Get ready for your next adventure.

Launch time and timezone note

The countdown follows the detailed Blizzard roadmap and edition section: 4 November 2026 at 3 pm PST, which is 23:00 UTC and UK time on that date. Another paragraph uses PDT, which would be one hour earlier. We explicitly use the PST schedule and will update if Blizzard clarifies the inconsistency. The timer reaching zero does not prove the servers are available.

Keep beta and raid dates separate

The beta started on 17 September; the official beta article names 21 October as its last full testing day. The roadmap places new raid openings on 9 December. Check live official posts for schedule changes before arranging time off or a raid.

Your character decisions

Agree your faction with friends, check the current race/class table, and review your class changes. If you want Skyborne, confirm the optional unlock. Do not buy a beta-access edition assuming it is required for ordinary launch access.

Launch checklist

Our recommended preparation is simple: install the correct client, verify your subscription or game time, read your transition guide, and make a flexible plan with your group.

• Returning from Vanilla: start with the changed-world comparison.
• Coming from Retail: read the Forever transition guide.
• Inspect your class’s current talents; do not copy an old build blindly.
• Plan early profession and trainer visits.
• Leave time for exploration, queues and changes to the schedule.

A first session that gets you comfortable

Spend the first session learning your toolkit, reading new quest text and practising pulls. Finish with a clear next meeting point. This plan is advice for settling into Forever, not a claim that all routes and content have been tested.