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World of Warcraft: Forever launches on 4 November 2026 at 3:00 PM PST — which is 6:00 PM ET, 11:00 PM GMT on the 4th, and 00:00 CET / 01:00 Kyiv on 5 November. It’s a single global launch: everyone enters the reimagined original Azeroth at the same moment, with the level-60 cap, all launch dungeons, and the new Skyborne race available from the start. It is not free — you need an active WoW subscription or Game Time, with three optional paid packs on top.
Here is everything you need for the WoW Forever launch: the exact start time in every region, what the game actually is, whether it’s free, and the name-reservation window that closes today. Details are from Blizzard’s announcement and launch coverage (GameWatcher, Icy Veins, timesaver.gg), as of 3 November 2026.
Launch time in every region
WoW Forever has one global unlock at 3:00 PM PST on 4 November 2026. Here it is converted across the major time zones.
| Region / time zone | Local launch time | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific (PST, UTC−8) | 3:00 PM | 4 Nov 2026 |
| Mountain (MST, UTC−7) | 4:00 PM | 4 Nov 2026 |
| Central (CST, UTC−6) | 5:00 PM | 4 Nov 2026 |
| Eastern (EST, UTC−5) | 6:00 PM | 4 Nov 2026 |
| Brazil (BRT, UTC−3) | 8:00 PM | 4 Nov 2026 |
| UK (GMT, UTC+0) | 11:00 PM | 4 Nov 2026 |
| Central Europe (CET, UTC+1) | 12:00 AM | 5 Nov 2026 |
| Kyiv / EET (UTC+2) | 1:00 AM | 5 Nov 2026 |
| Moscow (MSK, UTC+3) | 2:00 AM | 5 Nov 2026 |
| India (IST, UTC+5:30) | 4:30 AM | 5 Nov 2026 |
| Sydney (AEDT, UTC+11) | 10:00 AM | 5 Nov 2026 |
What WoW Forever is
WoW Forever is Blizzard’s permanent, “vanilla-style” version of World of Warcraft, set in a reimagined original Azeroth — a third standing branch alongside retail and Classic. At launch it runs levels 1–60 with the classic progression philosophy: no flying and no level scaling, so the world feels large and dangerous the way vanilla did. The launch content includes new zones, more than 1,000 quests, all the launch dungeons, raids and PvP, plus the brand-new Skyborne race. It keeps the nine classic classes (Warrior, Paladin, Hunter, Rogue, Priest, Shaman, Mage, Warlock, Druid) and the three-tree talent system, while reworking some talents, abilities and race/class combinations. Think of it as the vanilla experience preserved forever, with modern additions layered carefully on top rather than retail’s systems bolted on.
Is it free? Subscription & packs
No — WoW Forever is not free-to-play, but you don’t buy it separately either. Access is included with an active WoW subscription or Game Time, the same way Classic is, so if you already pay for WoW you can play Forever at no extra cost. On top of that base access there are three optional paid packs/editions. The one that matters most is the Skyborne Heroic Pack at $29.99, which unlocks the new Skyborne race and granted the early name-reservation window; higher-tier editions include it along with extra cosmetics. The upgrade packs are entirely optional — nothing in them is required to level, raid or PvP. If you just want to play the core game, a standard subscription is all you need.
Name reservation & launch-day prep
If you bought the Skyborne Heroic Pack (or higher), you got early name reservation from 27 October through 3 November — and today, 3 November, is the last day. That window lets you create and customise up to three characters before launch so your names are locked in, but it is not permission to level early: no character can gain experience before the 4 November go-live. Beyond reserving names, the sensible launch-day prep is to pre-download the client so you’re not stuck patching at 1:00 AM, decide your class and leveling spec in advance (Hunter, Mage and Warlock are the most-cited fast levelers), and pick your server and faction before the queues build. Fresh-launch realms always spike hard in the first hours, so being ready to log in the moment the servers flip is the difference between starting your run and sitting in a queue.
WoW Forever release FAQ
Details are as of 3 November 2026, from Blizzard’s WoW Forever announcement and launch coverage (GameWatcher, Icy Veins, timesaver.gg, wowhandbook). Launch times are converted from the confirmed 3:00 PM PST go-live; always check the in-game or Battle.net countdown before launch.
