Zephras Isle, Early Name Reservation, Cerulean Prideclaw mount (riding skill bought in game), cosmetics, housing decor, 1 Invite-A-Friend code |
| Skyborne Epic Pack | Everything in Heroic, beta access, 30 days of Game Time from November 4, extra cosmetics, pets and tabards, 3 Invite-A-Friend codes in total |
| Warcraft Forever Collection (limited time) | Everything in Epic, plus Warcraft III: Reforged with the Forsaken Kingdom campaign and figurine decor for modern WoW |
| Collector's Edition | Physical edition, while supplies last |
Prices differ by region and during sales, so check the Battle.net shop for the current price of each edition.
Rulesets, character names and name reservation
WoW Forever drops the classic realm list. Blizzard calls it a realmless Azeroth: you pick a ruleset instead of a realm, and each ruleset is a self-contained world.
- Normal: cooperative play; PvP only happens with mutual consent.
- PvP: contested territory with world conflict. Faction balance uses systems similar to Season of Discovery.
- Role-Playing: for players who want an immersive, like-minded community.
- Hardcore: arrives after launch. A Hardcore character that dies can move to another ruleset, but progress from other rulesets never flows into Hardcore.
Horde and Alliance still cannot group, and neither can players on different rulesets. Collections and Legacy Points are account-wide, with Hardcore as the exception. Names now have two parts, like a first and last name, and each full name is unique per region. Owners of the Heroic Pack, Epic Pack or Warcraft Forever Collection can reserve names early from October 27 through November 3, first come, first served.
How to prepare for launch day
- Pick your realm type now: Normal, PvP or Role-Playing. Each ruleset is its own world and you cannot group across them, so agree on one with your friends and guild.
- Decide your class and first profession pair before launch so you are not standing at trainers on day one.
- Plan your leveling route around the new dungeons. Hall of Thanes (13-18) and Ruins of Lordaeron (15-20) sit in the same early range as Ragefire Chasm and The Deadmines, so you get extra group options from your first days.
- Save gold early. Riding training (which now includes the mount itself) and respecs are the big early gold sinks.
- If you want to raid on December 9, aim to hit 60 and finish pre-raid gear in the first five weeks.
Confirmed vs expected: your first five weeks
Blizzard has confirmed the structure of launch, but some things only become clear once millions of players log in. The right-hand column is our expectation based on how Classic Era launches went, not a Blizzard statement.
WoW Forever launch: confirmed facts and expectations
| Topic | Confirmed by Blizzard | Expectation (not confirmed) |
|---|---|---|
| Launch | November 4, 3 PM PT, worldwide | Heavy load on day one; plan around possible login queues |
| Leveling | Level cap 60, over 1,000 new quests, no level scaling | 1-60 remains a multi-week effort for most players |
| Dungeons | 9 new five-player dungeons, levels 13-60 | Tanks and healers will be in demand while groups form manually |
| Raids | December 9, level 60 required, weekly reset | The Onyxia attunement through Blackrock Depths and Blackrock Spire is the main bottleneck |
| Economy | No WoW Token planned (developer interview) | Early gold comes mostly from gathering professions and the Auction House |
Want to skip the grind?
Five weeks is a short window to go from level 1 to raid-ready. Our WoW Forever powerleveling covers any level range from 1 to 60 with optional riding, professions and pre-raid gear, and pre-orders start as soon as the servers open.
Get ready for WoW Forever
WoW Forever Powerleveling
- Any Range 1-60
- Launch-Day Start
- Riding & Gear Add-ons
WoW Forever Leveling Bundles
- 1-60 + Mount
- Cheaper Than Separate
- Endgame Ready
WoW Forever Dungeon Bundle
- 36 Dungeons
- Self-play or Piloted
- Loot Is Yours
WoW Forever Phase 1 Raids
- Onyxia, BD & Hyjal
- Loot Priority Option
- First Lockout
WoW Forever FAQ
WoW Forever launch FAQ
When does WoW Forever come out?
WoW Forever launches worldwide on November 4, 2026 at 3 PM PT, 6 PM ET or 23:00 UTC.
What is the level cap in WoW Forever?
The level cap is 60, and Blizzard says it will stay at 60. New zones, dungeons and raids are added at that level.
When do raids open in WoW Forever?
Phase 1 raids unlock on December 9, 2026: Barrow Deeps (10 players), Hyjal Summit (20 players) and Onyxia's Lair (40 players).
Is WoW Forever free?
It is included with an active World of Warcraft subscription. The Skyborne race is sold separately.
Is there a Hardcore mode?
Not at launch. Hardcore realms are planned for winter 2026/2027.
Related guides
Plan your dungeon route with the WoW Forever dungeons guide, prepare for December 9 with the Phase 1 raid guide, or browse every WoW Forever boost we offer.