Guide ·
WoW Forever Launch FAQ (Nov 4, 2026): Time, Price, Install
World of Warcraft: Forever (WoW Forever) launches globally on Wednesday, November 4, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. PST (23:00 UTC), and access is included with an active World of Warcraft subscription or Game Time, according to Blizzard. Each answer below is one or two sentences from Blizzard first, with a link to the deeper guide, and marks what is unconfirmed. As of November 3, 2026.
Quick answer: Install through the Battle.net app, pick a ruleset instead of a realm, and agree faction and ruleset with friends. Early name reservation ran from October 27 through November 3 (PST), raids open December 9, and the level cap is 60.
Key facts
- Launch: November 4, 2026, 3:00 p.m. PST, 23:00 UTC (Blizzard)
- Cap and raids: level 60; raids December 9 (Blizzard)
- Rulesets: Normal, PvP, Roleplay, Roleplay-PvP; Hardcore later (Blizzard)
When does it start, and what does it cost?
What time does WoW Forever launch?
3:00 p.m. PST on November 4, 2026, which is 23:00 UTC (launch time).
What is that in my time zone?
6:00 p.m. EST, 8:00 p.m. in Brazil, 11:00 p.m. in the UK, midnight CET and 10:00 a.m. AEDT on November 5 (time zones).
Is there maintenance before launch?
Yes. TimeSaver quotes a Battle.net app notice of maintenance from 10:00 a.m. PST until about 3:00 p.m., with the game unavailable, and Wowhead says about five hours; I did not see the notice itself.
How much does WoW Forever cost?
Blizzard's pages I opened list no prices. Gfinity and TimeSaver report $29.99 for the Skyborne Heroic Pack, $59.99 for the Epic Pack and $79.99 for the Warcraft Forever Collection; treat them as reported and check the Battle.net Shop (editions).
Is WoW Forever free?
Not by itself. It needs a subscription or Game Time, except during the Invite-A-Friend week (is it free).
How do you install and run it?
Where do I download WoW Forever?
In the Battle.net desktop app, choose WoW: Forever under Game Version and click Install, says Blizzard (install guide).
Can I preload it?
Icy Veins and Wowhead say yes; TimeSaver says no pre-load date was announced for subscription-only players. Check your app.
Does it run on Mac, Linux or Steam Deck?
Blizzard says Windows or Mac; I found no Blizzard statement on Linux or Steam Deck (platforms).
Is there controller support?
Yes, in a beta state, for XInput controllers; Blizzard says keep a keyboard for chat (controllers).
Is it on Xbox?
Xbox UK said it is not available on Xbox and only through Battle.net on PCs and Macs, per Wowhead; I found nothing on PlayStation.
How do rulesets, names and groups work?
Which rulesets are available?
Normal, PvP, Roleplay and Roleplay-PvP; Hardcore comes sometime after launch (rulesets).
Are there realms to choose from?
No. Blizzard says each ruleset is a broad player ecosystem (realms and regions).
Who can I group with?
Only players on your ruleset and faction (playing with friends).
Can I still reserve a name?
Early reservation for pre-purchasers ran from October 27 through November 3 (PST), according to Blizzard, which gives no closing hour on the pages I opened (reserving a name).
How do character names work?
Two parts that must be unique together within your region (name rules).
Why can't I create a character of one faction on PvP?
Blizzard Support says that when one faction is significantly more dominant, creation is temporarily restricted for it, and you cannot hold both factions on PvP (faction balance).
What happens at and after launch?
Will there be queues?
Unknown; no source I opened gives numbers (queues and errors).
What is layering?
Several copies of Azeroth that spread a ruleset's players out; mein-mmo's summary of Blizzard's podcast says layer switches can never be fully avoided (layering).
When do the raids open?
December 9, for level 60: Barrow Deeps, Hyjal Summit and Onyxia's Lair (raids).
How does Invite-A-Friend work?
Codes redeemed by November 11 give access from November 4 to 11 without a subscription (Invite-A-Friend).
What do I need for the Skyborne?
The Heroic Pack or higher, says Blizzard (Skyborne).
Are add-ons allowed, and do beta characters carry over?
Our FAQ says Forever loads add-ons from its AddOns folder; no Blizzard policy page was opened. Beta progress does not carry over, per Warcraft Tavern alone (beta ended).
What is not confirmed yet
- Queue length, and the closing hour of name reservation on November 3 (Blizzard does not state it).
- Whether preload works for every account and whether the PvP faction limit applies on launch day.
How can the Lore Forever add-on and Willo help with this?
The free Lore Forever add-on is fan-made: it gives the story behind quests, NPCs and zones, with recorded narration, and Windows or Mac players can install it. Willo answers launch-day questions out loud, such as "what do I do next?", on Windows 10 or 11 and, per her page, Apple Silicon Macs (her FAQ still says Windows; features on Mac unconfirmed). She is free to start with 50 answers a day, can be wrong and is not official; she sees your quests only with Live game info on in both, a Hero-and-up feature after the first days per her Plans page.
Sources
Reviewed November 3, 2026. Lore Forever and Willo are fan-made and are not affiliated with Blizzard Entertainment.