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WoW Forever Battlegrounds: All Four Maps, Levels, Queues and Honor Ranks

World of Warcraft: Forever (WoW Forever) has four battlegrounds at launch on November 4, 2026: Warsong Gulch (10v10, levels 10 to 60), Arathi Basin (15v15, 20 to 60), Alterac Valley (40v40, 51 to 60) and the new Darkspear Islands (15v15, 30 to 60). Icy Veins' PvP overview lists only the three Classic maps plus Darkspear Islands, and Blizzard describes Darkspear Islands as a 15v15 map off the coast of Dustwallow Marsh.

Quick answer: Queue at a battlemaster, fight alongside players from other rulesets (Hardcore excepted), and earn Honor and Rank Points toward 14 ranks. No arenas are in the current plans. Figures are as of October 24, 2026.

The four WoW Forever battlegrounds on a level scale from 10 to 60: Warsong Gulch 10 versus 10 from level 10, Arathi Basin 15 versus 15 from level 20, the new Darkspear Islands 15 versus 15 from level 30, and Alterac Valley 40 versus 40 from level 51.
The four battlegrounds with team size and level range. Darkspear Islands is the new map. Alterac Valley's range is disputed.

Not every war in Azeroth is fought across a continent. Some are fought over one flag or a handful of strongholds, on a map small enough to see whole, with the same two banners on either side. Forever keeps those wars and adds one more island to fight over.

Key facts

  • Maps: Warsong Gulch 10v10, Arathi Basin 15v15, Darkspear Islands 15v15, Alterac Valley 40v40 (Icy Veins; ExitLag)
  • New map: Darkspear Islands, levels 30 to 60, off Dustwallow Marsh (Blizzard)
  • Darkspear victory: the first team to 2,000 points wins (Blizzard)
  • Who queues together: players from other rulesets may share a battleground; Hardcore stays separate (Blizzard)
  • Ranks: 14, topped by Grand Marshal and High Warlord; ranks have a weekly cap (Blizzard)
  • Arenas: none in the current plans (Warcraft Tavern; Icy Veins)

Which battlegrounds are in WoW Forever?

Icy Veins' PvP overview (September 20) and ExitLag (September 30) give the same four maps. Warsong Gulch is a 10v10 flag match from level 10, Arathi Basin a 15v15 fight over resource nodes from level 20, Darkspear Islands a 15v15 capture-and-flag map from level 30 and Alterac Valley a 40v40 assault from level 51. Icy Veins lists ten-level brackets (10-19, 20-29 and so on) with a final level 60 bracket for the first three maps, and a single 51-60 bracket for Alterac Valley. Blizzard's PvP post names only Alterac Valley, in explaining that Honor was rebalanced so that no single map is clearly the best to farm. The rulesets guide explains the ruleset names.

What is the Darkspear Islands battleground?

Blizzard's Darkspear Islands post describes the Darkspear Raiders of the Horde and the Theramore Expeditionary Force of the Alliance fighting over strategic footholds and a central flag off the coast of Dustwallow Marsh. Four capture points across the islands add to your team's points, and holding more of them raises the rate. Carry the central flag to a base your team controls for extra points. Blizzard says "the first team to earn 2000 points wins."

The Horde base is Merchant Coast and the Alliance base is Northwatch. Blizzard says each faction has a reputation track with vendors selling trinkets, rings, cloaks, weapons and armor, and that reaching Exalted unlocks a short questline for the faction's tabard.

How do you queue for a battleground?

Speak to a battlemaster. Icy Veins says they stand in Stormwind Keep and in the Valley of Honor in Orgrimmar. For Darkspear Islands, Blizzard says to use a battlemaster in any major capital or in the Barrens, or the faction's base portal. Warsong Gulch is the first queue at level 10.

Blizzard says players from different rulesets can share battlegrounds, except Hardcore, which stays separate. Blizzard's rulesets post says cross-ruleset grouping is not supported, so dungeon and raid groups stay inside one ruleset. See the mega-realms guide and the RP-PvP ruleset guide.

How do Honor and ranks work?

Blizzard's PvP progression post says Honor comes from defeating players, finishing battlegrounds and doing PvP quests, and it buys two gear sets, one blue and one epic. Rank Points come from battlegrounds and PvP quests and drive 14 ranks, with a weekly cap on progress. Blizzard says the cap retains "the foundation of the original system," and Icy Veins and Blizzpro say no progress decays while you are away.

Rewards start with a tabard at rank 1, a trinket at rank 2, mounts at rank 11 and epic weapons at rank 14. The epic set also needs Emboldened Seals, which have rank requirements. Each season has a weekly journey, and three of its tasks grant a Legacy Point that carries into later seasons; see the Legacy system guide.

Are there arenas in WoW Forever?

No arenas are planned. At the September 17 developer Q&A, Warcraft Tavern reports, developers said they had no current plans for rated PvP and would use a seasonal Honor track instead. Icy Veins lists none in its overview. Guided.news reports on October 16 that this is the current direction and not a permanent commitment. While you wait in a queue, the free Lore Forever add-on shows background for the zone you are standing in.

What is not confirmed yet

  • Sizes and levels: Blizzard's pages I opened do not give them for Warsong Gulch, Arathi Basin or Alterac Valley; they come from Icy Veins and ExitLag.
  • Alterac Valley's level: Icy Veins says 51 to 60, while the database behind one tracker lists 20 to 60.
  • Marks: Icy Veins reports 3 Marks for a win and 1 for a loss; Blizzard's PvP post does not mention Marks.
  • Season length: Icy Veins says at least 10 weeks, unconfirmed by Blizzard.
  • A second map: Blizzpro's headline says two new battlegrounds but describes only Darkspear Islands.

Frequently asked questions

How many battlegrounds does WoW Forever have?

WoW Forever has four battlegrounds: Warsong Gulch, Arathi Basin, Alterac Valley and the new Darkspear Islands.

What is the new battleground in WoW Forever?

Darkspear Islands is a 15v15 map for levels 30 to 60 off Dustwallow Marsh. Teams hold four capture points and carry a central flag, and the first to 2,000 points wins.

Can Normal and PvP ruleset players share a battleground?

Yes. Blizzard says battlegrounds may include players from other rulesets, except Hardcore. Dungeon and raid grouping stays within one ruleset.

Are there arenas in WoW Forever?

No arenas are planned at present. Developers said they have no current plans for rated PvP and intend a seasonal Honor track.

What level can you start battlegrounds in WoW Forever?

Warsong Gulch opens at level 10, Arathi Basin at 20 and Darkspear Islands at 30, according to Icy Veins, and Blizzard confirms the level 30 start for Darkspear Islands. Alterac Valley starts at 51 per Icy Veins.

Sources

Reviewed October 24, 2026. Battleground details may change at launch. Lore Forever is fan-made and is not affiliated with Blizzard Entertainment.

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