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World of Warcraft: Forever FAQ: Beta Access, Progress, and Rulesets

Find out how to enter the World of Warcraft: Forever beta, whether characters carry over, how rulesets govern progress and grouping, and what launch access requires.
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As of October 4, 2026: You can access the World of Warcraft: Forever beta either by opting in and being selected or through the Skyborne Epic Pack or Warcraft Forever Collection. Beta progress carryover has not been announced in the official sources cited here. At launch, access is included with a WoW subscription or game time; characters follow separate rulesets, and you cannot freely move them between those ecosystems.

How do you get into the beta?

There are two routes: opt in and be selected for an invitation, or get beta access through an eligible digital edition. Opting in does not guarantee access. Blizzard says it sends invitations regularly during the test and flags selected Battle.net accounts for access. If you are unsure whether you were invited, check the game licenses on your Battle.net account.

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  • Opt-in: Submit an opt-in and wait for selection; a purchase is not required for this route.
  • Included with an edition: Blizzard lists beta access with the Skyborne Epic Pack and the limited-time Warcraft Forever Collection. The Skyborne Heroic Pack description does not include beta access.

Install the beta

  1. Open the Battle.net desktop app and select World of Warcraft.
  2. Open the Game Version menu and, under “In Development,” choose “World of Warcraft: Forever Beta.”
  3. Select Install. When access is available, create a new test character.

Blizzard’s beta announcement says testing is available through October 21, 2026, the last full day of the test. The initial level cap is 20 and is planned to rise to 30 later. Blizzard also says a Server Slam for open access is planned later in the test, but had not provided its details in the cited announcement. Read Blizzard’s beta announcement.

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Will beta characters or progress carry over to launch?

Blizzard’s cited beta and launch announcements do not specify whether beta characters or their progress will carry into the November launch. That means the outcome is unannounced in those sources: they do not establish either a wipe or a transfer. Treat beta characters as test characters unless Blizzard publishes a specific carryover policy.

What are the World of Warcraft: Forever rulesets?

Forever replaces the traditional realm-selection step with rulesets: separate player ecosystems with different play conditions. Blizzard describes four: Normal, PvP, Roleplaying, and Hardcore, with Hardcore planned to arrive after launch.

Ruleset What it means Availability noted by Blizzard
Normal The baseline ruleset. Available at launch.
PvP Makes contested territory more dangerous through player-versus-player combat. Available at launch.
Roleplaying For players seeking a roleplay-oriented experience. Available at launch.
Hardcore Has a one-way progress boundary with other rulesets; see the character-progress rules below. Planned for after launch.

Blizzard does not designate a best ruleset. Choose by your preferred play style and risk level, then coordinate with friends: their ruleset and faction affect whether you can group together. If you are considering Hardcore, also account for its one-way progress boundary. Blizzard’s ruleset announcement explains the distinctions.

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Can characters switch rulesets, and how does progress work?

No. Blizzard says players cannot freely move characters between rulesets; to play under another ruleset, create a new character there. Collections and Legacy Points are account-wide across rulesets, subject to Hardcore’s boundary.

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  • Progress earned in Hardcore can become available in other rulesets.
  • Progress earned outside Hardcore does not flow into Hardcore.
  • If a Hardcore character dies, Blizzard says it can be moved to another ruleset.

Can you play with friends on another ruleset or faction?

For dungeons, raids, and ordinary group play, plan to be on the same ruleset and faction. Cross-ruleset grouping is not supported, and Horde and Alliance characters cannot group together. Battlegrounds are an exception: they may draw players from other rulesets, but not from Hardcore.

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What does launch access require, and what do the editions add?

Blizzard says access to WoW: Forever at launch is included with a World of Warcraft subscription or game time. The optional upgrades add bonuses; they are not required for launch access. Blizzard scheduled launch for November 4, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. PST. The cited announcement does not provide edition prices.

Edition What the cited Blizzard announcement says it includes
Skyborne Heroic Pack Optional upgrade; its description does not include beta access.
Skyborne Epic Pack Heroic Pack contents, beta access, 30 days of game time beginning November 4, additional cosmetics, pets, tabards, and three total Invite-A-Friend launch codes.
Warcraft Forever Collection Epic Pack contents, Warcraft III: Reforged, its Forsaken Kingdom campaign, and housing decor for modern WoW. Blizzard describes it as limited-time.

Blizzard also announced a physical World of Warcraft: Forever Collector’s Edition for purchase through the Blizzard Gear Store while supplies last. The cited announcement does not establish availability through any other retailer. See Blizzard’s launch and edition announcement.

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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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