World of Warcraft: Forever is a separate version of WoW announced at BlizzCon 2026. It starts from original (Vanilla) World of Warcraft, keeps the level cap at 60, and adds new content and systems on top that Blizzard plans to keep updating. Many players call it “Classic+”.
Key facts
| Launch | November 4, 2026, 3:00 p.m. PST (time in your country) |
| Price | Included with a WoW subscription or Game Time; optional packs (prices) |
| Level cap | 60 |
| Realms | No realm list: you choose a ruleset (Normal, PvP, Roleplaying; Hardcore after launch) |
| Names | Two-part names, unique per region (name reservation) |
| Story | Its own continuity, separate from modern WoW |
How it differs from WoW Classic
Classic recreates the old game as it was. Forever uses it as a starting point and changes it:
- New places: four new regions (Mount Hyjal, Shen’dralas, the Riverglades and Zephras Isle), nine new dungeons and new raids that open after launch. See them on the dungeon timeline by level.
- A new race: the Skyborne, with their own starting zone. New race and class combinations too, such as Orc Mage, Troll Warlock and Undead Paladin.
- Reworked classes: new talents and active abilities in every tree, plus stat changes: hit and critical strike work for all attacks, Haste and Expertise exist, and items can have new effects. Plan yours in the talent calculator.
- Camps: professions add objects to campfires that give group bonuses. See the best professions by class.
- Legacy: account-wide points that unlock perks and cosmetics. Full details in the Legacy guide.
- Options: a Classic mode for the original look (it turns transmog off), and secondary names you can hide.
How it differs from modern WoW
Forever is not modern WoW with a lower level cap. It keeps the slower Vanilla pace, the old continents and the level 1–60 journey. Your modern WoW characters do not carry over, and Blizzard has not announced transfers from Classic either: everyone starts fresh at level 1.
What you need to play
- An active WoW subscription or Game Time (or an Invite-A-Friend code during launch week).
- The Battle.net app, with WoW Forever selected in the game version menu.
- Optional: a pack if you want the Skyborne race or to reserve a name from October 27.
Where to start
- Best class to start with and the current tier list.
- Races and racials to pick your race.
- Leveling guide for the road to 60.
Sources and data status
Sources reviewed October 19, 2026. Beta details can change; each reference is labeled by source type.
- Official source: Blizzard: Forever deep dive panel recap ↗
- Secondary source: Massively Overpowered: dual names and realm types in WoW Forever ↗
- Community reference: Warcraft Wiki: World of Warcraft: Forever ↗