Opt in for free
Invitation not guaranteed
On the official Forever site, top right, Beta Opt-in. Blizzard invites testers from that pool in waves; no guarantee.
WoW Forever
The WoW Forever beta Dates, access and builds
The World of Warcraft: Forever beta lasts 35 days, about five weeks: it opened on September 17, 2026 and ends on October 23, 2026, two weeks before the game launches. This page keeps the dates and how to get in; what each build changed is in the patch notes.
Road to launch
Dates from Blizzard’s 2026-2027 roadmap. Blizzard notes that content and timing can still change.
- Sep 17Beta opensBeta opensSeptember 17, 202642 days agoLevel 20 cap at first
- Oct 1Level 30 capLevel 30 capOctober 1, 202628 days agoThe Excavation Site opens, and Razorfen Downs and Uldaman join the dungeons
- Oct 23Beta endsBeta endsOctober 23, 20266 days ago10 a.m. Pacific, 5 p.m. UTC
- Oct 27Name reservationName reservationOctober 27, 20262 days agoReserve your names and create your characters before launch
- Nov 4LaunchLaunchNovember 4, 2026In 6 days3 p.m. Pacific, 11 p.m. UTC
- Dec 9Raids unlockRaids unlockDecember 9, 2026In 41 daysThe Barrow Deeps, 10 playersHyjal Summit, 20 playersOnyxia's Lair, 40 players
- WinterHardcore launchHardcore launchWinterNo date yetForever Hardcore realms open
- Spring 2027Major updateMajor updateSpring 2027No date yet2 new raids, 10 and 20 players2 new dungeonsNew quests and a new playable areaA legendary questlinePvP season refresh
- Summer 2027Major updateMajor updateSummer 2027No date yetA revamped iconic raidA new raidMore world content2 new dungeonsPvP season refreshProfession and Legacy updates
Dates from Blizzard’s 2026-2027 roadmap, which says content and timing can still change. Point at a step for the details.
How to get beta access
Buy a pack
Access from the first day
The Skyborne Epic Pack and the Warcraft Forever Collection include beta access from day one, plus the Skyborne race and a name reservation, per Blizzard’s pre-purchase article. The Heroic Pack unlocks the Skyborne without beta access.
Once invited, the beta client shows up in the Battle.net app under World of Warcraft, like the Classic betas did.
What is in the beta
The beta covers the leveling game, as the Classic betas did: the reworked talent trees and spellbooks of all nine classes, the new race and class combinations (Undead Paladin, Dwarf Shaman, Human Hunter, Gnome Priest, Orc Mage, Troll Warlock), the Skyborne with their starting zone Zephras Isle, the Legacy system, and the new zones. The level cap was 20 when it opened and has been 30 since October 1.
- Talent trees and spellbooksThe nine classes, talent by talent and rank by rank
The changes class by classWhat moved since Classic, for each class
New race and class combinationsUndead Paladin, Dwarf Shaman, Human Hunter, Gnome Priest, Orc Mage, Troll Warlock
The Skyborne and Zephras IsleThe new race and its starting zone
Four new dungeonsHall of Thanes, Ruins of Lordaeron, the Excavation Site and the City of Dalaran, all four open under the level 30 cap
Legacy perksPoints shared across your account, spent in three trees
Patch notes
Talents, spells and items on this site come from the latest build.
Questions
How long is the WoW Forever beta?
35 days, about five weeks: it opened on September 17, 2026 and ends on October 23, 2026. World of Warcraft: Forever launches two weeks later, on November 4, 2026.
When did the WoW Forever beta start, and when does it end?
The beta opened on September 17, 2026 and runs until October 23, 2026. World of Warcraft: Forever launches on November 4, 2026.
How do I get into the WoW Forever beta?
Two ways. Opt in on the official World of Warcraft: Forever site (top right, "Beta Opt-in"); Blizzard picks testers from that pool, so opting in does not guarantee an invitation. Or buy the Skyborne Epic Pack or the Warcraft Forever Collection, which include beta access from the first day, per Blizzard's pre-purchase article.
Do I need to buy anything to play WoW Forever?
No. Forever comes with a World of Warcraft subscription, like Classic. The paid packs add the Skyborne race, beta access, name reservation and cosmetics.
What does this site do during the beta?
It reads the talent trees and the class spellbooks from the beta client and compares each talent and spell with the Classic Era client. What was read off the BlizzCon footage for those gave way to the client data.