Last updated: 21 September 2026

WoW: Forever Beta Guide How to Get In & What's Testable

World of Warcraft: Forever — Blizzard's reimagined take on WoW Classic, unofficially called "WoW Forever" or "Classic+" — was announced at BlizzCon 2026 on September 12, 2026, and its public beta opened five days later on September 17. This guide covers every confirmed way to get into the beta, the dates and content phases, what you can and can't test, and what happens to your beta character once the full game launches on November 4, 2026.

01Beta Dates

The World of Warcraft: Forever beta began on Thursday, September 17, 2026, right after that day's WoW Live Q&A. Blizzard's own beta announcement states testing runs through October 21, 2026, calling it "the last full day of testing" before the team moves into final preparations for launch.

The full game — World of Warcraft: Forever — releases on November 4, 2026, roughly two weeks after the beta closes.

02Level Cap and Phases

The beta did not open at full strength. It launched with a level cap of 20, giving testers access to the new Skyborne starting zone (Zephras Isle) plus two dungeons — Hall of Thanes (levels 13–18) and Ruins of Lordaeron (levels 15–20) — and all other zone content appropriate up to level 20.

Blizzard has stated the level cap will be raised to 30 later in the testing window, unlocking further zones, dungeons, and at least one battleground. This is a deliberate, staged rollout — it is not a bug or a account restriction if you hit a level-20 wall early in the beta.

For comparison, World of Warcraft: Forever's full 1.0 launch keeps the original level 60 cap rather than raising it — the beta only samples the earliest slice of that leveling experience.

03How to Get Into the Beta

There are two distinct routes into the beta, and only one of them is guaranteed:

• Free opt-in (not guaranteed): Sign up for the beta on the official World of Warcraft: Forever website using your Battle.net account credentials. Blizzard selects opt-in participants in waves throughout the testing window, so getting in this way can take time and isn't promised at all — treat it as a lottery, not an application.
• Guaranteed access via pre-purchase: Buying either the Skyborne Epic Pack ($59.99) or the Warcraft Forever Collection ($79.99) from the Battle.net shop grants guaranteed beta access for the full duration of testing, on top of what each pack includes at launch. Access unlocks shortly after purchase — it isn't a pre-order perk that only activates later.

Outlets have also reported a limited Australia-only promotion letting players redeem McDonald's reward points for a beta code — a regional promo, not a route available everywhere.

Below the two guaranteed-access packs, Blizzard also sells a cheaper Skyborne Heroic Pack ($29.99). Blizzard's own pack-comparison page confirms it does not include beta access — it unlocks the Skyborne race and its launch-day cosmetics only, so buying it specifically to get into the beta won't work.

04How to Install and Find It

If you have access (via opt-in selection or a qualifying purchase), the beta is installed like any other WoW product through the Battle.net desktop app:

1. Open the Battle.net launcher and log in with the account that has beta access.
2. Look for World of Warcraft: Forever (Beta) in your list of installable games/game versions in the launcher sidebar.
3. Click Install, then Play once the download finishes.
4. If the beta doesn't appear right away after being granted access, fully restart the launcher or log out and back into your Battle.net account — the entitlement can take a few minutes to sync.

05What You Can Actually Test

The beta is built around the new Skyborne race and its starting zone, plus a slice of early-to-mid leveling content shared with the rest of the beta population:

• The Skyborne race and its starting zone, Zephras Isle
• Hall of Thanes (levels 13–18) and Ruins of Lordaeron (levels 15–20) dungeons
• All other zone content, quests, and gameplay systems appropriate up to the current level cap
• Additional zones, dungeons, and at least one battleground, added later in the testing window once the cap is raised to 30

Because the beta is capped well below Forever's full leveling range, endgame systems, raids, and higher-level zones confirmed for the 1.0 release are not part of what's testable right now.

06No Carry-Over to Launch

Beta progress does not transfer to the live game. Characters, levels, gold, and items earned during the WoW: Forever beta stay in the beta and are wiped when testing ends — everyone starts fresh on November 4. The only practical benefit of playing the beta is seeing the game early and helping Blizzard catch bugs and balance issues before launch, not getting a head start.

07NDA and Streaming Status

Blizzard has not published a formal non-disclosure agreement or streaming policy for the WoW: Forever beta. In practice, gaming outlets have been publishing beta coverage, screenshots, and impressions openly since testing opened on September 17, which points to streaming and content creation being permitted. Treat this as an observed pattern rather than an official policy statement — if you're planning to stream or record, check the World of Warcraft: Forever beta page and your in-game terms for any last-minute restrictions before you go live.