World of Warcraft: Forever is Blizzard’s new take on the original Azeroth, and it launches on 4 November 2026. Here’s everything we know: when it launches, how you get access, what’s new and what the developers have said about controllers and Xbox.
World of Warcraft: Forever at a glance
- Launch: 4 November 2026, 23:00 GMT
- Access: included with a World of Warcraft subscription or Game Time
- Setting: the original continents, after Warcraft III Reforged: Forsaken Kingdom and before Molten Core
- Level cap: 60
- New content: three zones, 1,000+ quests, nine dungeons, two raids, the Skyborne race
- Developer and publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
- Official site: World of Warcraft: Forever
What is World of Warcraft: Forever?
Forever is a third version of World of Warcraft, alongside the modern game and Classic. It was announced at BlizzCon 2026 and is built around the vanilla era of Azeroth, but it isn’t a straight re-release. It adds new zones, quests, dungeons and raids, and Blizzard plans to keep adding to it over time.
When does World of Warcraft: Forever launch?
It launches globally on 4 November 2026 at 23:00 GMT (3pm PST). The beta ran from 17 September to 21 October 2026, and Early Name Reservation opened on 27 October.
How do you get access?
Forever is included with a World of Warcraft subscription or Game Time; there’s no separate purchase needed to play. Blizzard also sells optional upgrades on the Battle.net Shop: the Skyborne Heroic Pack, the Skyborne Epic Pack and the limited-time Warcraft Forever Collection. Playing as the new Skyborne race requires the Heroic Pack or higher. The Warcraft Forever Collection is on sale until 11 January 2027.
What’s new in Forever?
Xbox Wire’s BlizzCon round-up lists three new zones, more than 1,000 new quests, nine new dungeons, two new raids and the Skyborne race. Skyborne characters can join either faction: Horde Skyborne can be Shamans and Alliance Skyborne can be Mages, and both start on Zephras Isle, a level 1-12 zone. Blizzard’s starter guide also mentions campsites, where players can rest, trade and share profession-made benefits.
When you first log in you choose an experience preset. Classic uses standard-definition character models and fewer modern interface features, while Enhanced turns on high-definition models and extra interface help. You can change individual settings later.
Which rulesets are available?
Normal, PvP, Roleplay and Roleplay-PvP rulesets are available at launch, with Hardcore planned for later. You can only group, join guilds and raid with players on the same ruleset and faction.
Is there flying, and will it move into expansions?
No flying mounts. In an interview with GamesRadar+, executive producer Holly Longdale said flying skips past the world, and the team wants players exploring Azeroth on the ground. Associate production director Clay Stone said Forever won’t go through the Dark Portal. The level cap stays at 60, with growth coming from new areas and systems instead of higher levels.
Controllers and Xbox
Forever is the first version of World of Warcraft with official, native controller support, which Blizzard lists as being in a beta state. GamesRadar+ played it with a controller during the beta, including on a ROG Xbox Ally X handheld.
In the GamesRadar+ interview, Longdale said the long-term aim is for people to play “wherever you want and, at some point, on whatever you want”, with good gamepad support as the first step. She mentioned Project Helix, Microsoft’s next Xbox console, when saying she expects platforms to become more widespread, and said the gamepad work offers flexibility that “goes beyond consoles”.
Is World of Warcraft: Forever coming to Xbox consoles?
No Xbox console version has been announced. Blizzard is part of the Xbox family of studios, and Xbox has said Project Helix is designed to play both Xbox console and PC games. Speculation: Longdale’s comments suggest the direction Blizzard is thinking, but any console version is unconfirmed.
If you have Game Pass, you can play another Blizzard game from the same universe: Xbox Wire notes that Warcraft III: Reforged is available with Game Pass, and its new Forsaken Kingdom campaign, sold separately, is set before the events of Forever.
We’ll update this page as more news arrives. Read our story on the developers’ interview, and find all our coverage on the World of Warcraft: Forever hub.
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